Rory McIlroy contending in Dubai after 65

Phil Mickelson still loves golf. On Sunday, it loved him back as he became the oldest major champion in the sport’s history.

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If you’re going to anchor the West Coast Swing, you better live up to the billing. Suffice it to say that Riviera Country Club represents the gold standard. The historic track in Pacific Palisades, California, has hosted the majority of the 92 editions of the Genesis Open, including all but two since 1973, but it didn’t serve as the site for the U.S. Amateur until 2017. Given Doc Redman’s eagle-birdie burst on the 17th and 18th holes to force sudden death against Doug Ghim, and Redman’s birdie-3 at the famous 10th hole for the epic win, it’s fair to wonder what took so long. Riviera hosted an instant classic. If Tiger Woods prevails at Riviera – this week or, well, ever – he could wonder the same thing. Winless in 11 appearances, he’s poised to compete for the first time since 2006. POWER RANKINGS: GENESIS OPEN RANK PLAYER COMMENT Assumed the top spot in all-time tournament earnings with his five-shot romp last year. Six of his seven top 10s in 10 appearances are top-four finishes. T2 last week at Pebble. He’s acknowledged turning a corner on the greens. That he’s still lurking speaks to his course management. Three top 25s in five appearances at Riviera, including a T5 in 2015. In two spins on Pebble Beach last week, he led the field in strokes gained: tee-to-green and proximity to the hole. His T8 was his 12th top 20 in last 13 starts. P2 at Riviera in 2015. As solid the last two weeks as he has been in years. Three top-five finishes on the season. Two wins and two seconds at Riviera. Fifth on TOUR in strokes gained: putting. With Pebble primer out of the way, he returns to avenge his final-round fade in his Riviera debut in 2016. Sat T5 and two shots back after 54 holes but closed with 75 for a T20. After leading WMPO (P2) in strokes gained: tee-to-green, paced AT&T field in putts per round. Converted all 31 tries inside 10 feet at Pebble Beach (T2). Solo seventh here in 2016. T5 here in 2016 the latest of five paydays in eight consecutive trips. Treat second-round 76 (and MC) last year as an anomaly. Sharp right now. Six top 10s in last 10 starts worldwide. Had little trouble navigating the nuance of the greens in debut here last year; ranked sixth in strokes gained: putting en route to a T2. T5 in Abu Dhabi four weeks ago. With a pair of top 10s (Sony, WMPO) among five top 25s this season, he’s delivering on his promise. In Riviera debut last year, one of only two sub-70 in every round; placed T8. Tournament debut. Second start as a PGA TOUR member (T20, WGC-HSBC). Opened 2018 with victory in Abu Dhabi, and then finished T6 in Dubai. Leads European Tour in GIR. When he stated that his goal is to be more consistent, he likely wasn’t happy to settle for a steady stream of top 25s, but there is continuity. Sub-70 in eight of last nine rounds. Gets benefit of the doubt as a recent two-time winner at Riviera (2014, 2016). Six top 20s in last 10 trips. Grinding back into form after health challenge and return to familiar ball. More of a form fit with unlikely top 10s in two of his last three starts, but the UCLA product was in the mix here in 2016 before shooting his way out of contention with a closing 76. Arrives with quiet and consistently strong form and balance in tow. Opened 2018 going T11-T14-T11 for his first string of three straight top 15s since the 2015 FedExCup Playoffs. The Swede’s only weakness is inexperience since this is his first appearance. Followed the steadfast defeat in a playoff at Torrey Pines with a T21 at TPC Scottsdale. Tuesday’s Fantasy Insider will include AT&T Pebble Beach champ Ted Potter, Jr., Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, Matt Kuchar and Martin Kaymer among numerous notables. Dissimilar to how most courses can be vulnerable when rain softens fairways and greens, Riviera is as true as it gets no matter the conditions. Last year’s event was hit hard by precipitation and numerous delays, and multi-year highs were established in fairways hit, scrambling and conversion percentage inside 10 feet, yet the field averaged 71.012 on the par 35-36=71. As always, proper credit belongs with the grounds crew and tournament officials for the fair and consistent setup as a gentle touch is required with a masterpiece. No alternative preparation is necessary this week, however, as nothing but sunshine will cover every stroke of the 144 golfers in the field. Daytime highs will range from the mid-60s to the low 70s. Moderate winds can’t be ruled out on Friday, but it’s nothing the experienced haven’t tackled before. Since Adam Scott’s unofficial victory in the weather-shortened, 36-hole contest in 2005, all but one champion required at least five appearances before the coronation. (James Hahn captured the title in his third start in 2015). The objective is exactly what the competitors think it is. Despite tight landing areas off tees, finding the shortest grass isn’t a prerequisite for success. Of course it never hurts, but Riviera is a second-shot test most of all. Paying off those chances and salvaging pars ranks a close second, but precision on approach is pivotal to alleviate the pressure of putting and getting up and down on greens that will have no problem touching 12-and-a-feet on the Stimpmeter. The kikuyu rough will be restricted to the standard inch and a half. Riviera measures 7,322 yards for the third consecutive year, but a handful of modifications occurred since Dustin Johnson’s trophy presentation in 2017. Among them, trees were removed in the sightlines on the tees on the par-4 seventh and ninth holes, while course managers will appreciate the new areas to miss right of the green on the par-4 second and left of the green on the par-4 eighth. ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE PGATOUR.COM’s Fantasy Columnist Rob Bolton will be filing his usual staples leading up to this week’s event. Look for the following columns this week. MONDAY: Rookie Ranking, Qualifiers, Reshuffle, Medical Extensions, Power Rankings TUESDAY*: Sleepers, Fantasy Insider, Facebook Live WEDNESDAY: One & Done THURSDAY: Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Champions One & Done * – Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO, which also publishes on Tuesdays.

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THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Lost in the chaos of Tiger Woods’ record-tying 82nd PGA TOUR win at last season's ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP in Japan was the runner-up. Only Woods could make Hideki Matsuyama second fiddle in his home country. A year later, Matsuyama leads an eight-strong Japanese contingent looking to make Woods second fiddle in his backyard. The Covid-19 pandemic has forced a temporary move of Japan's PGA TOUR event to the U.S. mainland - and to Southern California no less - where Woods grew up. Sherwood Country Club has been a venue where Woods has notched five wins and five runners-up at his World Challenge. RELATED: Historic look at Japan’s history on the PGA TOUR But while Matsuyama and his countrymen won't hear a throng of local support like they would back home, they do feel the energy of their country. The will to win their event is just as strong over 5,500 miles from the homeland. Matsuyama has been part of the TOUR landscape for some time now. He was just a teen when we first saw him as a standout amateur at the Masters and now at 28 he is a five-time TOUR winner. He was the first Japanese player (and first Asian) to win a World Golf Championships event and he still hopes to be the first to win a major championship and a FedExCup. And of course the first to win the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP. "I’m very happy that we’re able to have this tournament with this coronavirus. We didn’t really know what was going to happen," said Matsuyama, who ended up three shots behind Woods a year ago in Japan. "I would love to win this week and be able to have the fans come out in Japan next year and be the defending champion, that would be awesome." While Matsuyama has been a beacon of consistency in making the TOUR Championship in every season since he joined the PGA TOUR in 2014, the last of his five wins came back in 2017 at the World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. He's had 17 top-10s since without winning. "It’s been three years since I’ve won and I definitely think about that quite a bit. I always try my best and every week feel like I’m getting there, but definitely hasn’t happened," he added. "So I’m preparing myself and hoping that week will come sooner than later." Joining him in the field this week is perhaps the biggest threat to beating Matsuyama to major success. At just 22, Takumi Kanaya has been following in his idols footsteps. Until turning pro last week Kanaya was the world's best amateur who, like Matsuyama, won the Asia Pacific Amateur to earn a spot at the Masters and Open Championship. "Obviously Matsuyama's success on the PGA TOUR gave not just myself, but a lot of the Japanese players, big confidence that we could compete against the world like he did," Kanaya said. "Although the goal is high, he set a good goal for us and for that I really admire him and admire him as a role model." While it is still premature to expect Matsuyama-like success from Kanaya, plenty of good judges expect big things. He has already won on the Japan Tour and went close to winning the Australian Open last year. In his first pro start last week he was seventh in the Japan Open. He has a serious passion for his country, one solidified by watching Matsuyama at home events and Adam Scott in his home country of Australia where the fans returned the love. "I would like to be just the same as that moving forward. If I play well enough overseas, I think a lot of people back in Japan will cheer for me whenever I go back and play in my home country." TOUR regular Satoshi Kodaira - winner of the 2018 RBC Heritage - has the pedigree to win this week even if his form hasn't been at peak. Having missed his last five cuts prior to the pandemic break, Kodaira only returned to the TOUR a few weeks ago to play at the Sanderson Farms Championship and the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. He failed to make the weekend at both. Here is a look at the remaining Japanese players looking to win. Rikuya Hoshino - A 24-year-old who has won three times on the Japan Golf Tour. Missed the cut at the 2018 U.S. Open, finished T67 at 2019 Sony Open in Hawaii, T51 at the 2019 ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP and was T45 at 2020 Sony Open in Hawaii in his only previous TOUR starts. Shugo Imahira - A 28-year-old with four wins on the Japan Tour who finished first on the 2018 money list. Makes 17th PGA TOUR start with a T27 at the 2019 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational his best result. Was 61st at the recent 2020 U.S. Open. Ryo Ishikawa - Now 29, Ishikawa first won on the Japan Tour at 15 and has 17 total wins including one where he shot 12-under 58 in the final round. Played 151 TOUR events since 2009 with two runner-up finishes his best result. Represented the International Team in the Presidents Cup in 2009 and 2011 and has at least one top-30 finish in each of the four major championships. Mikumu Horikawa - Turned pro in 2014 and claimed his first Japan Golf Tour title in June 2019. Shot final-round 64 before losing playoff to Rikuya Hoshino at the 2020 Fujisankei Classic and said afterwards, "I gained 7kg (15 lbs.) while working out hard. I don't know if my method is correct or not, but I am aiming to be like DeChambeau." In six previous PGA TOUR events, a T49 at the WGC-HSBC Champions is his best result. Naoki Sekito - Making first PGA TOUR appearance. Won twice on the Asian Development Tour in 2019, including an 11-stroke win at the Gunung Geulis Golf Invitational.

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