TAME TIGER CAN’T CRACK THE RIDDLE OF RIVIERA

DEREK LAWRENSON

MARK it down as another day when the wiles and mysteries of majestic Riviera got the better of the great Tiger Woods. At the halfway point in the Genesis Invitational, the dream of a record 83rd PGA Tour victory remains, but the balance of probability has tilted towards this being a 13th appearance here without a win rather than a celebrated first triumph. Woods said in the build-up that he’d had too many poor putting days over the years to win, and here was another, as he missed three costly short ones coming home to fall seven shots off the pace with a 73. Just as bad were a couple of bewilderingly bad short irons that cost him three more strokes and left him disconsolate at the close. ‘They were just bad mistakes with a wedge and sand wedge and I was not as sharp as I needed to be,’ said the tournament host. ‘I need to refocus and have a low one in the third round to have any chance.’ American Harold Varner, one of the few black players to follow in Tiger’s footsteps on to the tour, was the leader from the morning wave on seven under after a 67. Just three shots off the pace are Justin Rose, who shot a second successive 69, and Jon Rahm, who served notice of his intention to replace Rory McIlroy at the top of the world rankings. Needing a win to have the chance of becoming the first Spaniard since Seve Ballesteros to reach the summit, the burly Rahm carded a 67. This time last year, it was Rose who was the world number one but he has drifted to tenth. ‘I feel like my ball striking is on the way back,’ said the 39-year-old Englishman. The sun was a long way from rising when Woods arrived at the course before 6am for his 7.16am tee-time. Temporary floodlights illuminated the practice putting green by the clubhouse as he went through his warm-up. By the time he reached the tenth tee — his starting hole — around 300 hardy souls were there to cheer him on. For the second day running, Woods got off to a fast start with a birdie. Then came a horror stroke at the 15th, where a wedge from 144 yards flew only 120 yards and plugged in a greenside bunker. From there, he played over the green and ended up missing a 6ft putt for a bogey. This course really is beginning to look like his kryptonite. McIlroy, who opened with a 68, made good progress with five birdies — and two bogeys — leaving him one stroke behind Varner through 16 holes.