PGA Tour: Kokrak upstages stars, leads by 1; Spieth misses cut

“I’ll never do that prior to leaving the course, because there’s always going to be a chance”.

Last year, Spieth followed a missed cut at Torrey Pines with a tied seventh at Pebble Beach. I got off to a good start from the 10th hole, made a nice little birdie there, and then great birdie on No. 12, tough hole. Chez Reavie fired a 67 and is alone in second at nine-under 133.

Dustin Johnson had a 66 and Bubba Watson played bogey-free in his round of 68.

Well before Spieth’s nightmare round (nine of 14 fairways and 9 of 18 greens in regulation, 34 putts), the muscular McIlroy put his spat with Brandel Chamblee behind him and got his Riviera debut off to a rollicking beginning. “And it was oscillating as I took it back, as it (the club) got stuck”.

“I guess Rory [McIlroy] is considering this the start to his run at the Masters”, he said with a smile. “Mine will start next time”.

McIlroy would complete a career Grand Slam with a victory at the Masters, where he had a four-shot lead heading into the final round in 2011 before a spectacular collapse. “I think it sets up very good to me, and it’s fun to play”, he said.

The 30-year-old shot to the top of the leaderboard at the halfway stage of the tournament after carding a sensational seven-under-par 64 on day two at Riviera CC.

And McIlroy certainly had that part of his game on display Friday, especially on the par-five 17 where his aggressive approach saw him reach the green in just two while his playing partners Hideki Matsuyama and Matt Kucher both laid up. “I played the front nine very well, very solid, 3-under par”. His second and last tour win came at Riviera in 2007.

“The less said is better”. “So there are plenty of guys out there”.

PACIFIC PALISADES Chez Reavie will play in the final group in the final round of the Northern Trust Open on Sunday, along with big hitters Bubba Watson and Jason Kokrak. The hole played over par a year ago. Villegas said. “Let me tell you, that shows you what the mind can do”.

“I felt like there was a couple rounds last week where I shot 2 under and I was more miserable than I was today”, he said. I really like this golf course.

“Typically, if you play quite a bit in a period of time, it doesn’t matter where you are, you’re still going to dial it back”, he said. “It’s a different venue for you when you’re not there a lot”.

Villegas struck an imperious 63 and peppered his card with birdies, including four in a row through holes five to eight.

England’s Paul Casey had been eliminated from the playoff on the previous hole. His most recent form and record in this event did not indicate a start along these lines was likely but a round of 64 today has opened up the opportunity for at least his best finish in this event and possibly on the PGA Tour.

The trio are on nine-under 207 just ahead of world No. 1 Lydia Ko and Australia’s five-time victor Karrie Webb after 54 holes. “Working really hard to make sure I don’t lose anything from three foot and in because you can easily do it here”. I have no bad vibes or anything here.