Riv: Rory Cruises(67), Spieth Balloons(79), Camilo Crushes(63)

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After .6 inches of rain took some (maybe needed) fire out of Riviera, the course offered an ideal blend of difficulty and accessibility for round one of the Northern Trust Open.

Rory McIlroy drove into the two most difficult fairway bunkers at Riviera (15 and 17), but wasn't fazed en route to what looked like a pretty effortless 67. All facets of his game look sound, he's exuding an impressive calm and gave the impression of having played dozens of rounds over the Thomas/Bell design.

He's already got the short par-4 tenth figured out.

Q. You mentioned being happy with a par on 10, what's your strategy there and what do you think of the hole?

RORY McILROY: Just hit it left, basically. Anywhere over that sort of, that bunker at 260, if you can hit it over there and just try and get it green high, even if you're in amongst those little trees there, you'll find some sort of shot to run it up on to the green and at least you have the length of the green to work with.

We were -- they used the call-up system today and we were calling the group up and one of the guys behind us, I'm not sure who it was, hit it like 50 yards short of the green on the right side of the fairway and Kuch and I looked at each other and went, that's not good. It's one of those greens that if you try to go for that pin, it's so difficult to hit the green. You have to hit a perfect golf shot.

I like it. It's a 300-yard hole. The hole played over par last year. It's a great design. I wouldn't change it.

I wrote about Jordan Spieth's shocking 79 for GolfDigest.com, which includes a photo of his emergency range session and extensive comments from Spieth about the possible rules issue under review. The round was posted while playing with buddy Justin Thomas and idol Fred Couples, but the mood was pretty somber most of the round until late when Spieth could only laugh at the mess of a day.

Villegas, who nearly chipped in for 61 before setting with a 63, had missed four cuts in a row coming into the week. Handicap that!

From his post round press conference:

Practice rounds were really tough, really firm. I was surprised to see the balls, 5- and 6-irons stopping the way they were stopping on the greens. Also it makes it a little bit more bumpy and harder to make putts on this poa annua. I got off to a good start from the 10th hole, made a nice little birdie there, and then great birdie on No. 12, tough hole. And then I made birdies on, what was that, 15 and 17.

So nice front nine, and then the back nine, I got on fire there for a little stretch and obviously a little mishap on the last hole. But man, I thought I made the chip, too. It was a good day out there, fun.

At 8:05 am PT, I'll be discussing some of the inside-the-ropes fun from round one with Gary Williams on Morning Drive.

Here is Justin Thomas (70) driving off of thirteen tee: