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of Justin thomas,Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods.
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Mhm.
Yeah.
Bye.
Mhm
wow,
mm hmm.
Mhm.
Justin thomas
Iron down the left side here at 10.
Well,there's my first surprise of the day is Justin Thomas with his length and power laying up on the 10th hole,but he has laid that up absolutely perfect for that angle.Back to that back,pen
Dennis,what's the environment like down there?
It is really amazing.I mean there's probably two or 300 people by the green in the corner and it's completely packed up on the right hand side of the tee box here.
There's probably a better part of 1000 people already here on property and we're talking about before most people get up here in L.A.It's a lazy morning ella usually,but it is gorgeous out here right now.The winds
playing down breeze for the player.So it's definitely gettable
mm hmm.
Right
next entity tournament hosts,please welcome Tiger Wood.
Yeah,
okay,
1992 as a 16 year old amateur,
he made his P.G.A.Tour debut
Now at the age of 42 years old,Tiger makes his second start of the season.
Just a layup
that's gonna be just fine at the left hand side.Should be good.
Tiger
Boy,does he look good?But he looked maybe a little bit better I guess we all did back in 1992
on the tee from cypress California Amateur,Tiger Woods
On March one,
a 16 year old kid named Tiger Woods made his PGA tour debut at Riviera Country Club.
The crowd was so loud,
it was like kind of,definitely
since then,Tiger has given that crowd much more to roar about.
Do
you believe that?
What a pressure putt
After seeing it up at the Genesis Open for the first time as a pro in 1997,Tiger backed up eight consecutive top 25 finishes,including two runner ups.
It's come full circle,
you know,to be a 16 year old Tina at the PGA Tour event to now,I could have ever ever imagined.
He returns this week for the first time in 12 years,this time
as tournament host.
Hard to believe that Tiger does not have a win at the genesis Open.
A couple of runner up finishes worth noting in 1998 it wasn't here at Riviera
down the road at Valencia Country Club.As Riviera got ready
to host the Senior PGA championship
99,finished second to Ernie Els
and now KJ who laid up into the fairway bunker,john
yeah,I think he was expecting that ball to be in the fairway,but it chased into that bunker
to get it.There was a,
a really good shot,
looks like he's gonna walk off of here with a
and easy for which
I guess and
all things hasn't been that easy for a lot of players
Finished 26 last week at Pebble Beach.
So his game maybe starting to round into shape.
Does Riviera fit
one specific style of player?
I mean to me,I would say no,I mean,I think that it's it's really uh
as I touched on earlier,it's it's a second shot golf course.Obviously it's important to hit the ball in the fairway to control the ball,but
it's not the recipe for success around here.You have to be a great iron player and you have to put the ball really well
to win around Riviera,but I really don't think that it favors
one particular player.I mean,I think that anyone can get around,it's just all about strategy and and staying patient with it.
Billy Hurley
who just
lost a playoff
to Jordan Spieth to get on the player advisory committee.I don't know if you had a chance to see that on twitter,but the video is worth a look.That was a pretty,pretty funny
campaign,I guess that they had going and and Billy did a good job with that.I saw the video the other day and,and Jordan embraced it pretty well too when they talked to him about it,he laughed about it.And
I just saw
another instagram photo about Jordan Spieth winning the campaign for
for the pac chairman.
Not often.Do you see
two people running against each other in a campaign where one endorses the other?
Pretty creative though,by Billy Hurley.
Here's KJ for four.
Oh,well,
not too surprising
Because this is one of the most difficult courses to put from three ft.
Then we take a look
Five out of the past seven years,it has been the number one hardest course from three ft
tough to read.Sometimes po ana can get bumpy,what's the reason?Yeah,obviously,early in the morning,they should be in great shape.But yes,as the day progresses,you'll get the footprints,the balls will bounce a little bit and
Joanna is a tough surface to put on.It is a tough surface to read if you're not used to it or familiar with it,
but it's just,
you know,these greens at Riviera,I feel like they have a lot of little subtle breaks and stuff where they,where they cut these hole locations.What makes it difficult to make these three footers.Well,let's head down to the ground.Dennis Paulson is with our first of two featured groups,
Perfect life for Tiger
and perfect angle.The problem is,it's playing downwind.This shot,you want a little bit more wind in your face.But playing downwind,
john you mentioned the fact that you land short here,you're dealing with the little saddle of the bunker and it's going to skip left
flight in this down needs a huge hop,
it's a big one,needs another one and that's looking good,
talented right there,that was well controlled.That was a great shot by Tiger and like you said,Dennis,I mean if he flew that about five or 10 more yards,that ball kicks left in the bunker.
Tiger just here we see him again.Just float,flighted that nicely,lands it short of that little saddle that Dennis just talked about one hop check
Like a 14 time major winner
and can Justin Thomas follow the leader.
How
about this,
wow!
Well,I mean,I think really that's a
a product of leaving the ball in the right position off the tee even though they laid up,Jt got it all the way down to the end of the fairway,
hit a little low basically like Tiger did one hop kind of checks,releases out like a putt
judge perfectly
and now McIlroy
can't hit the green from here.
Yeah,
I didn't,
there's no chance.I think he was trying to find a place to play his third from,
there was no chance at the green from where he was.
Well,when we were analyzing the whole earlier john you put two big red X.Is right where McIlroy was?
Yeah,that was really surprising to see him,you know,I know he hit a three wood off the tee there and you know it's golf but to see him hit the ball to the right there,I mean he knows that's the only place you can't hit it.So
just I guess a poor swing for him to start off his round but now
work cut out to get this ball up and down.We've seen
so many players leave these bunker shots in the bunker for their first try.
So Dennis,I'll ask you if you know where you can't hit it,isn't it gnawing at you in your brain?How do you block that out
well?And that's the whole thing.I mean you gotta take one part of this whole out of play and
There really isn't a place to miss here at number 10 except for left over here by the bottle brush trees and short,but then you're not really going for the green and
all depend upon the lie.I didn't get to see the lie,but this is actually very doable.If he doesn't have a downhill lie.
Well done.
I guess hitting him right.It's not so bad after all,huh?
Hey,a little smile there about McIlroy,he knows he really stole one with a birdie there on the 10th from where his tee shot was.
Yeah,
that was more than doable.
That is worth
that is worth one more.Look
even McIlroy knows,
I mean that that was just executed perfectly.I mean the ball comes out checks,releases like a but he read it perfect.Just a
ho hum birdie.
Well as if the crowds weren't excited enough that should get them pretty frothy
little chum in the water now birdies on the card.
Mhm.
And we'll skip back to the T as our first of two featured groups
waves up matt Kucher Phil Mickelson and Tommy Fleetwood.
Okay,
right.
Mhm.
You see everybody guarding their eyes trying to look down the fairway,good indicator
that the sun now starting to rise and getting down in the canyons
of Riviera.
Yeah,
yeah,
it's like there
they're trying to figure out if the group has gotten off the green yet.
Send these guys on their way.
They should be able to see that they're standing behind the green with their hands folded,everybody's out of the way and
I'm not sure what's going on here,
understand.
Mhm
What else?
Right now,
maybe there hasn't been an announcement yet.
Yeah,it looks like they're they're just confused as to whether or not they're waiting for them but it looks like they got the green light here.
Mhm
The first two
gentlemen,this is the seventh
time
December 32 T times
the players and Mr Cooper,Mr Michaelson and Mr Fleetwood
first on the t from sea island Georgia,please welcome mat culture.
39 year old Matt Kuchar
sits 83rd in the race for the Fedex Cup title
And 18th in the world.
And
you're going with a driver there I predicted
would be a layup off this 10th tee.So we've seen Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas,layup and culture,could this be the first one?
No,
Mhm,
so close,
but yet so far.
And now look at this shot that he's going to be facing downhill,lie a flop over the bunker.I mean,
such a great tee shot to end up with that kind of result.
Two time champion went back to back,did Phil Mickelson in 08
and oh nine.
The chief in hand,
plenty of firepower,
good line,now cutting a little bit.
That's long
excited teen from England,please welcome
we can see the ball there.So it may not be sitting too badly and
we know Phil's got one of the best flop shots ever,
he's going to need it because that's what he's going to have to hit.No other option.
Well,if you don't know much about Tommy Fleetwood,
get ready to have some fun.
A wonderful striker of the Golf Ball,ranked 13th in the world.
It's
been a good player for a long time all the way back to his amateur career.
Really
great line.
This is right in the front edge,
look at
me,
Oh,a little unlucky there,that ball just kind of
semi plugged when it landed there instead of bouncing up on the green or just beyond
Well,how about that?Would you have thought Matt Kuchar
the most times driving the temple for Aaron Baddeley is a champion here.
Maybe it's coaches turn if the 10th has anything to say about it,
2006,John on Sunday you started with the Eagle,drove it to
seven ft.
Tiger for birdie
right to left and this has got some pace.This is a putt that you've got to be careful that it can get away from you.It's one of those,if you spin this out on the high edge,you can really kind of
MS.But this will be out of the hole.
There shouldn't be a lot
in it.It is a little downhill
And it is wind aided right now,the wind pretty fresh right now at 10
Mcelroy from the bunker
Woods from the center of the green,two birdies
boy,his putting stroke,john looked great at Torrey
and he picks up right where he left off.Yeah,I mean,have you seen anybody ever in the game put on POA annua greens as good as Tiger Woods,that ball rolled end over end perfectly right in the center of the cup.Great start for Tiger Woods
now thomas,
not much in this,just firm it,just back up the hill
alright
and all around good
all around good hold for this threesome,
birdie,birdie,birdie we are off and running here at P.G.A.Tour.Live stick with us.So much more to come from Riviera.
Mm hmm,
mm hmm.
Mhm.
Set for detonation.Justin Thomas here on the 11th.
This is just bombs away here for
For J.T.on this 11th hole.I mean a dead straight hole sometimes they're the most difficult to hit but no problem there for Justin Thomas.So
he should have a pretty good go at this screening too.
In our first look at Tiger Woods,new shaft.Excuse me,it'll be
Mcelroy then Tiger.
This may have a vapor trail behind it after holding out for bunker,he will be amped up.
Oh
and now our first look at Tiger Woods with driver in hand,johnny replaced the shaft,added some loft to his driver.What does that do for him?
Well,it's gonna give him a little more control.Probably get a little bit more spin on the golf ball
which you know spin his control.I know you don't want too much.So there's a fine line but
this is gonna be the big club for Tiger.He's done everything in his return well,except drive the ball.
And that looked a little late there to the right,but he doesn't seem too anxious about it
and we'll go find that one.But first Phil Mickelson.
Oh my goodness,what does he have?
Well,
yeah,
and as Phil looks his over
tries to figure out what to do.Well,watch Tommy Fleetwood,this is a great look here from behind Tommy that little knob you see on the bunker,that's the challenge here,flying it beyond that and stopping it in time
that
he's gonna stop.
Okay,
not too bad there,That's a pretty easy put back up the hill
and now to fill
that lie something he can work with.It really didn't look that bad to me and you know,these are the types of shots that
Phil Mickelson loves to play.I mean he he loves the challenge around the greens and
you know,he's right now just trying to visualize,I'm sure where to
to try to carry the ball or land the ball,but
he is gonna send this ball straight up in the air and uh if anybody anybody can pull this shot off,this is the man you want hitting the shot for you.
It looked like he caught that obviously a little heavy
big debate came out of there,so
mhm
and
with a better lie but in the same predicament,
it's such a good tee shot to be
to result in this type of angle and pitch.
Oh,I got a lot of spin on that ball that was well done there by couture.
Well from one olympic medalist to another.We send it down to Dennis Paulson with a special guest
gentlemen.Thanks a lot Kyle Lowry.When I was told I was gonna interview a basketball player,I figured I'd be talking to somebody up here just six ft.But man,you're here for the all star game this week and your golf geek,which is awesome.Yeah,I'm here for the All star weekend.But
I got an opportunity to come out here and watch this great tournament and see a great group in front of me.A great group of guys.Um this is fantastic.
It's
kind of a dream come true,we're talking about before we got started here.And you said,man,how can you get this many people quiet?I don't have that happening when I'm playing my game.Listen,we got 20,000 people screaming and hollering.I think I play a lot better with that than how quiet the fans are here.Isn't that weird?You know,as a tour player,my scariest moment ever was at the at ST andrews in 2000 were on the 18th hole and there's 30,000 people and I could hear a car across the street driving
going,oh my God,they're all paying attention.This is scary.It's pretty scary.But you know these guys are professionals,this is what they do.They concentrate on
their game for my game.I need the fans screaming,hollering,yelling,
talking trash because it makes it a lot easier for me.Well,your golf game,you said you're 14.5,but you actually have got the bug,don't you?Yeah,I love the game I play every opportunity I can
during the season on the road.You know,I think the game in the NBA the golf game
has taken a book to all the NBA players.There's something competitive that we all love to do.It's fun.
It's something we can get out there and all do together.Thanks
to be with me for a couple of holes.Will be hanging out watching Tiger play some golf.Can't wait.I'm excited.Alright guys,back to you
Now fill his third shot on the 10th
stay.
I feel very fortunate there you that ball that ball of his didn't roll back in his pitch mark that it made in the sand.So
and as we watch Phil
somehow try to figure out a way to save par,
we can report that Tiger Woods his drive never came out of the trees down the right side.
So he's going to re T and replay the shot.
So what's the ruling if it stays in the tree?Well,if you if you can identify the ball which these towering eucalyptus trees out here at Riviera,you can tell how difficult it would be to get up there and identify a golf ball then it's deemed to be a lost ball.So
his only option is to to go back to where he last played the previous shot with a penalty and Tiger's playing his third.
So a little bit of a hip and a hop for Tiger Woods on the first two holes,birdies the 10th,
his first of the day and then loses a ball in the trees
here at 11.
Much better swing there the second go around he,you know,looked a little late on that first swing left it out to the right,but that swing definitely looked like he released the club nicely and and was able to get it back in the fairway.So
see if he can maybe knock it on the green and make a bogey and get out of here.
All right,Dennis and Kyle are down with Justin Thomas.He's set to play his second here on the 11th,
right down the center of the pharaohs were still back at the T.Guys.I'm not gonna lie to you because I'm not I'm not going to be able to see him hit it to the green as the green is cleared.Tigers ball though.Guys,actually,
I think it was between the trees and got down in the barranca through there and they couldn't find it in the long grass
paul had to come out of the eucalyptus tree,but that ball was 30 right of his target line.Second one stripe is thomas is set to play.Now,
immediate reaction would indicate that he does not like it and for good reason
and not his
not his best swing there,but he's got a lot of green to work with.I mean missing that to the right would be the mistake there.
So over there on the left side it's just all going to be live dependent.
And somewhere in there is Rory McIlroy.
But first
it will be Tiger
and this john would be his third shot.This will be his fourth shot.He played his third from the T.
So this will be his fourth.So
you know,if he could somehow
knock this on or up around the green,he could still manage to
get out of here with a bogey I guess mathematically still apart is in play.
Mm hmm.
Work left to get that one up and down just to save bogey.
So tiger off the Tee hits the right trees and now with his fourth shot hits the left trees back to 10 with coach.
Yeah,
I think
great drive,
tough result where that tee shot ended up but
and easy for their for matt cooper.I don't think he's gonna be too disappointed walking off at the off that green with a par.
Well so far.The 10th,
five birdies,5 pars,four bogeys
and a double.
You can order anything on the menu here at the test,can't you?
Yes,you can.I mean it's again,it's kind of what we touched on at the beginning of the show here.Talking about
how good
of a short drive a ballpark for this really is and how difficult it can be.
Great.Look here by our camera crew,
they worked so hard to bring us the best shots from around the course.
Alright,great save there for Mickelson,
hardworking part there for Phil
misleading stat
That the 10th is one of the easiest screens at Riviera to put
Because nobody is hitting the green.Yeah,I mean everybody like we see here Fleetwood putting from really only about 12 or 13 ft,but he's just off the edge of the green,so
Enough to McIlroy at 11.3rd shot.
Oh,
that is where he did not want to to hit that golf ball,especially with a
looks like a little flighted kind of lob wedge shot that he tried to to play to that back up in there on 11 So,
but what started with so much promise,three birdies on their first hold the day has turned
to consternation.
Tiger is getting ready to hit his 5th.
McIlroy is long in three
and Justin thomas is way left,
Dennis and Kyle down with us.Tiger is fifth shot now.
Yeah,this ball just got in the rough,sitting down a little bit in the wind.They really missed the weather today.I mean they're saying five or six miles an hour.It's blowing what?8 to 12 right now,
right now
in Tiger's face out of the left,
this is all about controlling the ball on the ground.
It's pretty well jaws right there.
Very good.
Very good,
mm hmm.
We saw him hit a nice controlled wedge
john on his first hole.Does it again here,out of the cocoon.I would like to welcome users from around the world watching PGA Tour live on twitter
john on his first hole.Does it again here,out of the cocoon.