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 because of darkness with 19 gamers left to finish the primary spherical of the Sony Open in Hawaii.
“I believe 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 in the present day,” 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 believed, nicely, so long as I can construct off that spherical and proceed that on to this week and subsequent week, that’s the kind of momentum I used to be in search of,” 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 motive in the present day. Generally they don’t come too clearly, however in the present day I felt like I used to be seeing them nicely and placing respectable pace and simply hitting good putts on prime 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 numerous actually good putts in the present day,” 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 a lot 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 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 hold 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 yr, which left him alone in second, two strokes off the tempo.
“I identical to being right here,” he stated. “Month and a half with no event you don’t actually know what will come out since you begin engaged on issues and simply training, and to return out right here, it was good to have this type of begin.”
Montgomery remains to be within the midst of a swing change beneath 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 throughout the first spherical of the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Nation Membership on January 11, 2024 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Picture by Michael Reaves/Getty Pictures)
“It was by no means going to work,” he stated of his swing. “My arms are in a couple of foot totally different spot than they had been in the midst of the season.”
And what precisely is he attempting to do? “Compressing the ball a bit bit extra,” he stated. “Hitting it with much less loft. I used to be type of scooping every thing and wasn’t actually a constant strike.”
He labored exhausting on it throughout 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 a couple of hiccups alongside the best way, 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 categorized 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 via.
“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 throughout the first spherical of the 2024 Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Nation Membership in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Picture: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Pictures)
“Took an additional second being deep breath, listening to Topeka, Kansas, listening to my title known as, there was a time once I didn’t know if that was going to be known as once more, so it obtained me a bit greater than I believed it was going to,” he stated. “After a pair holes I used to be in a position to quiet down. Didn’t drive it very nicely and didn’t make any putts, however outdoors of that iron play was lovely.”
You’ll be able to learn extra about Woodland’s inspiring story right here.
“Rather a lot to construct on,” he stated. “The power stayed up. Focus stayed up. Rather a lot to be happy with.”
Woodland isn’t the one participant getting back from a protracted 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 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 throughout the first spherical of the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Nation Membership on January 11, 2024 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Picture by Michael Reaves/Getty Pictures)
McCumber beforehand had surgical procedure on his shoulder in late 2017. He’s develop into as proficient on human anatomy as somebody finding out to go to medical faculty.
“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 alternative and went beneath 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 recreation 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 type 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 believe out right here it tends to even out a bit bit, however this was the harder wind and clearly blowing actually sturdy in the present day.”
Eric Cole walks on the eighth inexperienced throughout the first spherical of the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Nation Membership on January 11, 2024 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Picture by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Pictures)
Chris Kirk, who received final week at The Sentry, agreed together with his fellow Georgia teammate that it been a couple of years since they performed in “this a lot wind right here. Quite a lot of years since we performed on this wind course.”
He added: “From what I bear in mind, normally when it blows out of the west like this it’s comparatively mild. So a few of these holes, a few of 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 type of the identical approach. Miss-hit my drive a bit bit on 5. Had 4-iron in. I’m normally 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 tee time with the ability to play the primary like six holes with no wind, and in order that positively helped,” he stated.
