Dustin Johnson Leads After Round One At The Northern Trust Open

Sports News - February 5th, 2010 - Written By Bryan Cross

Second-ranked player in the world Phil Mickelson began his first round of the Northern Trust Open seeking his third consecutive win at the event. However, an opening round of 72 puts the left-hander eight shots behind first-round leader Dustin Johnson, who fired a sizzling 64.

Johnson teed off on the 10th hole yesterday to begin his round at Riviera Country Club, and instead of using a driver, he took a more conservative route, using a four-iron. He struck it crisply and it landed in the middle of the fairway. He proceeded to hit a wedge on the green and two-putt for par. From there, the putts began to drop. Johnson tabbed birdies on three of the next four holes and finished with a workman-like bogey-free round.

"Had good vibes going all day, and just hit the ball really good all day long," Johnson remarked in a post-round interview.

He is one shot clear of Andres Romero and Kevin Stadler. Romero played a similar round to Johnson, making birdie after birdie. However he suffered a slip-up at the ninth hole, where he made double bogey. Romero regrouped however and birdied his last four holes on the day to shoot 65.

Mickelson struck the ball well enough to be on the first page of the leader board throughout the course of his round, but was unable to convert on several short putts. He had it to three under-par midway through the round, before bogeying three holes in a row. He finished with a one over-par 72.

"I had it right there with five or six holes to go, and I let it go," Mickelson mentioned in an interview.

Mickelson was in headlines leading into this week following an incident in which fellow PGA tour player Scott McCarron criticized him. Mickelson uses a Ping Eye 2 wedge that was technically illegal for play. The wedge was grandfathered in under new rules by the PGA Tour and USGA, despite not meeting today's club specifications. McCarron went as far to say that any player using the wedge is "cheating."

McCarron has since renounced his comments publicly and apologized to Mickelson. Mickelson put the issue to rest by taking the wedge out of his bag.

Coming into the week, Johnson was installed as a 50/1 shot to win the Northern Trust Open according to the PGA Betting Lines at Bodog Sportsbook. Following his opening round, he is currently listed as a 6/1 favorite to win. Steve Stricker, who shot a 66, is the leading favorite with odds at 11/2. Mickelson was the betting favorite entering the tournament, but now finds himself going off at 14/1.

Coverage of the Northern Trust Open will continue Friday on the Golf Channel beginning at 5pm EST. Weekend coverage will be picked up by NBC and air at 2 pm EST.