The lack of leaderboard star power on the first day at the Sony Open in Hawaii had one media room wag wondering if the tournament had become a stop on the Nationwide Tour.
Nope, this is still golf’s big boys’ version of Opening Day (right after the all-star game, on Maui).
And that in itself makes it special. We’re very fortunate to have the PGA Tour’s first full-field tournament here on Oahu, for viewing pleasure and tourism dollars and marketing benefits. Hosting an outdoor international sports event in January serves as a Lucky You Live Hawaii reminder, too.
But truth be told, there wasn’t a whole lot for the casual fan to be wowed by Thursday at Waialae.
Unknown Graham DeLaet fashioned a 7-under 63 in the morning, and it held up all day. The biggest draw among the leaders going into today’s second round is K.J. Choi, tied for second with Carl Pettersson and Kyle Reifers at 65. Don’t forget, Choi won here back in 2008. So, for now, I’m going to call him the favorite to finish on top Sunday.
In addition to Choi having won here before, his chances look good because of his experience with windy conditions.
"When I practice in Dallas at my home course, the Woodlands, the wind, it blows 20 to 30 miles back there, so I’m able to predict at what speed the wind is blowing just by looking at the pins," said Choi, through an interpreter. "How much they stand when the wind blows."
Also keep an eye on Webb Simpson at 4 under. And Steve Stricker, also lurking at 4 under, is very capable of making a run at two wins in a row, following up on his victory at last week’s Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
The local hopefuls were for the most part steady Thursday and they straddled the projected cutline of par, Tadd Fujikawa shooting 1 under and Parker McLachlin 1 over. Obviously, a strong run by either or both would bump up the galleries, big-time. But it’s about survival for both today.
In the past, an absence of sizzle and a big local draw might have been somewhat alleviated by the presence of John Daly.
He was always a fun watch, even if obviously hopeless in his attempt to make it to the weekend. But his antics — the latest involving running out of balls and an altercation between his girlfriend and a photographer in Australia — have led to a trainwreck finish and a bizarre legacy for a major champion. He withdrew from this tournament before it started.
DeLaet, a Canadian coming up on his 30th birthday, is on the other end of the spectrum from Daly in name recognition. But his (bad) back story — returning from serious lower back surgery that had him out almost all of last year — makes him a player for fans of the underdog. In the interest of full disclosure for University of Hawaii fans, he is an alumnus of Boise State, if that matters.
Since this is Opening Day, it’s fun to track the rookies. Bud Cauley might be the star of this class, and he did not disappoint Thursday, joining Simpson and Stricker in the gang of 12 at 66. He’s a feisty little guy at 5 feet 7, destined to become a fan favorite with some consistency. He made back-to-back long birdie putts at Nos. 11 and 12.
Cauley plays in the morning today, so he’ll probably have favorable playing conditions. Don’t be surprised if he’s got a big red number tonight — and is on a leaderboard that can’t help but be at least a bit more snazzy than it was after Thursday’s first round.
