When the dust had settled after the third round of the Northern Trust Open, there was Bubba Watson atop the leaderboard.
Watson, the two-time Masters champion who won at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades two years ago by playing the weekend in 64-64, shot 4-under-par 67 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over Jason Kokrak, Chez Reavie and Dustin Johnson.
“I feel good,” Watson said. “On Friday they said I only hit two fairways, and that’s not good, but it’s about angles, not about hitting the fairways. You can miss the fairway here, as long as you do it on the (correct) side.
“Putting is always the key for me on this course and I made a lot of putts today. I got out of trouble and made some putts. … I have a one-stroke lead, so I can mess up once and still be tied for the lead. I have to make birdies tomorrow, the way I did two years ago, when it was a shootout.”
Kokrak, the 36-hole leader, posted a 70, while Reavie had a 69 and Johnson, who has finished second at Riviera in each of the last two years came in at 68.
Johnson lost last year when James Hahn sank a 25-foot putt on the third playoff hole and finished two strokes behind Watson two years ago.
“I’m definitely happy with my position in the tournament,” said Johnson, who has won nine times on the PGA Tour. “For three rounds I’ve played pretty solid. I’ve bounced back with a birdie after making a bogey.
“Somebody’s going to shoot low (Sunday). There are so many great players up on the leaderboard that are within a couple shots of the lead. … The golf course is just perfect.”
Kevin Chappell, who played at UCLA about four miles east of the course, posted a 66 that lifted him to within two shots of the lead in a tie for fifth with third-ranked Rory McIlroy (67), Adam Scott (67), K.J. Choi (67) and Marc Leishman (68).
There were 12 players within four strokes of the Watson’s lead.
McIlroy, playing Riviera for the first time, normally starts his United States schedule on the Florida Swing, but he wanted to challenge “Hogan’s Alley,” of which he’s read and heard so much about.
“I think quality courses produce a quality leaderboard,” said McIlroy, who has won the Open Championship, the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship, and will make a second bid for the Career Grand Slam at the Masters in April.
“And you just have to look at the names up there.”
This is exactly why he’s at Riviera.
