PACIFIC PALISADES >> The Official World Golf Rankings — officially, all in upper-case — are mashed together each week based on one of those sausage-packing formulas you should really not concern yourself with.
Just admire it for what it is and don’t ask how it’s made.
The computations are weighted values that add and take away points depending on how one performs at any of the pro events on the planet week by week, as well as taking into consideration the strength of the field. The computer, not a bunch of fans or sportswriters, then spits out its tally each Saturday.
For the moment — as well as the last 47 weeks — Jason Day’s position at No. 1 has maintained solid roots.
By this weekend, Day’s performance in a relatively deep PGA Tour Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club, as it also compares to who else is playing on the European Tour stop in Day’s native Australia, could cause some ground shifting.
FedEx Cup leader Hideki Matsuyama, currently No. 5, has been piling up more positive points lately and could overtake Day. So, too, could Dustin Johnson, currently at No. 3. Both are in the Riviera field, as are eight of the Top 10 players in the world rankings. Meanwhile, No. 2 Rory McIlroy is fighting a rib injury while No. 4 Henrik Stenson is oscillating on the European Tour.
Considering Day’s past performance at Riviera — seven of his eight rounds have been over par, he has missed two cuts and managed a tie for 62nd in 2012, the last time he played here — it might have been a safer strategy to just skip this place altogether, go pitch-and-putt with his kids in Florida where the next round of pre-Masters tournaments are taking place, and deal with the consequences.
But that would seem to be counterproductive to the mindset of the 29-year-old.
“I’ve said that I wanted to go (No. 1) from a calendar year, but I need to just focus on what I need to do because you can’t really focus on staying No. 1,” he said after his practice Tuesday at Riviera.
“The more you focus on the actual target itself, the more you attach yourself to it, you make mental errors out there, you get more frustrated, you do silly things on the golf course that you shouldn’t be doing. I just need to focus on getting the process right and making sure I’m waking up at the right time, doing my corrective exercises — all the boring little crap that you have to do.”
If someone supplants him at No. 1 by this weekend, Day claims he’s OK with it.
“I’m not going to be angry or sad about it,” he said. “Just goes to show that I need to work harder, need to be smarter and try and win more tournaments.”
There are demands that play into the No. 1 status, some that interrupt practice routines and family life. But the positives outweigh the negatives.
“You’re seeing the fans, seeing the media, trying to play competitive golf and then you go back home and you’re trying to be the No. 1 dad as well,” he said. “Unfortunately, sometimes it’s really, really difficult not to bring it home.
“I felt like I’ve really learned a lot about myself over the past year, being able to let things go more … I don’t look at a thing on social media. I don’t wish to because the amount of negative stuff that comes out of social media is pretty poor. But to be honest, it doesn’t affect me when I see negative stuff about me because it’s not my problem, it’s the person’s problem that’s writing the negative stuff.
“It is a lot of pressure but you’ve got to keep pushing forward because, you get to No. 1 in the world, my whole goal in life was to get to No. 1 in the world. … Where do you go now? You know what I mean?”
Jordan Spieth does.
The rankings as of last week show six players actually bunched tightly near the top — including Spieth, at No. 6 and coming off a strong victory at Pebble Beach last weekend to give him six Top 10 finishes in six events this season.
After finishing second to Day at the 2015 PGA Championship, Spieth leapt for the first time into the World No. 1 spot and kept it off and on. He secured it for a time after winning the 2015 FedEx Cup championship. That was the same season he won the Masters and U.S. Open.
Spieth’s four-stroke win last week’s AT&T at Pebble Beach was seven better than Day, who tied for fifth with a weekend that included a third-round score of 3-over 75.
Spieth has had little time to soak the triumph. The University of Texas alum who once won an NCAA championship at Riviera had to jet down to L.A. last Sunday to make an 8:40 a.m. tee time Monday with three current Longhorn players to compete in the Collegiate Showcase.
He’s hardly complaining.
“I think it’s very advantageous to be playing right after a win,” he said. “You should have the most confidence of anyone in the field — which I believe I do. Guys playing well should be working their way into contention this week, either early or later on. The more you can play when you are playing well, the better, in my opinion.
“A short week, and short travel, and pretty similar grass — and what looks like pretty similar (weather) conditions, honestly, will be very helpful and very useful.”
According to those who profess to having figured out the algorithms, if Day finishes outside the top 24 this weekend, it opens the door for Johnson to leap to the top. If Day is in a three-way tie or worse, Matsuyama has an opening.
And if Tiger Woods, currently at No. 693, could once enjoy 683 weeks as the World No. 1 during his career, why not envision what life could be back on the top.
“Oh, man, being No. 1 in the world ... is tough,” said Day. “It really is. It’s exciting….”
He then took a pause of a few seconds.
“It’s really a good place to be. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
Also
Day will be paired with Matsuyama and Justin Thomas, a two-time winner this season, for the first two rounds, with a 12:23 p.m. start from the first tee on Thursday and 7:43 a.m. start from the 10th tee for Friday’s second round. Just ahead of them, Spieth and defending champion Bubba Watson will be with former Riviera champion Bill Haas at 12:12 p.m. first tee Thursday and 7:32 a.m. 10th tee Friday.
Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk and Sergio Garcia are playing partners at 7:22 a.m. on the 10th tee Thursday and 12:02 p.m. on the first tee Friday, just ahead of Dustin Johnson, Adam Scott and Justin Rose (7:32 a.m. 10th tee Thursday; 12:12 first tee Friday).
GENESIS OPEN INFORMATION
• Where: Riviera Country Club (1250 Capri Drive, Pacific Palisades)
• The course: Par 71 on a layout of 7,322 yards
• Prize money: $7 million purse; $1.224 million to the winner
• Defending champion: Bubba Watson, winning two of the last three tournaments.
• The field: The 144 players include current World No. 1 ranked Jason Day, defending U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson, former Riviera champions Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott plus Top 25-ranked players Hideki Matsuyama, Jordan Spieth, Sergio Garcia and Justin Rose. Tiger Woods intended to play but pulled out Friday with back issues. Fan favorite and former winner Fred Couples also is not here after 34 starts in a 36-year span.
• Schedule of events:
Today: Pro-Am begins at 6:40 a.m.; gates open at 6 a.m.
Thursday and Friday: First two rounds begin at 6:40 a.m.; gates open at 6 a.m.
Saturday and Sunday: Final two rounds begin at 8 a.m., gates open at 7:30 a.m.
• Tickets: All information and purchases available at www.tigerwoodsfoundation.org/events/open/tickets
Grounds tickets start at $25 (Wednesday), $55 (Thursday or Friday) and $65 (Saturday or Sunday). Youths 15 and under are free with an adult admission. Military veterans receive at 25 percent discount. Active and retired military and National Guard can redeem complimentary tickets on the website. Clubhouse tickets are $99 per day. High school and college student tickets ($25 with ID) can only be purchased at the box office.
• Prohibited items: Security inspection at the course entrance will not allow, among other things, backpacks or large purses, beverage container or coolers, large camera bags, folding chairs higher than 18 inches, ladders, periscopes, picnic baskets, radios and TVs, signs or banners, video camera or recorders. More info at GenesisOpen.com/spectators
• Public parking: Downtown Santa Monica parking structures S1 through S1 are open 24 hours and include a complimentary shuttle. The pickup and drop off locations are on Wilshire Boulevard, between 2nd and 3rd Street. Shuttles run from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
The Metro Express line riders can exit at the Downtown Santa Monica station and walk 10-to-15 minutes to the shuttle pick up and drop off spot. More info: www.metro.net.
• Uber: An Uber drop off spot has been designated at the Paul Revere Charter Middle School (1450 Allenford Ave.).
• Television: Golf Channel has live coverage Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The coverage for CBS (KCBS-Channel 2) is scheduled for noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday but could it could be extended as rounds are completed. Golf Channel also has Saturday and Sunday coverage from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
• History: The PGA Tour professional stop in Los Angeles goes back to 1926. It has rotated among several Southern California courses until staying at Riviera as the home course since 1973 (with diversion to Rancho Park in 1983 and Valencia Country Club in 1998). This year’s title sponsor is Genesis. It has previously been known as the Northern Trust Open, the Nissan Open and the Glen Campbell L.A. Open.
• Records: 72-holes – 264 by Lanny Wadkins in 1985; 18-holes – 61 by George Archer (third round, 1983, at Rancho Park) and by Ted Tryba (third round, 1999, at Riviera)
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