Watson makes merry in Riviera
LOS ANGELES: Bubba Watson swooped for an eagle and five birdies in a six-under par 65 at Riviera Country Club on Saturday to seize a one-shot lead going into the final round of the Genesis Open.
Two-time Masters champion Watson is also a two-time winner at Riviera, claiming the most recent of his nine US PGA Tour titles here in 2016.
His 10-under-par total of 203 put him one stroke in front of Southern California native Patrick Cantlay, who rolled in a 55-foot birdie putt at the 18th to cap a 69 for 204.
Watson, energised perhaps by his appearance in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Friday night, produced his signature moment right out of the gate.
His second shot at the par-five first rolled within 18 inches of the pin to give him a tap-in eagle.
“We guessed right on No.1 today, trying to get the right yardage, the right club for the wind and everything,” Watson said. “It calms you down real fast when you tap in for eagle.”
A par save from a bunker at the second kept the momentum going. Watson chipped in for a birdie from just off the green at the par-three sixth, the first of four birdies in a five-hole span.
He followed his only bogey of the day at 15 with a birdie at 17.
“Knowing how difficult this golf course is, my whole thing was trying to hit greens, somehow just hang in there wherever I was,” Watson said. “We hung on.”
With his monster birdie at 18 Cantlay separated himself from a chasing pack.
Australian Cameron Smith, Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell and Americans Kevin Na and Tony Finau shared third on 205.
McDowell, who shared the overnight lead with Cantlay, carded a one-under 70. Na posted a 67, Finau a 68 and Smith climbed up the leaderboard with a bogeyfree six-under par 65.
Fifteen players are within five shots of the lead, including world No.1 and defending champion Dustin Johnson.
After squeezing into the weekend, Johnson blistered Riviera with a bogeyfree seven-under 64 to move four shots off Watson’s lead.
“Making the turn I said we’ve got 27 holes to see how good we are, we can get back in this thing,” Johnson said. “You never know what’s going to happen. I need to get off to a good start again.”
LEADING THIRD ROUND SCORES (USA unless noted, par-71)
203 — Bubba Watson 68-70-65
204 — Patrick Cantlay 66-69-69
205 — Cameron Smith (AUS) 72-68-65, Kevin Na 68-70-67, Tony Finau 66-71-68, Graeme McDowell (NIR) 69-66-70
206 — Derek Fathauer 68-70-68
207 — Justin Thomas 69-71-67, Aaron Baddeley (AUS) 72-68-67, Dustin Johnson 74-69-64, Scott Stallings 71-68-68, Ryan Moore 68-68-71