LOS ANGELES – J.B. Holmes was already having a good round before he stepped to the sixth tee at Riviera Country Club, where he soon had even more reason to smile.
Holmes was among the group of players who didn’t begin the Genesis Open until Friday morning, but on a course where Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson have won four of the last five years, the long-hitting Holmes quickly moved to the top of the standings. Already 5 under for his round after starting on the back nine, he watched his tee shot on No. 6 land behind the hole and zip back for a hole-in-one that gave him a share of the lead.