Time For Our First Thomas-Spieth Mega-Millennial Match-Up?

Doug Ferguson reports on the one-shot Northern Trust Open lead held by old guy Retief Goosen, the two-time U.S. Open champion who has not won since 2009.

Ferguson notes it's no coincidence Goosen's playing well over a Riviera layout sporting firm greens that have players scratching their heads.

"It's been such a long time since I've last been in contention," Goosen said. "Who knows how my game is going to hold up? But I'm feeling good. My back is feeling great. So if the nerves can hold, just continue to make good golf swings and make a few good putts, who knows?"

Yet with only three shots separating Goosen from Jordan Spieth and one stroke from Justin Thomas, the youth-obsessed and history-wise are longing for a rematch of their 2012 NCAA Championship final match at Riviera.

Golfweek's Adam Schupak on how that match continues to be a source of discussion between two of the tour's young stars.

As if Justin Thomas could ever forget what happened at Riviera Country Club’s 15th hole in their match at the 2012 NCAA Men’s Golf Championship, Jordan Spieth was happy to remind him.

“He’s sent me like three different pictures of that hole already,” Thomas said.

Flashback to when Spieth of Texas holed his second shot to all but ice their head-to-head match and help the Longhorns edge Thomas’ Alabama team 3-2 in the match play final.

“4-iron, rolled around the back of the green and went in,” Spieth recalled at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. “He hates when I bring that up.”

Earlier this week, PGATour.com's Sean Martin profiled Thomas and his Kentucky upbringing as a self-described golf geek who has already made a huge impression on the West Coast swing.

Earlier this year, he played in a final group on the weekend of three consecutive events – Sony Open in Hawaii; Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation; Waste Management Phoenix Open – and has three top-10s in nine TOUR starts.

Golf Central talked about Spieth and Thomas and wheeled out this footage from their NCAA finals match.



Spieth hit a 375-yard drive on the 18th Friday, aided by Riviera's glorious buggy paths, not something you usually see on a world-class course: