The powerful, swashbuckling Spaniard Jon Rahm shot a six-under par 65 today to take a three stroke lead into the last round tomorrow of the PGA Tour’s Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades in west Los Angeles, California. Rahm was 15-under par total while Max Homa is alone in second at 12-under par and Keith Mitchell is alone in third at 11-under par.
Tiger Woods barely made the 36-hole cut yesterday and shot a four-under par 67 today to finish three-under par total. Tiger had not played in a PGA Tour our major tournament for about 8 months as he has continued to recover from his near fatal car accident one year ago right here in this area the day after this tournament. Tiger’s gait looked much improved, I thought, as he has been walking these Eucalyptus tree-lined fairways.
Tiger’s situation reminded me of the legendary Ben Hogan and his association with this Riviera CC, which they used to call “Hogan’s Alley” since he liked this golf course and was so accurate in playing it. Hogan had a near fatal car accident as well, which doctors thought would end his golf career. But he rehabilitated himself and made his comeback debut here at Riviera, in 1949, barely losing to his main competitor the great Slammin’ Sam Snead.
Hogan then went on to win many majors whereas Tiger Woods, at 46 years of age, is on the downside of his pro golf career. But Tiger’s golf swing looks really good, I think, and his walking this week makes me think that he can still win on the PGA Tour. But just not this week as Jon Rahm steamrolls ahead of the competition like a pirate stashing away a lot of increasing treasure on the PGA Tour.
[Now retired, PGA Tour player Kermit Zarley co-founded and led the PGA Tour Bible Study, which still exists today with several spawned ministries including College Golf Fellowship.]
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