2012 PGA Northern Trust Open Leaderboard: Jonathan Byrd 3-under par is on top

Jonathan Byrd laboriously toiled as he birdied 16th and 17th holes that enabled him to be on top of the Northern Trust Open first round at the Riviera CC – Pacific Palisades, CA. Byrd has five birdies, a bogey and the rest pars to complete his day that put his name on top. However, most of the golfers are still on the field that it is not certainty if Byrd will stay longer in that post.

The only blemish for Byrd’s first round performance was the 11th hole par 5 in which he aggressively approached it but his second shot was a mere miscalculation. He was 3-under par at that time yet he loses a stroke. He saved his best as he putted for pars in the next four holes until he did the damage in the next two holes that ended up to birdies. But his shot at the 18th hole ended him for a bogey.

K.J. Choi is another player who already finished the round as he shot for 2-under par to make him in the third place. Choi started the round with a birdies in the first and six holes but he faltered in the ninth hole as he putted for a bogey. Choi was consistent in the back nine eliminating any mistake as he drilled in a birdie in the 13th hole. Choi went on the defensive in back nine that he didn’t try to take risks that could alter the course of the game.

Another player that ended the round competing is the No 1 Luke Donald who finished 1-under par 70. It was a tough day for Donald as he struggled to make a birdie since the first hole. He worked hard to eliminated bogeys and he couldn’t make the difference from the second hole to the 16th hole in which he shot for 13 pars and a bogey in the range. Donald can adjust to the course in the second round and that he will be up there for the 2012 PGA Northern Trust Open Leaderboard.

Justin Rose finished already with a sterling performance at 1-under par. Again as most of the golfers in this tournament, the par 5 first whole was the easiest as he putted for a birdie. In the next hole, he bogeyed it as he miscalculated his putt. Rose struggled the rest of the holes by drilling in a birdie and a bogey, the remaining were all pars.

Because of the toughness of the course, Bubba Watson felt it when he bogeyed the fifth, eight and ninth holes. He birdied the second, third, 13th and 16th holes end the day for him at 1-under par. Watson tried to defy the difficulties of the course but he continued to make mistakes. However, it was not a total futility for the Watson that he managed to have a magnificent performance.

Defending champion Aaron Baddeley did not have the game that he wanted that his score was filled with ups and downs. He birdied the first, fifth, sevent and 16th holes yet he bogeyed fourth, eight, 10th, and 18 holes. However, his approach on the 12th hole went astray by finishing the hole into double bogey. Baddeley’s 2-over par for the first round may not be the best at all.

Meanwhile, Adam Scott also didn’t show up his best when he finished the round at 2-over par. To the surprise of many, he couldn’t make the advances in the front nine that he was 1-over par. Then he bogeyed the 12th hole but he aggressively risked the 13th hole for a birdie. What changed his direction was his mistake in the 16 hole that ended up in double bogey.

Updates of the 2012 PGA Northern Trust Open leaderboard will be available here.