Niemann three clear of Spieth at Riviera

Joaquin Niemann opened up a three-shot lead after the opening round of the Genesis Invitational, with Jordan Spieth among the chasing pack in California.

Niemnan fired an eight-under 63 at Riviera Country Club, mixing nine birdies with a lone bogey to match the lowest opening round in the tournament's history and move top of a strong leaderboard.

Spieth posted an opening-round 66 to sit part of an American quartet in tied-second that includes defending champion Max Homa and last week's WM Phoenix Open winner Scottie Scheffler, while Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa are both four off the pace.

"I think it's got to be one of my best days on the golf course, especially in a place like this with this history," Niemann said. "You always know that you're never going to have these days four days in a row, but it's a good way to start."

Beginning on the back nine, Niemann opened with back-to-back birdies and cancelled out a three-putt bogey at the 12th by holing from off the next green and adding three consecutive gains around the turn.

Niemann grabbed the solo lead when a wonderful tee shot at the par-three fourth set up a close-range birdie, with the Chilean picking up a shot on his next hole and adding another at the seventh to jump further clear of the chasing pack.

A final-hole birdie lifted Scheffler within three of the lead, having gone inches away from a hole-out albatross earlier in his round, while Homa picked up four shots in a four-hole stretch on his back nine and Cameron Young birdied two of his last three holes to also get to five under.

Spieth briefly held the solo lead after following a first-nine 32 by taking advantage of the par-five first and rolling in a 12-footer at the seventh, only to bogey his