Northern Trust Open: Nine-way tie for first at Riviera when darkness hits

There are still a handful of golfers left on the course but play has been halted because of darkness at the Northern Trust Open and there are nine men tied for the lead at four under par. All nine have finished with scores of 67, but darkness did leave some golfers with the first round unfinished.

Among the leaders are three  from Australia -- John Senden, 2001 winner Robert Allenby and Aaron Baddeley -- Martin Laird of Scotland; Carl Pettersson of Sweden; and four Americans -- Spencer Levin, Bill Haas, J.B Holmes, who tied for third here last year, and Ben Martin.

Corey Pavin, a UCLA grad and two-time winner at Riviera, had a one-shot lead when he went to five under after he birdied the third hole (his 12th) and he remained in the lead until he bogeyed the sixth, eighth and ninth holes  to finish at two-under 69. Among those one shot off the lead are 51-year-old two-time winner Fred Couples, last year's runner-up Luke Donald, and three-time major Padraig Harrington.

Phil Mickelson shot even-par 71.

-- Diane Pucin