Dreary weather seems to suit big-hitting D. Johnson

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Dustin Johnson (shown here on Friday) has already won tournaments at rainy Pebble Beach (Feb. 2009) and cold, windy Turning Stone (Oct. 2008).

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. -- Dustin Johnson may live in sunny Myrtle Beach, S.C., but he is well-acquainted with the damp and dreary weather that can sometimes torment the California coast.

After all, he won the rain-shortened AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am last year and now finds himself tied for the lead at the equally-soggy Northern Trust Open.

Johnson, who had the second ace of his career on Friday, was 3 under through 16 holes when play at Riviera was halted by darkness. He's currently tied at 10 under at the top of the leaderboard with Steve Stricker, who shot 65 in the second round.

"It rained all day, never stopped," Johnson said. "But it drifted from light to raining pretty good. It was pretty chilly out there, cold and wet. On a day like today you've just got to stay patient and don't get frustrated with the weather.

"You're going to hit bad golf shots. It's just going to happen, especially in these conditions. Club is going to slip, foot is going to slip, something is going to happen. You're going to hit a bad shot. You've got to stay patient and try not to get frustrated."

Johnson, who has won a tournament in each of his first two years on the PGA TOUR, kept his composure extremely well on Friday. He figures he may have an advantage in the rain, too. The South Carolinian is one of the game's biggest hitters, ranking third in driving distance last year and fifth this year. He's made nine birdies, one ace and only one bogey in 34 holes.

"I don't like (the rain), but do I mind playing in it? No," Johnson said. "Everyone has got to play in it. I don't mind it. It doesn't bother me, especially hitting it a long way helps, too, because the course is by far the longest I've ever seen this course play. ... But I enjoy it. It's all right."

Unfortunately, Johnson and the rest must get ready for more of the same on Saturday with another storm approaching and a 70-percent chance of rain. He'll return to complete his final two holes at 7:30 a.m. PT and then will wait for what will likely be a date in the final pairing with Stricker.

"The course is holding up pretty well," Johnson said. "It's not real wet out there. There's hardly any standing water, so unless it just downpours, we're going to play tomorrow. It's going to be about the same weather, I think. It's not looking any different.

"You know, I had one day of practice in it, so we'll get another day tomorrow."