Vegas shines until rain curtails play at Riviera
Wind, rain and the snap of a large tree limb were enough to stop play Friday in the second round of the Genesis Open.
Sam Saunders remained atop the leaderboard without ever hitting a shot Friday at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.
Jhonattan Vegas joined him at 7-under par by going 3 under through 14 holes, and was all too happy to wait until this morning — maybe — to complete his second round. The wind made it difficult to pick the right club. The rain made it difficult to gauge the speed on the greens.
But it was the crack of a eucalyptus tree that made PGA Tour officials sound the horn to get players — and spectators — off the course.
“We could have played a little bit more, but why? It’s going to get nothing but worse,” said Mark Russell, the PGA Tour’s vice president of competition. “We wanted to get them out of there when the trees started snapping.”
It was tough on a few players, too, at least between the ears.
Hideki Matsuyama, who had a mathematical chance to reach No. 1 in the world this week with a victory, returned Friday morning to complete the first round and made three straight birdies for a 68. He likely will have to finish with three straight birdies today just to make the cut after going 6 over through 15 holes.
Defending champion Bubba Watson still had two holes to play and was 8 over, virtually assured of missing the cut. Cameron Percy of Australia was among 24 players who finished his second round. He shot a 71 and was at 5-under 137. Zac Blair and Martin Laird each shot 68 and were finished at 4-under 138.
Graeme McDowell birdied three of his last eight holes for a 70 and was at 3 under, along with Daniel Summerhays (73) and Keegan Bradley (70). Very much in the mix was Jordan Spieth, playing in the same group as Watson. He was at 5 under with two holes to play.
Still to be determined was whether the rain — and any debris — would allow the second round to resume today.
Champions: Miguel Angel Jimenez had a late eagle and closed with a birdie for a 7-under 65 and a share of the lead in the Chubb Classic at Naples, Fla.
Doug Garwood and Scott Parel joined Jimenez atop the leaderboard on the Talon Course at The TwinEagles Club. Mike Goodes had a 66, and Scott Hoch, Tommy Armour III, Bob Tway, Duffy Waldorf and Tuesday qualifier John Elliott shot 67.
Fred Couples and John Daly topped the group at 68 along with Jerry Kelly, the three-time PGA Tour winner making his senior debut.
European Tour: Brett Rumford shot a 7-under 65 to take a two-stroke lead after two rounds of the World Super 6 golf tournament at Perth, Australia. David Bransdon (64) was second.