Kevin Chappell was deep into his third round at Pebble Beach last Saturday, heading for a missed cut, when he turned on his phone to check for flights out and got awful news in a text.
Chris Roth, the caddie for Chappell’s former UCLA teammate Patrick Cantlay, had been killed in a hit-and-run accident in Newport Beach early Saturday morning. Chappell and Roth had become friends over many a practice round.
“The golf world lost a good human,” Chappell said Saturday afternoon at Riviera Country Club. “Life always seems to bring perspective when I’m most caught up in my game.”
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Feeling “at peace” this week, Chappell has played remarkably well on his old college stamping grounds. In shooting a five-under-par 66 on Saturday — tying for the best score of the day — he is only two shots off Bubba Watson’s lead, in a five-way tie for fifth, heading into the final round of the Northern Trust Open.
Over his career at UCLA, where the Fresno native won the individual NCAA national championship in 2008, Chappell, 29, played dozens of rounds at Riviera, the Bruins’ team hustling to get around the course in front of the members in the early morning.
“Being back here always feels like home,” Chappell said. “Riviera is such a special place. Being able to play it as much as we did in college, you almost take it for granted.”
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With one Web.com Tour victory on his resume, scored in 2010, Chappell is still seeking his first PGA Tour win. He came closest in the 2013 Memorial with a solo second.
If Chappell were to triumph, he’d be the second Bruin in four years to win here. John Merrick prevailed in 2013.
Van Aswegen’s ace
One of the best shots of the third round came from Tyrone Van Aswegen, a 34-year-old native of Johannesburg, South Africa, who used a nine-iron to hit a hole in one — his first on the PGA Tour — on the 166-yard 16th.
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Bubba Watson cradles the winner’s trophy on the 18th green after rallying for a victory in the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club on Sunday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dakota Watson, who is 18 months old, romps on the 18th green as father Bubba Watson accepts the winner’s trophy for the Northern Trust Open.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Bubba Watson waves to fans after hitting his approach at the 18th hole on Sunday during the final round of the Northern Trust Open.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Bubba Watson walks ahead of Jason Kokrak toward the 18th fairway.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Bubba Watson waves to fans after making a birdie on the 17th hole that put him in the lead of the Northern Trust Open on Sunday at Riviera Country Club.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Bubba Watson slams a long drive during a round of 68 on Sunday to win the Northern Trust Open at the Riviera Country Club. He finished four rounds at 15 under par.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Jason Kokrak falls to the ground after missing a birdie putt on the 18th hole that would’ve put him in a tie for the lead.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Adam Scott hits from the trees surrounding the green on the 10th hole during the final round of the Northern Trust Open. Scott saved par on the hole.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Fans receive high-fives from K.J. Choi as he walks to the 15th hole during the final round of the Northern Trust Open on Sunday at Riviera Country Club.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Jason Kokrak blasts out of a greenside bunker at No. 16, helping him save par during the final round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Steve Stricker hits out of a fairway trap on the eighth hole during the final round of the Northern Trust Open on Sunday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dustin Johnson hits a shot out of the rough at No. 8 during the final round of the Northern Trust Open on Sunday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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K.J. Choi watches his drive on the par-three 14th hole during the final round of the Northern Trust Open on Sunday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Adam Scott watches his drive land on the green while on his way to a biridie at the sixth hole during the final round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Rory McIlroy puts at No. 1 during the third round of the Northern Trust Open on Saturday at Riviera Country Club.
(Robert Laberge / Getty Images)
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Dustin Johnson lines up a putt on the eighth hole during the third orund of the Northern Trust Open on Saturday at Riviera Country Club.
(Robert Laberge / Getty Images)
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Bubba Watson tees off on the fourth hole Saturday during the third round of Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club.
(Robert Laberge / Getty Images)
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Chez Reavie hits from a bunker to the third green during the third round of the Northern Trust Open.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Troy Merritt drives from the second tee during the third round of the Northern Trust Open on Saturday.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Hideki Matsuyama lines up a putt on the first hole during round the third round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club.
(Robert Laberge / Getty Images)
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Kevin Chappell tees off at No. 2 during the third round of the Northern Trust Open on Saturday.
(Robert Laberge / Getty Images)
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K.J. Choi reacts after sinking a putt at No. 3 during the third round of the Northern Trust open on Saturday.
(Frederic J. Brown / AFP / Getty Images)
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Charl Schwartzel hits around a tree from the rough along the first fairway at Riviera Country Club on Saturday.
(Robert Laberge / Getty Images)
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Rory McIlroywatches his tee shot at No. 2 during the third round of the Northern Trust Open on Saturday.
(Frederic J. Brown / AFP / Getty Images)
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Jason Kokrak takes his shot out of a fairway bunker on the seventh hole during the third round of the Northern Trust Open on Saturday.
(Robert Laberge / Getty Images)
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Bubba Watson acknowledges the crowd after finishing the third round of the Northern Trust Open on Saturday at Riviera Country Club.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Spectators lean over the rope to watch Rory McIlroy hit out of the rough along the 18th fairway at Riviera Country Club on Friday during the second round of the Northern Trust Open.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Jason Kokrak acknowledges the crowd Friday after finishing the 18th hole at Riviera Country Club. Kokrak leads the Northern Trust Open at 10 under par after a seven-under 64 on Friday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Chez Reavie reacts after sinking a birdie putt at No. 18 to finish the second round with a four-under-par 67. He’s in second place after two rounds of the Northern Trust Open at nine under.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Bubba Watson hits a chip shot from the rough on the 17th hole during the second round of the Northern Trust Open.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Justin Rose hits out of a sand trap at No. 9 on Friday during the second round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Rory McIlroy hits his tee shot at No. 11 on Friday during the second round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club. McElroy is tied with seven others for seventh at six under.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Bubba Watson tosses his putter after missing a birdie putt on the 12th hole during the second round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club on Friday. Watson is tied for third at eight under after two rounds.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Jason Kokrak hits his approach shot into the 18th green during the second round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club on Friday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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As afternoon shadows lengthen across Riviera Country Club, leader Jason Kokrak follows through on his approach shot into the 18th green during the second round of the Northern Trust Open on Friday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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The kikuyu grass flies as Rory McIlroy hits out of the rough along the 12th fairway Friday during the second round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Ernie Els hits out of a greenside bunker at the 10th hole during the second round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club on Friday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Jason Kokrak hits a chip shot onto the 17th green during the second round of the Northern Trust Open on Friday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Justin Rose hits from under the branches of a tree at No. 10 on Friday during the second round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Rory McIlroy hits from the rough at No. 10 during the second round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club on Friday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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James Hahn, the Northern Trust Open winner last year, hits out of a sand trap at the 10th hole during the second round of the Northern Trust Open on Friday. Hahn missed the cut at four over.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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An aerial view of Riviera Country Club, site of the Northern Trust Open golf tournament, taken from the MetLife blimp on Friday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Camilo Villegas tees off on the ninth hole during first round of the Northern Trust Open on Thursday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Camilo Villegas reacts after sinking a birdie putt on the eighth hole during the first round of Northern Trust Open.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Jordan Spieth prepares to tee off during the first round of the Northern Trust Open on Thursday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Jordan Spieth chips onto a green during the Northern Trust Open on Thursday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Rory McIlroy doffs his cap after finishing the first round of the Northern Trust Open golf tournament on Thursday at Riviera Country Club.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Justin Thomas and his caddie line up a putt during the first round of the Northern Trust Open on Thursday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Justin Thomas reacts after missing a putt during the first round of the Northern Trust Open on Thursday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Fred Couples tees off during the first round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club on Thursday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Fred Couples fist-bumps Justin Thomas after both sank long birdie putts at the fifth hole during the first round of the Northern Trust Open.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Bubba Watson tees off at No. 9 during the first round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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James Hahn, the 2015 winner, lines up a putt during the first round of Northern Trust Open on Thursday at Riviera Country Club.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Justin Rose lines up a putt during the first round of the Northern Trust Open on Thursday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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“The pin was front left, and we couldn’t actually see the bottom of the hole, we could just see the flag,” Van Aswegen said. “It was just left of the flag, and I said, ‘Come down,’ because I hit it really sweet. The greens are real soft, and it pitched and spun back. I couldn’t see where it went, and the people behind the green went crazy.”
Van Aswegen, whose four-under 67 round moved him to six under and a tie for 19th, was a little bummed that he didn’t win a car. But he was pleased when told that, through a Quicken Loans sweepstakes, his ace won a year’s worth of mortgage payments for a fan in Wisconsin.
“Any time we can help someone pay off their bills, that’s great,” Van Aswegen said. “I’m real excited for whoever. Hopefully it was a really big house and a big payment.”
Notable
Tying Chappell for the day’s best score of 66 were Padraig Harrington, Justin Thomas and Harold Varner III. Harrington (six under overall) is tied for 19th, and Thomas and Varner are five under. … First-round leader Camilo Villegas opened Saturday by going eagle-birdie, but made only one birdie the rest of the day, shot 70 and was tied for 19th … The most difficult hole this week has been the 479-yard 12th, playing at .33 strokes over par. The par-five first is the easiest at .80 strokes under. …
The course’s biggest conversation piece, the short par-four 10th, has been the fourth-easiest hole (.15 under). ... Sunday’s round will be the last played under the Northern Trust Open name of the last nine years. Hyundai takes over sponsorship next year, though a name for the event has not been announced.
Mike DiGiovanna has been covering Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Times since 1995 and spent 19 years as the Angels beat writer and two seasons on the Dodgers. He won Associated Press Sports Editors awards for game-story writing in 2001, feature-story writing in 2017 and breaking news in 2019. A native of East Lyme, Conn., and a graduate of Cal State Fullerton, he began writing for The Times in 1981.
