Rahm limits mistakes to take the lead at Riviera

Jon Rahm kept mistakes off his card Saturday at Riviera, the difference in allowing him to post a 6-under 65 and start to pull away from the field at the Genesis Invitational.

Tiger Woods lost ground, too, even if he looked good doing it. Woods had a tapin eagle on his way to a 67, his lowest Saturday round in an official event since he won the Zozo Championship in Japan in the fall of 2019. Even so, he was 12 shots back.

Rahm capped off his bogey-free day with a 25-foot birdie putt that gave him a three-shot lead over Max Homa, who had a share of the lead until consecutive bogeys from the bunker along the back nine. He had a 69.

Keith Mitchell made his only bogey on the final hole and had a 69 to fall four behind. The only other player within five shots was Patrick Cantlay (68).

Rahm has been the best player in golf over the last six months. Dating to the BMW PGA Championship on the European tour, he has finished among the top 10 in nine consecutive tournaments, winning four of them.

All that’s left is a return to No. 1 in the world, and he can do that with a victory Sunday.

For Woods, it felt like a win just being back on the PGA Tour for four straight rounds, something he hasn’t done since the Masters. Then again, he only played three times last year because of his right leg severely damaged in a February 2021 car crash.

He made the cut on the number when the second round was completed Saturday morning, 11 shots off the lead and starting on the back nine in one of the last few groups. That didn’t keep thousands of fans lining the fairway over the next five hours.