In his first official tour of Riviera Country Club on Thursday, Rory McIlroy started on the back nine first, opening with the iconic-but-treacherous par-four 10th.
He played the 317-yarder in textbook fashion and made birdie.
Then he moved to the par-five 11th.
Another birdie.
Two under par after two. Easy course, huh?
The world’s No. 3 player, McIlroy found Riviera very much to his liking in the first round of the Northern Trust Open, suffering only one bogey — or seven fewer than world No. 1 Jordan Spieth — in shooting a four-under-par 67.
In an eight-way tie for fifth, McIlroy was four shots off the lead of Camilo Villegas.
“Tee-to-green was pretty good,” McIlroy said. “And I felt like my pace [on the greens] was good. … I think all of the things that you need to do around this golf course, I did pretty well today.”
The start could not have been more impressive. McIlroy played his tee shot on No. 10 to the left to give himself a prime angle and put an approach to seven feet for birdie.
“That 10th hole here, you want to get off to a decent start,” McIlroy said. “I would have taken a four on that 10th hole, but it was nice to make three.”
The Northern Irishman birdied Riviera’s three par-fives, suffered his only bogey at the par-four 15th and canned a final birdie at the par-four seventh.
McIlroy said Riviera already is a course that suits his eye.
“There are some holes where you can stand up on a tee shot and you can see a variety of different ways to play it,” McIlroy said. “With the trees and the way the golf course is designed, I think anyone who is very visual in their pre-shot routine, it plays into their hands. I like to see shots, and I see Bubba [Watson] shot a good score. He’s the same way.”
Bubba treads lightly
Watson got himself into trouble a couple of weeks ago for criticizing the TPC Scottsdale course during the Phoenix Open.
After he shot four-under 66 on Thursday to be in a three-way tie for second, Watson smiled and opened with, “I just want everybody to know that I love this golf course and I love this community.
“I’m practicing,” he added with a chuckle.
Beyond Villegas’ nine birdies, Watson was second-best in the field with seven, including three straight from No. 17 to No. 1 after he started the round on the back nine.
Watson, who shot 64-64 on the weekend to win at Riviera in 2014, said of the conditions leading up to the tournament, “They were the toughest I’d seen them in a long time, the fairways and greens.”
“Totally different,” Watson said of Thursday’s conditions after a rainy night and morning.
Caddie tribute
Some caddies and players wore black ribbons on their caps in honor of Chris Roth, the caddie for UCLA alum Patrick Cantlay. Ross, 24, was killed in after a hit-and-run accident in Newport Beach over the weekend.
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Bubba Watson cradles the winner’s trophy on the 18th green after rallying for a victory in the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club on Sunday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 2/54
Dakota Watson, who is 18 months old, romps on the 18th green as father Bubba Watson accepts the winner’s trophy for the Northern Trust Open.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 3/54
Bubba Watson waves to fans after hitting his approach at the 18th hole on Sunday during the final round of the Northern Trust Open.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 4/54
Bubba Watson walks ahead of Jason Kokrak toward the 18th fairway.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 5/54
Bubba Watson waves to fans after making a birdie on the 17th hole that put him in the lead of the Northern Trust Open on Sunday at Riviera Country Club.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 6/54
Bubba Watson slams a long drive during a round of 68 on Sunday to win the Northern Trust Open at the Riviera Country Club. He finished four rounds at 15 under par.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 7/54
Jason Kokrak falls to the ground after missing a birdie putt on the 18th hole that would’ve put him in a tie for the lead.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 8/54
Adam Scott hits from the trees surrounding the green on the 10th hole during the final round of the Northern Trust Open. Scott saved par on the hole.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 9/54
Fans receive high-fives from K.J. Choi as he walks to the 15th hole during the final round of the Northern Trust Open on Sunday at Riviera Country Club.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 10/54
Jason Kokrak blasts out of a greenside bunker at No. 16, helping him save par during the final round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 11/54
Steve Stricker hits out of a fairway trap on the eighth hole during the final round of the Northern Trust Open on Sunday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 12/54
Dustin Johnson hits a shot out of the rough at No. 8 during the final round of the Northern Trust Open on Sunday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 13/54
K.J. Choi watches his drive on the par-three 14th hole during the final round of the Northern Trust Open on Sunday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 14/54
Adam Scott watches his drive land on the green while on his way to a biridie at the sixth hole during the final round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 15/54
Rory McIlroy puts at No. 1 during the third round of the Northern Trust Open on Saturday at Riviera Country Club.
(Robert Laberge / Getty Images) 16/54
Dustin Johnson lines up a putt on the eighth hole during the third orund of the Northern Trust Open on Saturday at Riviera Country Club.
(Robert Laberge / Getty Images) 17/54
Bubba Watson tees off on the fourth hole Saturday during the third round of Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club.
(Robert Laberge / Getty Images) 18/54
Chez Reavie hits from a bunker to the third green during the third round of the Northern Trust Open.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press) 19/54
Troy Merritt drives from the second tee during the third round of the Northern Trust Open on Saturday.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press) 20/54
Hideki Matsuyama lines up a putt on the first hole during round the third round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club.
(Robert Laberge / Getty Images) 21/54
Kevin Chappell tees off at No. 2 during the third round of the Northern Trust Open on Saturday.
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K.J. Choi reacts after sinking a putt at No. 3 during the third round of the Northern Trust open on Saturday.
(Frederic J. Brown / AFP / Getty Images) 23/54
Charl Schwartzel hits around a tree from the rough along the first fairway at Riviera Country Club on Saturday.
(Robert Laberge / Getty Images) 24/54
Rory McIlroywatches his tee shot at No. 2 during the third round of the Northern Trust Open on Saturday.
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Jason Kokrak takes his shot out of a fairway bunker on the seventh hole during the third round of the Northern Trust Open on Saturday.
(Robert Laberge / Getty Images) 26/54
Bubba Watson acknowledges the crowd after finishing the third round of the Northern Trust Open on Saturday at Riviera Country Club.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press) 27/54
Spectators lean over the rope to watch Rory McIlroy hit out of the rough along the 18th fairway at Riviera Country Club on Friday during the second round of the Northern Trust Open.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 28/54
Jason Kokrak acknowledges the crowd Friday after finishing the 18th hole at Riviera Country Club. Kokrak leads the Northern Trust Open at 10 under par after a seven-under 64 on Friday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 29/54
Chez Reavie reacts after sinking a birdie putt at No. 18 to finish the second round with a four-under-par 67. He’s in second place after two rounds of the Northern Trust Open at nine under.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 30/54
Bubba Watson hits a chip shot from the rough on the 17th hole during the second round of the Northern Trust Open.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 31/54
Justin Rose hits out of a sand trap at No. 9 on Friday during the second round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 32/54
Rory McIlroy hits his tee shot at No. 11 on Friday during the second round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club. McElroy is tied with seven others for seventh at six under.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 33/54
Bubba Watson tosses his putter after missing a birdie putt on the 12th hole during the second round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club on Friday. Watson is tied for third at eight under after two rounds.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 34/54
Jason Kokrak hits his approach shot into the 18th green during the second round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club on Friday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 35/54
As afternoon shadows lengthen across Riviera Country Club, leader Jason Kokrak follows through on his approach shot into the 18th green during the second round of the Northern Trust Open on Friday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 36/54
The kikuyu grass flies as Rory McIlroy hits out of the rough along the 12th fairway Friday during the second round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 37/54
Ernie Els hits out of a greenside bunker at the 10th hole during the second round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club on Friday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 38/54
Jason Kokrak hits a chip shot onto the 17th green during the second round of the Northern Trust Open on Friday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 39/54
Justin Rose hits from under the branches of a tree at No. 10 on Friday during the second round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 40/54
Rory McIlroy hits from the rough at No. 10 during the second round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club on Friday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 41/54
James Hahn, the Northern Trust Open winner last year, hits out of a sand trap at the 10th hole during the second round of the Northern Trust Open on Friday. Hahn missed the cut at four over.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 42/54
An aerial view of Riviera Country Club, site of the Northern Trust Open golf tournament, taken from the MetLife blimp on Friday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 43/54
Camilo Villegas tees off on the ninth hole during first round of the Northern Trust Open on Thursday.
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Camilo Villegas reacts after sinking a birdie putt on the eighth hole during the first round of Northern Trust Open.
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Jordan Spieth prepares to tee off during the first round of the Northern Trust Open on Thursday.
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Jordan Spieth chips onto a green during the Northern Trust Open on Thursday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 47/54
Rory McIlroy doffs his cap after finishing the first round of the Northern Trust Open golf tournament on Thursday at Riviera Country Club.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 48/54
Justin Thomas and his caddie line up a putt during the first round of the Northern Trust Open on Thursday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 49/54
Justin Thomas reacts after missing a putt during the first round of the Northern Trust Open on Thursday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 50/54
Fred Couples tees off during the first round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club on Thursday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 51/54
Fred Couples fist-bumps Justin Thomas after both sank long birdie putts at the fifth hole during the first round of the Northern Trust Open.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 52/54
Bubba Watson tees off at No. 9 during the first round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 53/54
James Hahn, the 2015 winner, lines up a putt during the first round of Northern Trust Open on Thursday at Riviera Country Club.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 54/54
Justin Rose lines up a putt during the first round of the Northern Trust Open on Thursday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) Cantlay, of Long Beach, is not in the field this week.
Notable
Among the top 26 players on the leaderboard, only Troy Merritt did not birdie or eagle the par-five No. 1. Overall, there were 14 eagles and 105 birdies on the easiest hole on the course. ... Two-time champion Fred Couples, 56, made a double bogey at No. 10 and shot a 74. ... Charles Howell III opened with a 67. His second and last tour win came at Riviera in 2007. ... Defending champion James Hahn fought back from a three-over start through nine holes to score even-par 71. ... First-round play was suspended at 5:43 p.m. because of darkness with 14 players yet to finish.
tod.leonard@sandiegotribune.com
