Davis and Day begin well at Genesis Invitational
Cam Davis – file photo Golf Australia
Australians Cam Davis and Jason Day are within just one shot of Patrick Cantlay’s lead at the US$20 million ‘Signature event’ Genesis Invitational after both recorded opening rounds of 65 at the Riviera Country Club in the beachside suburbs of Los Angeles.
Davis played two hours earlier than Day and made a slow start with a bogey at the second hole but then added seven birdies and a back nine of 31.
Davis has played this event on four previous occasions for a best of 43rd but took advantage of the comparatively benign early conditions and smooth greens to overcome his slow start.
“I mean, front nine, honestly, I didn’t hit the ball super great today,” said the Seattle based Sydney golfer.
“It was a weird round, like I really built it slowly I felt like. I was surprised how many birdies I made on the back nine when I turned around on 18 and saw what I shot because I wasn’t really aware of where I was, I thought I was just cruising 2, 3, 4 under, something like that.
“Made a lot of really nice putts, a lot of nice up-and-downs, kept the scorecard really clean for the most part. Yeah, when the greens are as pure as they are, it’s really nice to get the ball rolling.”
Despite his poor record at the venue till now Davis enjoys the Riviera Country Club.
“Honestly, I keep coming back here just telling myself I love this place and just hoping it treats me well. Last few years I’ve come out here I felt there’s been some days I hit it well, but for the most part just never really kept it clean all the way around the golf course. I’ve had some nice stretches, but just never really felt like I kept it clean with my misses around the greens, that’s the biggest part.
“Obviously, it’s important to hit the fairways, but the lies in the rough are not bad. I think just this year maybe a little more attention to where a good miss is rather than always trying to get on the green and close to the pin. Just a little bit different head space, maybe slightly more conservative when I’ve hit a poor tee shot, but at the same time good putting kind of turns every round into a much better score than you feel like you’ve hit it.
“The start to the year’s been a little slow, but I haven’t really had a lot of poor rounds, it’s just been a lot of kind of milling around in the background on the leaderboard while everyone else is tearing it up.
“So I’m hoping my little trend upwards up the leaderboard can continue. I did play a lot of nice golf at Pebble. Yeah, no, obviously would just love to keep this going and keep playing the golf that I’m playing right now because I think that could lead to some better things.”
Day also took a while to get his round moving forward but he birdied six of his last twelve holes to record a round that could improve an ordinary record around this golf course.
In six previous starts Day has just the one top ten, that coming when 9th last year when he also produced a round of 65 on the final day. He had however a best of 62nd in his previous five starts.
“In my early days I disliked this golf course. Like it’s very easy to dislike it if you kind of get out of position and you can’t run something up to the green because it just kind of sticks at the front.
“If you’re coming out of the rough and it lands on the green, it goes over the back. And if you don’t, you get frustrated and you’re like I don’t like this golf course. One of two things had to change, I either wouldn’t play here or you just have to change your attitude a little bit.
“I think changing that mindset and that attitude saying that this is one of my favourite stops on the — of the year, because it is a tremendous golf course. Rich history from like some of the greats that have played the Tour have played here and won here. And it is, when you get down to it, it’s one of the golf courses that has held up over time, especially with kind of the land that we have. So, for me to try and change that mindset, that attitude was huge. Obviously I’ve found some success, which is good
Day was asked about the enjoyment he is now able to get from putting in the work that previous body issues prevented him from doing.
“Yeah, 100 percent right. I think there were times where I would — wouldn’t really practice Monday, wouldn’t really practice Tuesday, just try and get through the pro-am and just go, OK, if I can get through Thursday and Friday, then great.
“To be able to kind of get that back in the rearview mirror now where I can kind of focus on actually practicing and putting good work in, it’s been nice because for a moment there I just didn’t know if it was really going to pan out for me and I thought maybe it’s kind of like I’m at the end of it in regards to my playing days.
“But it was nice to be able to kind of put that work in, see the body react the way it has and be able to practice and like through time and effort, that’s when the good play starts to come back.”
Adam Scott was the only other Australian in the 70 player field and finished with a round of 72.
