Round 1 Notes – Sony Open in Hawaii
First-Round Notes – Thursday, January 10, 2008Weather: Temperatures in the mid 70’s under partly cloudy skies; winds E/SE at 5-15 mph.
The first full-field event of the 2008 PGA TOUR Regular Season got underway on time at 7:10am off of the 1st and 10th tees.
At 43 years, 6 months, and 21 days old, Paul Goydos became the oldest player to defend his Sony Open in Hawaii title since Howard Twitty in 1994, who won the event in 1993, just two days after his 44th birthday. Coincidentally, the 1993 Sony Open in Hawaii was the first event of Goydos’ PGA TOUR career (missed cut). Goydos opened in 2008 with an even-par 70.
K.J. Choi fired the low round of the day with his bogey-free 64. Playing in his seventh Sony Open in Hawaii, Choi has never posted an above-par opening round. In fact, last year, Choi also opened with a six-under-par 64, ultimately to finish T4.
This year’s 64 mark’s the 18th of 23 rounds at par or better at Waialae for Choi.
If history is any indication, things look good for Choi, as he has been the leader or co-leader three times after the first round in his PGA TOUR career. Of those, he has parlayed two into victories:
Date Tournament Finish
9/22/02 Tampa Bay Classic Win
1/07/07 Mercedes Championships T8
7/08/07 AT&T National Win
In his seventh start at the Sony Open in Hawaii, 33-year-old Heath Slocum posted his best round to date here in round one with a five-under-par 65. Slocum opened with a four-under-par 66 last year, ultimately to finish T20, his best finish at the event.
Jimmy Walker enters the 2008 PGA TOUR season thanks to having notched the 25th Nationwide Tour graduate spot. It was here in Hawaii in 2005 where a neck injury limited the 2004 Nationwide Tour Player of the Year to just nine PGA TOUR events.
Walker made 9 of 21 cuts on the PGA TOUR in 2006, with his best finish being a T24 at the U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee. The five-under-par 65 in round one of the Sony Open ties his career low in a PGA TOUR event (2006 Buick Open, round two).
Walker, who will celebrate his 29th birthday on January 16th, hit just 7 of 14 fairways and 13 of 18 greens in round one.
Driving has always been difficult at Waialae Country Club and Thursday was certainly no different. Zero players in the field managed to hit every fairway in regulation during the first round. Waialae has ranked second and first in terms of Driving Accuracy difficulty the last two years on the PGA TOUR, respectively.
Walker, Jay Williamson and Rory Sabbatini eagled their last holes to play their way into contention. Williamson used his rescue club to leave himself 5 feet for eagle. Sabbatini hit 3-wood off the tee and 3-iron to 15 feet. Williamson posted a three-under par 67, while Sabbatini bettered that by one, shooting 66.
Morning wave scoring average was 69.44, while the afternoon group scored to an average of 69.55.
22 of the 25 2008 PGA TOUR Rookies are in the field this week. Richard Johnson, Andres Romero, and Brett Rumford are not competing.
Here’s a look at some of the best rookie performances in round one of the Sony Open in Hawaii:
Player Score Standing Exemption
Kenneth Ferrie 66 T5 Qualifying Tournament
Brad Adamonis 66 T5 Qualifying Tournament
Chad Collins 67 T14 Nationwide Tour
Alejandro Canizares 67 T14 Qualifying Tournament
Todd Demsey, the 1993 NCAA Champion at Arizona State, returned for a second time on the PGA TOUR after earning his 2008 card thanks to a final-round 64 at the TOUR’s Qualifying School. Demsey played the PGA TOUR in 1997, and in 2002, while playing on the Nationwide Tour, had two operations to remove a tumor behind his left sinus going into his brain. In 2007, doctors discovered the tumor had returned and Demsey had an MRI scheduled after Qualifying School. The tumor is thought to be benign. Demsey opened with a three-under-par 67.
With his even par 70 in round one, 2005 Sony Open champion Vijay Singh has now posted 24 of his last 26 rounds at Waialae Country Club at par or better.
Monday-qualifier Mitsuhiro Tateyama carded a first-round 66 on Thursday and has himself in position to possibly become the first Monday-qualifier to win a PGA TOUR event since Fred Wadsorth did so at the 1986 Southern Open. Tateyama gained international notoriety when he recorded a 19 on the par-3 eighth hole at Ishioka Golf Club during the first round of the 2006 Acom International in Japan. Surprisingly, Tateyama managed to card a round of 84 on that day.
Frank Lickliter II withdrew after the first round due to personal reasons.
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