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HONOLULU – Cam Davis didn’t envision an 8-under 62 at Waialae Nation Membership in his future Thursday. However he didn’t thoughts signing for one to take a two-stroke lead when play was suspended on account of darkness with 19 gamers left to finish the primary spherical of the Sony Open in Hawaii.
“I feel once I was standing on the primary tee staring right into a 30-mile-an-hour wind on a 500-yard, par-4 I used to be pondering, nicely, pars are good right this moment,” he stated.
On a windswept afternoon, the 28-year-old Aussie birdied 5 of the final six holes to card a profession low and construct off a final-round 8-under 65 at Kapalua Resort’s Plantation Course at The Sentry.
“I assumed, nicely, so long as I can construct off that spherical and proceed that on to this week and subsequent week, that’s the type of momentum I used to be searching for,” he stated. “It was very cool to again it up with a very good spherical.”
Davis made 9 birdies in all – his lone bogey got here on the fifth, which performed the hardest on the day – and his putter heated up even because the temperature dipped under 70 (and felt like 50) on this island paradise.
“I used to be seeing the inexperienced reads fairly nicely for some cause right this moment. Generally they don’t come too clearly, however right this moment I felt like I used to be seeing them nicely and placing respectable pace and simply hitting good putts on high of that,” stated Davis, who canned a 37-footer on No. 13 and a 21-footer at 15. But he was proudest of the 5-foot par putt he sank at 17.
“Made a variety of actually good putts right this moment,” he stated. “That one on 17 simply to maintain the rating shifting ahead was very nice.”
All spherical lengthy, he had his spouse’s household visiting from Seattle following his group and he gave them lots to cheer about.
“They cheered for a pair pars as nicely,” he stated. “Quite a lot of them haven’t seen a golf event earlier than and it was actually enjoyable to place a superb spherical collectively in entrance of them.”
Listed here are 4 extra issues to know from the primary spherical on the Sony Open.
Taylor Montgomery likes to drive to the North Shore and watch the surfers dangle 10 and to shoot 64 within the first spherical of the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Nation Membership.
Making his second profession look at this occasion, he opened with 6-under 64 for the second straight 12 months, which left him alone in second, two strokes off the tempo.
“I similar to being right here,” he stated. “Month and a half with no event you don’t actually know what’s going to come out since you begin engaged on issues and simply practising, and to return out right here, it was good to have this sort of begin.”
Montgomery continues to be within the midst of a swing change underneath the watchful eye of Butch Harmon. Montgomery made 10 consecutive cuts throughout his rookie season however in the midst of his season he missed 5 cuts in six begins as his ballstriking suffered.
Taylor Montgomery performs his shot from the fifth tee in the course of the first spherical of the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Nation Membership on January 11, 2024 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photograph by Michael Reaves/Getty Photographs)
“It was by no means going to work,” he stated of his swing. “My palms are in a couple of foot totally different spot than they have been in the midst of the season.”
And what precisely is he attempting to do? “Compressing the ball just a little bit extra,” he stated. “Hitting it with much less loft. I used to be sort of scooping every part and wasn’t actually a constant strike.”
He labored laborious on it in the course of the low season and stated he’s nonetheless getting comfy with it. Thursday’s spherical lifted his confidence.
“I used to be telling myself to decide to it, keep it up and let’s see what occurs,” he stated.
There have been just a few hiccups alongside the way in which, together with a 3 putt on the first, however he settled right down to make three birdies in a four-hole stretch starting on the third. Montgomery chipped in for birdie at 15, a shot he labeled as 1-in-100.
“So good to get that one,” he stated.
Gary Woodland made his return to the PGA Tour 4 months after mind surgical procedure. He posted 1-over 71, however the rating was an afterthought given all that he has been by way of.
“In all probability the happiest I’ve ever been taking pictures over par, inform you that,” he stated after the spherical.
Woodland acknowledged how particular a day it was.
Gary Woodland performs his shot from the sixteenth tee in the course of the first spherical of the 2024 Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Nation Membership in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photograph: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Photographs)
“Took an additional second being deep breath, listening to Topeka, Kansas, listening to my title referred to as, there was a time once I didn’t know if that was going to be referred to as once more, so it obtained me just a little greater than I assumed it was going to,” he stated. “After a pair holes I used to be capable of quiet down. Didn’t drive it very nicely and didn’t make any putts, however exterior of that iron play was lovely.”
You may learn extra about Woodland’s inspiring story right here.
“Quite a bit to construct on,” he stated. “The vitality stayed up. Focus stayed up. Quite a bit to be happy with.”
Woodland isn’t the one participant getting back from an extended layoff. Tyler McCumber performed his first aggressive spherical on the PGA Tour for the reason that 2022 Gamers Championship after present process surgical procedure to his left shoulder and hip. McCumber opened with an even-par 70.
“It’s simply not a superb feeling in your backswing and shoulder doesn’t really feel prefer it’s in its socket,” he stated. “That complete left facet wanted some love, so I needed to do it.”
Tyler McCumber performs his shot from the fifth tee in the course of the first spherical of the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Nation Membership on January 11, 2024 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photograph by Michael Reaves/Getty Photographs)
McCumber beforehand had surgical procedure on his shoulder in late 2017. He’s turn out to be as proficient on human anatomy as somebody learning to go to medical college.
“I do know elements of my physique that I by no means heard the phrases earlier than,” he joked.
He tried to keep away from surgical procedure, attempting to rehab and strengthen it, injections and PRP however he had no selection and went underneath the knife July 1, 2022. However after the shoulder healed up, he found his left hip lacked stability and he needed to begin the method of surgical procedure and restoration throughout. His Uncle, Mark McCumber, a 10-time winner on the PGA Tour, has helped Tyler’s sport with course administration however he had a comparatively wholesome profession.
“He was fairly lucky for probably the most half,” Tyler stated of his Uncle. “So the (final) two years, we sort of needed to determine that one out on our personal.”
Juicy tough, gusting winds and already one of many hardest programs to hit fairways on Tour made for some turbulence throughout most rounds at Waialae.
“We had this wind I bear in mind on Sunday on 2021,” Brendon Todd stated. “I bear in mind hitting 5-wood into No. 1. It does, it makes – gosh, it makes 16, 18, 1, 5, simply beasts of holes. However you do get the bonus of 9 and 10 downwind. I feel out right here it tends to even out just a little bit, however this was the harder wind and clearly blowing actually robust right this moment.”
Eric Cole walks on the eighth inexperienced in the course of the first spherical of the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Nation Membership on January 11, 2024 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photograph by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Photographs)
Chris Kirk, who received final week at The Sentry, agreed along with his fellow Georgia teammate that it been just a few years since they performed in “this a lot wind right here. Quite a lot of years since we performed on this wind path.”
He added: “From what I bear in mind, often when it blows out of the west like this it’s comparatively mild. So a few of these holes, among the par-4s — No. 1 we’re used to hitting driver and a wedge in and it’s a drive to mid to lengthy iron. 5 was sort of the identical manner. Miss-hit my drive just a little bit on 5. Had 4-iron in. I’m often hitting a wedge in there.”
Gary Woodland concurred. “Been right here 9 instances,” he stated. “This was one of many hardest rounds I’ve ever had right here.”
Chief Taylor Montgomery took benefit of being first off the tee. “We positively obtained a superb tee time having the ability to play the primary like six holes with no wind, and in order that positively helped,” he stated.
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