Golf
Johnson leads at Riviera CC
2010-02-05 07:35
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Los Angeles - American Dustin Johnson fired a seven-under 64 at Riviera Country Club on Thursday to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the $6.4 million Northern Trust Open.
Johnson made the most of cool, calm morning conditions as he nabbed seven birdies without a bogey on the par-71 layout for a one-stroke lead over Argentina's Andres Romero and American Kevin Stadler.
Ricky Barnes and Brandt Snedeker were two shots back on 66.
"Got off to a good start, had good vibes going all day," said Johnson, who started at the 10th and had two birdies in his first three holes.
After a birdie at the par-five 11th, he drained a 64-foot birdie bomb at the par-four 12th.
Johnson birdied Riviera's other two par-fives - the 17th and the first, missing an eight-foot eagle attempt at No.1.
Johnson, who missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open last week, appears to be building momentum before his title defence at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am next week.
He said he felt at home on the historic Riviera course west of downtown Los Angeles.
"It really fits my eye," he said.
Romero nabbed eight birdies in a six-under 65, more than making up for a double-bogey at the par-four ninth.
Romero, who closed his round with four straight birdies, admitted he might have avoided the big mistake if he'd heeded his caddie's advice on nine.
"My caddie was telling me to hit a seven-iron just to the front of the green, but I'm so stubborn I stayed with the six-iron and it buried in the bunker," he said.
Stadler started on the 10th tee and got hot early, with six of his seven birdies in his first nine holes. He cooled off coming in, with one birdie balanced by a bogey.
Steve Stricker, runner-up here last year to Phil Mickelson, headed a trio on 67. Stricker launched his round with an eagle at the par-five first hole. He added four birdies and two bogeys to finish alongside Steve Lowery and Cameron Beckman.
Japanese sensation Ryo Ishikawa was in a group of more than a dozen players on three-under 68 that also included South Africans Rory Sabbatini and Ernie Els, England's Luke Donald and Sweden's Jesper Parnevik.
The 18-year-old is making his 2010 US debut at the same tournament where he missed the cut in his first US tour outing last year.
He moved as low as five-under par, but had two bogeys in his last four holes - including a three-putt from 26 feet at the sixth.
Even so, he was pleased to put himself in position to make the cut.
"My mentality is better than last year, and especially my putting," Ishikawa said. "I hope I can make the cut tomorrow."
World number two Mickelson left himself plenty of work to do if he is to claim an unprecedented third straight title in the event, posting a one-over 72, as did Ireland's Padraig Harrington.
Mickelson had four birdies, but his round got away from him with four of his five bogeys in his last seven holes.
"I was three-under and I had a decent round going," Mickelson said. "I ended up with four bogeys coming in, and I shot one-over - it really wasn't a good round."
Leading first-round scores on Thursday at the $6.4 million Northern Trust Open (Note: darkness halted play with three players on course. USA unless noted):
64 - Dustin Johnson
65 - Andres Romero (ARG), Kevin Stadler
66 - Ricky Barnes, Brandt Snedeker
67 - Steve Lowery, Steve Stricker, Cameron Beckman
68 - Jesper Parnevik (SWE), Rory Sabbatini (RSA), Scott Verplank, Troy Matteson, JB Holmes, Stephen Ames (CAN), Luke Donald (GBR), Charley Hoffman, Ryo Ishikawa (JPN), Jonathan Byrd, Fredrik Jacobson (SWE), Roland Thatcher, Ernie Els (RSA), David Duval
Selected others:
69 - Justin Rose (GBR), Tim Clark (RSA), Mike Weir (CAN), Nick O'Hern (AUS)
70 - Rod Pampling (AUS), Carl Pettersson (SWE)
71 - Marc Leishman (AUS), Yang Yong-Eun (KOR), Angel Cabrera (ARG), KJ Choi (KOR), Greg Owen (GBR), Brenden Pappas (RSA), Stuart Appleby (AUS), Greg Chalmers (AUS)
72 - Brian Davis (GBR), Padraig Harrington (IRL), Martin Laird (GBR), Charlie Wi (KOR), Aaron Baddeley (AUS), Phil Mickelson, Robert Allenby (AUS)
73 - Vijay Singh (FIJ), Ryuji Imada (JPN), Adam Scott (AUS), James Nitties (AUS)
74 - Richard S. Johnson (SWE), Shigeki Maruyama (JPN), Nathan Green (AUS)
75 - Alex Cejka (GER), Daniel Chopra (SWE), John Senden (AUS), Jason Day (AUS)
77 - Michael Sim (AUS)
78 - Mathew Goggin (AUS)