LOS ANGELES — Tiger Woods isn’t the only player making a return to Riviera Country Club this week for the Genesis Open.

Fairmont native William McGirt, who missed last year’s event, will carry a history of success with him to Riviera in the concluding PGA Tour event of the West Coast Swing.

In his last three appearances at the historic course in Pacific Palisades, Calif., McGirt has an average finish of 13th. He logged a tie for 20th in 2016, a tie for 14th in 2015 and a tie for sixth in 2014 in the event formerly known as the Northern Trust Open.

The 38-year-old has four top-30 finishes, including a pair of top 10s, in six starts this season and is coming off a tie for 26th in last week’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Paired with Brian Stuard and Charles Howell III for the first two rounds, McGirt will tee off Thursday from the 10th hole of the par-71, 7,332-yard track at 10:53 p.m. Eastern time.

Woods will make his first appearance at Riviera since 2006. As a 16-year-old amateur, Woods made his first PGA Tour start in 1992 at the course, competing on a sponsor’s exemption.

He returned to competition with a tie for ninth at the Hero World Challenge in December. He made the first official PGA Tour start of his latest comeback two weeks ago at Torrey Pines, where he finished tied for 23rd at the Farmers Insurance Open.

The 14-time major champion is grouped with Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy for the first two rounds. The trio will tee off Thursday from the 10th hole at 10:22 a.m. Eastern time.

Dustin Johnson is the defending champion of the event.

McGirt
https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_WilliamMcGirt201821315307361-1.jpgMcGirt

By Rodd Baxley

Sports editor

Rodd Baxley can be reached at 910-416-5182 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @RoddBaxley.