The Upshot: Graeme McDowell tied for the lead at Genesis Open

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. – Graeme McDowell was being interviewed on Sky Sports this week when the UK network posted a graphic showing his track record at Riviera. “Didn’t make for very great reading,� G-Mac said. “I was like, ‘Please, switch that off.’� In five previous trips to this week’s Genesis Open host course, McDowell has three missed cuts and a best result of T-41. Of those first 14 rounds, just two were in the 60s. The results are surprising given that Riviera is Hogan’s Alley, a course that should favor shotmakers such as McDowell. Although recent winners like defending champ Dustin Johnson and two-time champ Bubba Watson are among the TOUR’s longest hitters, McDowell doesn’t consider Riviera a bomber’s course – at least not this week. He said the dry weather has firmed up the course, forcing the big hitters to scale back and giving the shorter hitters such as G-Mac a chance to succeed in tougher scoring conditions. He’s making the most of it. Through two rounds, McDowell is 7 under, his 5-under 66 on Friday vaulting him into a tie with first-round co-leader Patrick Cantlay and Sam Saunders, who still has three holes left before finishing his second round. The 66 ties for G-Mac’s lowest round in his last 21 TOUR starts. “This is the first real dry year I can remember being here for the last four or five, and I think the firmness of the golf course is taking guys by surprise,� McDowell said. “… Historically, I’ve played well in tough setups. I’m relishing the opportunity to continue playing this tough set-up this week. I like my game plan; I’ve just got to keep executing.� The confidence is good to hear from McDowell, who entered this week ranked 219th in the world. After he won the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in 2010, he was ranked 13th and eventually rose to sixth. The last few years have been discouraging – his last top-3 finish was third place at The RSM Classic in 2015. “Of course, it’s tough to fight off,� McDowell said. “This game is very difficult and you do ask yourself some deep, dark questions sometimes.� His goal now is to stay out of his own way and not dwell on the negatives. He calls it “Dustin Johnson golf.� “Have that carefree attitude, have that ‘I’m really good at this game’ and get out of your own way and let your talent come through a little bit,� G-Mac explained. “I might try and keep that going this weekend. He’s pretty good.� CALL OF THE DAY Notables Considering his hot hand, Sam Saunders could be forgiven if he wanted to play through the darkness Friday. He was on fire when the horn sounded, having birdied six of his last eight holes to grab a share of the lead. But Saunders was fine with the suspension of play. “I knew going into today that I wasn’t going to finish, so I didn’t even try,� he said. “… It was nice to finish those last few holes in the dark with some birdies out there.� Saunders has three holes left and will resume play at 10:15 a.m. ET (7:15 a.m. local). Just five missed greens through the first two rounds for Patrick Cantlay seems like a good way to eliminate the stress on the tree-lined Riviera layout. “I’m hitting it really well right now,� said Cantlay, whose 2-under 69 on Friday included a string of three consecutive birdies. “Ball’s coming out of the middle of the clubface and it’s going where I’m looking. It’s always nice to play golf like that. I really feel comfortable with the golf course and how I feel about the course and how I’m hitting it. I’m really not surprised.� When Bubba Watson won at Riviera for the first time in 2014, he was bogey-free for his last 45 holes. Two years later, he had a bogey-free second round en route to another win. Watson hasn’t been bogey-free this week, but he has put together a couple of solid scores (68-70) to give himself a chance going into the weekend at 4 under. “Around here, it’s very difficult,� Watson said when asked about playing bogey-free golf at Riviera. “You know, there was a great champion that went bogey-free on the weekend one time.� A slight smile ensued. Yes, it was a self-reference. Tiger Woods’ mother Kultida was in the gallery Friday following her son, who missed the cut after shooting a 5-over 76. “It was nice to have her out there. She misses it,� Woods said. “She’s seen me go through the struggles and for her only child to go through those struggles was a little rough on her. So she’s very proud of me getting back out there and playing, and she’s very excited about it.� The other two members of Woods’ group are lurking entering the weekend. Justin Thomas shot an even-par 71 and is 2 under; Rory McIlroy also is at 2 under after a 69 when he birdied two of his last six holes. “Hit the ball really well the last nine holes yesterday and then 18 today, so last 27 I played really nicely,� McIlroy said. Defending champ Dustin Johnson shot a 2-under 69 and is 1 over for the tournament. He’ll likely make the cut but he has some work to do this weekend. Jordan Spieth, meanwhile, is 1 under after his 70. With 15 players yet to complete their second rounds, the third round will be played in threesomes off split tees beginning at approximately 11:30 a.m. ET (8:30 a.m. local). QUOTABLES No one’s getting away out there. It’s very tricky. It’s very U.S. Open-like conditions. … It’s sort of anyone’s tournament right now.I may or may not have taped a Jay Leno Garage show, went and saw who I consider a friend of mine, Ellen, and then went over and watched a taping of Big Bang (Theory). So there’s some other things we’re doing besides the All-Star Game that nobody knows about, but it’s been a blast. When you come here, it’s Hollywood. I mean, do stuff, you know? Let’s have some fun and enjoy life.I dreamt of winning everywhere. Superlatives Lowest round – Graeme McDowell and Austin Cook each shot 5-under 66s. Scott Stallings is also at 5 under on his round and still has two holes left after play was suspended for darkness. Longest drive – Tony Finau had a 375-yard drive at the 18th and made par. Longest putt – Adam Scott (who started his round on the 10th tee) rolled in a putt of 76 feet, 7 inches on the par-5 first for birdie. On his previous hole, the 18th, he made a putt of 21 feet, 5 inches. Hardest hole – The 495-yard par-4 12th played to a stroke average of 4.387, yielding just seven birdies against 48 bogeys, 4 double bogeys and 2 others. Easiest hole – The 511-yard par-5 first also played to a stroke average of 4.387, with nine eagles and 76 birdies against 5 bogeys and 1 double bogey. Bogey-free rounds – Martin Kaymer (67) and Cameron Smith (68). Scott Stallings, still on the course, is also bogey-free.

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