Genesis Open 2017: Thursday Leaderboard Scores and Highlights

The late Arnold Palmer's grandson stole the show Thursday in the first round of the Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California.

Sam Saunders paced the field with a seven-under 64 and held off five golfers—including Dustin Johnson—who finished their rounds with a five-under 66. That crowded second-place group also features J.T. Poston, Daniel Summerhays, Brett Stegmaier and Cameron Percy.

Here's a look at the leaders with a full scoreboard available at PGATour.com:

While those top-six finishers completed their rounds Thursday, the same could not be said for the entire field. PGA Tour Media noted play was suspended for darkness at 5:34 p.m. PT, and players will continue their first rounds at 7 a.m. Friday.

According to the Associated Press (h/t PGATour.com), a fog delay caused a late start and backed up play from the beginning.

Saunders' performance happened on the 50th anniversary of Palmer defending his Genesis Open title, although it was known as the Los Angeles Open and was played at Rancho Municipal at the time, per the AP.

Saunders flashed steady consistency with zero bogeys, and back-to-back birdies on Nos. 11 and 12 helped set the tone after he started on the back nine. He also posted an impressive driving-accuracy percentage of 85.71 percent, per PGATour.com.

The fact he didn't get in much trouble with his drive allowed him to put things on relative cruise control and take an early lead.

There is no shortage of household names behind him, starting with Johnson. The AP said he could claim the No. 1 spot in the rankings with a victory, and he used his long drives to make an early statement Thursday, as the PGA Tour shared:

That was no surprise considering he is second on tour in driving distance in 2017, per his PGATour.com profile. He also started on the back nine and finished with four birdies, and five straight pars to close out put him well within striking distance before the later rounds.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was the showing from Bubba Watson, who is the defending champion and won this event two of the past three times. Mike McAllister of PGATour.com said Palmer and Ben Hogan are the only three-time winners of the event, so the lefty had an opportunity to join incredible company with a victory.

However, he finished at a disappointing two-over par through 17 holes. His round went off the tracks with three straight bogeys on Nos. 8-10.

Elsewhere, Jordan Spieth reminded everyone of his overall consistency and never got too high or low with three birdies and a bogey through 16 holes. He is well positioned at two-under par and turned heads with a birdie on No. 13, as the PGA Tour highlighted:

Current No. 1 Jason Day is attempting to hold onto his ranking and was even through 16. However, it wasn't a steady kind of even as he posted four birdies and four bogeys, although his bogey on No. 8 was impressive enough to earn a PGA Tour highlight:

If Day attacks the pins and racks up birdies like he did Thursday and finds more consistency to avoid those bogeys, he will be a threat down the stretch.

Phil Mickelson will definitely be a threat down the stretch if he plays like he did Thursday. He tied for seventh place with a four-under 67 and overcame three bogeys with an eagle and five birdies.

Two of his birdies were the back-to-back variety on Nos. 12 and 13, as the PGA Tour shared:

Mickelson is just one of the high-profile competitors who are pursuing Saunders after the first round. The leader will have to emulate his grandfather's past success at the event to hold off such a strong field.

Post-Round Reaction

Saunders put his performance into context, per the AP:

"

I don't need to compete against my grandfather's career. Nobody can. I don't care how many golf tournaments you win, nobody's going to compete in the terms of doing what he did for the game. And for me to try to promote my own brand or name would be foolish because I have such a great opportunity to promote and to continue what he has already done. That's what I'm going to do and not make it about myself.

"

He also talked about his past conversations with Palmer regarding the Genesis Open, per the AP: "He just always talked about how much he loved coming out there and playing. I think his celebrity matched pretty well with the celebrity atmosphere that you have here, so he was obviously comfortable with that."