Tom Hoge, a North Dakota native, set the perfect tone for his round at Kapalua by keeping his expectations low and capitalizing on his good golf momentum. His impressive 9-under 64 put him in the lead by one shot at The Sentry, the PGA Tour season opener. Hideki Matsuyama experimented with a new putter, inspired by someone else’s success, and had a strong finish with a birdie-eagle-birdie stretch on the back nine, finishing one shot behind Hoge. Will Zalatoris, who has bulked up during the offseason to address his back issues, also shot a 65.
The opening day of the new PGA Tour season saw most of the 60-man field shaking off rust on the wide fairways of the Plantation course. Xander Schauffele, a two-time major winner and the highest-ranked player in the field, faced challenges with a couple of bogeys on the back nine, finishing with a 72. Hoge, one of the 29 players at Kapalua without a previous win and a new father, felt unsure about what to expect after limited practice due to weather conditions and his recent family addition.
Despite potential rustiness, Hoge’s putter was on fire, helping him start the round with a birdie and make crucial saves throughout. Zalatoris, who has focused on building strength to improve his game and prevent further back issues, showed promising form with a bogey-free round. Other notable performances came from Collin Morikawa, Cameron Young, and Corey Conners at 66, while Tony Finau returned to competition with a solid 67 after knee surgery.
Matsuyama, who had been competing in Japan, faced challenges but managed to recover from a three-putt bogey with a birdie on the following hole. The first day of the new season showcased a mix of strong play, adjustments, and hopeful outlooks for the upcoming tournaments.
Winged the 5-wood to 5 feet for eagle on the 15th hole, followed by a wedge shot to 4 feet for birdie on the subsequent hole. The opportunity to level with Hoge arose until an incomplete strike with the 3-wood on the downhill 18th prevented a successful up-and-down for birdie.
The commencement of the new season is marked by the absence of Scottie Scheffler, the current top-ranked player in the world, who sustained a hand injury from broken glass while preparing Christmas dinner. This season also introduces a revised structure where only the top 100 players in the FedEx Cup standings, reduced from 125 players, will retain full playing privileges for the upcoming year.
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