Friday 15 February 2019 06:42, UK
Jordan Spieth enjoyed a superb start to the Genesis Open as the opening day was hit by a lengthy weather delay in California.
Spieth raced into a share of the early lead on five under par after an initial aborted start, with only 10 groups on the course when play was suspended due to an approaching storm which soon rendered Riviera Country Club unplayable.
When the torrential rain finally receded, the scores of those who had started their rounds earlier had been wiped off and the tournament restarted at 1:40pm local time, meaning the afternoon wave of starters including the marquee group of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas had no chance of getting in any play on Thursday.
But the soft and wet conditions did not present any problems for Spieth as he cruised to five under after 12 holes to earn a share of the lead with Sung Kang before play was again suspended due to fading light shortly after 5:30pm.
Spieth, still without a win since the 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale, missed out on a birdie at the driveable 10th - his first - but he atoned at the long 11th and then pitched in from the right rough for a bonus birdie at the tough, par-four 12th.
The 25-year-old picked up further shots at his next two par-fives, the 17th and first holes, and he added another with a superb effort from just off the green at the second before he completed a cast-iron par at the third just after the klaxons had sounded to end play for the day with half the field yet to tee off.
Kang has four holes to finish on the resumption and his card featured four birdies and a sublime chip-in for eagle at the 11th, while Patrick Rodgers and 2016 PGA champion Jimmy Walker are four under for their first rounds and both without a blemish so far.
Ryder Cup star Tony Finau is three under with six to play, with Marc Leishman and Rafa Cabrera Bello among a large group of players on two under as none of the early starters were able to complete 18 holes on Thursday.
Last week's Pebble Beach champion Phil Mickelson looked understandably jaded and has yet to make a birdie as he mixed 11 pars with one bogey in the 12 holes he completed playing alongside Spieth, while 2017 champion Dustin Johnson struggled to two over after 13 holes.
