Camillo Villegas' 8-under gives him Northern Trust Open lead; Jordan Spieth is 8-over

PACIFIC PALISADES >> Jordan Spieth and Camillo Villegas each had quite a day at the Northe Trust Open.

Villegas had a masterful round with nine birdies — including four consecutive on holes 5 through 8 — at Riviera Country Club. Spieth struggled mightily around the course and tued in a career-high eight bogeys and one double bogey in an 8-over 79 in the first round of the PGA Tour event on Thursday.

Spieth trails Villegas by 16 shots. Who could’ve predicted that? It was just that kind of day for the PGA Tour’s reigning player of the year.

“... It’s just a day to forget,” Spieth said. “It’s one in, hopefully every couple of years. I’ve shot 80 before. I’ve shot in the 80s a couple times on Tour. I shot 79 on a par 71. In the course of a career, I imagine it’s going to happen. Just unfortunate when it actually does.”

Spieth’s tee shots were off and his putter wasn’t working as he missed eight putts inside 10 feet. It was the third-worst round of his career. He was the last player on the driving range, trying to work out the kinks, and he’ll have plenty of work to do in that regard just to make the cut.

And it was a day to remember for Villegas, who had his groove on at Riviera and leads the field by three shots.

Villegas birdied four holes on the back nine — his day started at the 10th tee — and then got in a flow on the front nine. He nearly tied the course record of 61 (set by Ted Tryba in 1999) as his chip shot from 62 feet on the 9th and final hole hit the side of the cup. He missed a seven-footer and made a two-footer for bogey.

That hiccup was his lone bogey of the day.

“Nice front nine and then on the back nine I got on fire there for a little stretch and obviously, a little mishap on the last hole,” Villegas said. “But man, I thought I made the chip, too. It was a good day out there. Fun.”

Play was called because of darkness at 5:46 p.m. with 14 players still on the course. They’ll finish their rounds this moing.

Rory McIlroy, playing in his first Northe Trust Open, obviously was keen on Riviera and Riviera and its fans were keen on him. McIlroy shot a 4-under 67 and is tied for fifth, four shots behind Villegas.

“Tee to green was pretty good, but I felt like my pace on the greens was good,” McIlroy said.

“I left myself a lot of longer putts and I felt like my pace was good and I lag-putted well. I think all of the things that you need to do around this course, I did pretty well, and I’m happy with 4-under.”

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Chez Reavie, Bubba Watson and Luke List shot 5-under 66s and are in a three-way tie for second.

Watson, who won here in 2014, shot his lowest first-round score in the 10 times he’s played at Riviera.

“I love it because of the history, and as you can see, there’s some trees down compared to where the first time I played here,” Watson said. “I think I started playing here nine, 10 years ago. You can spray it a little bit but still manage the golf course. it’s one of those courses where it can bite you at any minute, but at the same time you can score and you can imagine a bunch of shots around the trees and around the greens.”

The course bit Spieth on Thursday.

Asked about Spieth’s day, Villegas responded: “Did he shoot 8-over? Let me tell you, that shows you what the mind can do. I mean, listen, look what Jordan has done the last few years and is it normal for him to go shoot 8-over par? No.

“I would say I was a little surprised with my 8-under, to be honest. This is a golf course where it’s not easy to shoot 8-under. I was surprised with some of the putts I made because the greens are not greens you’re expecting to make 20-footers and just kind of bumping it in the hole. I didn’t know Jordan shot 8 (over), but obviously he must have lost a little bit up here and then had a bad day. But again, everybody has bad days on this sport, man.”

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