Fresh off a win at the 2012 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Phil Mickelson is at the top of the leader board after one round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California.
Northern Trust Open 2012: Phil Mickelson Leads After Round One
The first round was suspended due to darkness and will resume at 7 a.m. local time on Friday. Television coverage will begin at 3 p.m. ET on the GOLF channel
Mickelson shot a five-under 66, taking sole possession of first place with a chip-in from 35-feet on the 18th hole. It was the sixth birdie of the round for Mickelson, who was happy to end the round on a high note.
“It feels really good to get that one extra shot because I felt like I left one or two out on 16, 17, and you hate to have such a good round and let a few slide late,” Mickelson said. “To make that shot unexpectedly on 18 felt like I got one of those back.”
J.B. Holmes and Hunter Mahan are one shot back after the first round, while Jonathan Byrd and Carl Pettersson are at three-under to round out the Top 5. Sergio Garcia and K.J. Choi are among eight at two under. Choi compared the greens at the Riviera to the ones at Augusta National.
“The greens were very hard and fast today, even faster than Augusta at times,” Choi said. “The poa annua grass, it was difficult to determine the grain. Sometimes it was bumpy and sometimes it wasn’t, so you had a tough time putting.”
Defending champion Aaron Baddeley shot a two-over 73 and is tied for 55th.
More on the tournament can be found at Golf.com or our own Waggle Room.
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