Villegas takes lead at Riviera

Camilo Villegas hasn’t make a cut all year and has only broken 70 one time in four previous trips to Riviera, so it was mildly surprising to see him with an 8-under 63 to build a three-shot lead Thursday in the Northern Trust Open.

That wasn’t the biggest surprise.

One spot from the bottom of the leaderboard was Jordan Spieth, the world’s No. 1 player who shot an 8-over 79 on one of his favorite courses. It was his worst start ever as a pro, and his highest score since an 80 in the third round of the 2014 Tour Championship.

“In the course of a career, I imagine it’s going to happen,” Spieth said. “Just unfortunate when it actually does.”

And there was one more surprise for everyone. Riviera, which played so fearsome during the practice rounds under a hot sun, was softer than usual after a steady overnight rain that never cleared until moments before the first round began.

Spieth said he couldn’t trust how the course was playing. Villegas also was stunned when he heard players from the morning round talk about 4-irons stopping on the green, instead of taking a hard bounce.

“You don’t really shoot 8 under around this place not playing good,” Villegas said. “Obviously, the rain yesterday made the golf course a lot more accessible.”

Bubba Watson, who won at Riviera two years ago with a 64-64 weekend, opened with a 66 along with Chez Reavie and Luke List.

Rory McIlroy, making his first PGA Tour start this year and his debut at Riviera, opened with two quick birdies and added two more on the front nine for a 67. He was in a large group that included 22-year-old Charlie Danielson, the Illinois senior who earned a spot in his first PGA Tour event by winning a collegiate qualifier on Monday.

“I just went out and tried to enjoy the day,” Danielson said. “I had no idea if I would shoot 80 or 66, so I just went out with no expectations and it worked out.”

Spieth didn’t have any expectations of a 79 — or worse. Still to be determined is whether his ball moved before hitting a chip on the ninth green. Spieth asked rules officials to review the video. He said he was fairly certain it didn’t move, but wanted to be sure. A decision was not expected until Friday morning. It would be a one-shot penalty under Rule 18-2 if the ball did move.

That was the least of his worries. The round got away from him on the back nine when he kept missing greens and leaving himself short par putts that are difficult on poa greens in the afternoon. Spieth dropped six shots over the last seven holes, including a threeputt double bogey from 8 feet on the 18th.