Woods shows flair, but Kuchar leads

Tiger falters late; eagle is for Kobe

Tiger Woods began with an unknowing tribute to Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles by making an eagle putt that optical cameras measured at 24 feet, 8 inches. He ended his opening round with a reminder that getting around Riviera unscathed is no small task.

That’s what made Matt Kuchar’s day all the more remarkable.

Kuchar drove to the edge of the 10th green and twoputted for birdie and kept right on rolling until he had a 7-under 64 on Thursday, matching his best score at Riviera and giving him a three-shot lead in the Genesis Invitational.

So clean was Kuchar’s round that he only once had to stress over a par putt, and he made the 10-footer at the par-3 fourth.

“I think it’s one of the few courses that has truly stood the test of time,” Kuchar said. “It was a great test of golf 50 years ago when Ben Hogan was playing, it’s a great test today with Tiger Woods and all the young boys playing.”

Woods was 4 under through eight holes but had to settle for a 69.

His record at Riviera is under scrutiny, especially this week as he tries for his 83rd PGA Tour victory to set the career mark he now shares with Sam Snead. Woods has not won in 10 appearances as a pro at Riviera, two others as a teenage amateur.

Woods seemed bent on having his say at Riviera with the eagle and two more birdies through eight holes, leaving him three off the lead. But he couldn’t keep his swing together, and it caught up with him.

“Just didn’t hit many good shots on the back nine,” Woods said. “Made a couple loose swings and made a couple good saves on the back nine for par, but just wasn’t able to get any birdies on the back nine.”

He said his duties as tournament host kept him away from the practice range except for a short time before the pro-am Wednesday, and he was trying to piece something together for the first round. It only lasted so long.

Hot start Down Under

Jodi Ewart Shadoff shot a 7-under 66 to take a onestroke lead over Inbee Park and U.S. Open champion Jeongeun Lee6 after the first round of the Women’s Australian Open in Adelaide, Australia. Ewart Shadoff has 20 top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour without a victory.