Vijay Singh powered his way into a five-way deadlock for the lead after the opening round of the US$5.5 million Mercedes Championship on Thursday.
Singh, coming off a modest season last year, carded six birdies in a four-under-par 69 at Hawaii's Kapalua Plantation course.
He was joined by K.J. Choi, Brett Wetterich, Stephen Ames and Will MacKenzie, one stroke ahead of Davis Love. Only 12 players in the 34-man field bettered par in extremely windy conditions.
PHOTO: AP
"I came prepared, I know the course well but this wind was something else," Singh said.
"I just went out with a very positive vibe and said `I've got to hit solid shots. Just pick a spot and hit it, and whatever the result is going to be, it's going to be.'"
Singh won nine tour events in 2004 but last year was unusually quiet by his own lofty standards. He won only once, struggling with his usually well-oiled swing.
At 43, his best golf may be behind him, but he doesn't think so.
"I'd love to have another [nine-win] season," he said. "It would be unbelievable. I've got a new driver that I feel comfortable with and that was a big problem last year."
Stuart Appleby, seeking to become just the fourth player in PGA Tour history to win the same event four consecutive times, opened with a steady even-par 73.
Singh has an excellent record at Kapalua, posting top-10 finishes in his past seven starts.
South Korea's Choi also has enjoyed success here -- he holds the course record with an 11-under 62.
Choi hit the first shot of the new season, rifling his 3-wood straight down the middle and setting the tone for a satisfactory day. Although he dropped a shot at the par-4 third, he roared back with a hat-trick of birdies starting at No. 7.
"After I shot that 11-under [in 2003], I set a certain standard," he said. "Since then I've been trying to accomplish that or better it, set the bar higher, but I've gotten to realize I've just got to play one hole at a time."
Choi ended last year on a high, winning the final full-field event of the season barely two months after overhauling his swing with new coach Steve Bann.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two