Patrick Cantlay leads Genesis Invitational as Rory McIlroy struggles in Tiger Woods’ PGA Tour comeback | Golf News

Patrick Cantlay holds a one-shot lead after the opening spherical of the Genesis Invitational, the place Scottie Scheffler’s placing struggles continued and Rory McIlroy had a back-nine to overlook in Tiger Woods’ PGA Tour comeback.

Cantlay combined eight birdies with one bogey throughout a first-round 64 at Riviera Nation Membership, giving him a one-shot lead over Jason Day, Cameron Davis and Luke Checklist, whereas Jordan Spieth is within the group two again on 5 beneath.

World No 1 Scheffler is inside 4 of the lead regardless of a surprising day on the greens, with 5 missed possibilities from inside 10 toes throughout his first 11 holes alone leaving him throwing his ball into the bushes in anger throughout a three-under 68.

Woods marked his first official PGA Tour begin since The Masters in April with a one-over 72, whereas McIlroy has left himself work to do exactly to make the minimize after dropping 5 photographs in two holes on his approach to an opening-round 74.

Eventful begin in California

Cantlay opened with back-to-back positive aspects and added additional birdies on the fourth and sixth, with the previous FedExCup champion holing from 25 toes on the eighth to hitch enjoying companion Spieth in reaching the flip in 30.

The American took benefit of the par-five eleventh and made successive positive aspects from the thirteenth to get to eight beneath, then carded his solely bogey of the day when he hit bushes off the tee on the par-three sixteenth.

Checklist and Day each loved blemish-free begins to get inside one of many lead, as Davis birdied three of his final 5 holes to finish the trio tied-second, with Spieth joined in a share of fifth by Will Zalatoris – who briefly led – and Tom Hoge.

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Byeong Hun An and Adam Svensson are three again, whereas Scheffler -who may lose world No 1 spot to McIlroy this week – is an additional shot behind and tied-tenth after failing to construct on an eagle-birdie begin.

Woods enjoys ‘detached’ begin as McIlroy fades

Woods made two birdies in three holes on his entrance 9 and was nonetheless in purple figures with seven holes to go, with the 15-time main champion exhibiting loads of constructive indicators in his first outing sporting his new ‘Solar Day Crimson’ clothes.

The previous world No 1 solely registered seven pars on an eclectic scorecard, with an inexplicable shank from the ultimate fairway leading to a closing bogey and leaving him eight strokes off the clubhouse lead.

“My spherical was good and a bit bit detached,” Woods informed Golf Channel. “I did not really feel like I hit a whole lot of greens right this moment. I missed loads and was stressing out on the quick sport. I imply, I had perhaps about 5 days right this moment or one thing silly [seven]. It was making both birdies or bogeys.”

McIlroy made a powerful begin as he adopted a front-nine 33 by driving the tenth inexperienced and two-putting for birdie, just for a three-putt par from the perimeter on the par-five eleventh sparking the unravelling of his spherical.

A wayward tee shot on the subsequent left him two-putting from 40 toes simply to scramble for a bogey, then a poor method into the fifteenth and disappointing chip from the tough noticed him put up a double-bogey six.

Worse was to come back on the par-three sixteenth, the place McIlroy took two makes an attempt out of the sand and three-putter from eight toes for a triple-bogey, with the Northern Irishman then cancelling out a two-putt birdie on the par-five seventeenth by carding one other bogey on the ultimate gap.

There might be a 36-hole minimize on Friday to incorporate the highest 50 gamers and ties, plus anybody inside 10 strokes of the lead, with the winner of the most recent PGA Tour Signature Occasion pocketing a primary prize of $3.6million.

Watch the Genesis Invitational all through the week dwell on Sky Sports activities. Stay protection continues Friday with early protection from 3.30pm, forward of full protection from 8pm. Stream the majors, PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour and more on NOW.

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