Modest start for Atwal in Northern Trust

Los Angeles: Arjun Atwal, who pulled out of the final round last week at Pebble Beach on account of a back

pain, made a modest start at the Northern Trust Open with an even par 71 that placed him tied 40th in the weather-affected incomplete first round. Atwal, starting on the tenth, birdied the 11th and played steady with pars till the 18th, where he dropped a bogey. A birdie on the first was followed by a string of seven pars before another bogey on the closing ninth. He missed the green and then missed a eight-foot par putt. Robert Allenby, who ten years ago, won a six-man playoff at Riviera, was one of the nine players in shared lead at four-under 67. When play was stopped due to darkness, others in shared lead were John Senden, Martin Laird, Spencer Levin, Aaron Baddeley, Ben Martin, Bill Haas, Carl Pettersson and JB Holmes. They could be joined by Peter Tomasulo, if he makes the 12-foot birdie putt he left on the green when play was stopped. Dustin Johnson suffered a two-shot penalty before he teed up, after his caddie thought his tee time was 40 minutes later than it really was. He was still on the practice range warming-up when he was supposed to be at the first tee. Players get five minutes to reach the tee and Johnson made it with six seconds to spare, or else he would have been disqualified. He ended with a 73. PTI