Canadian Graham DeLaet made a near-perfect start to his 2012 season in the opening round of the Sony Open, firing a 7-under 63 to top the leaderboard.
The 29-year-old from Saskatchewan took advantage of surprisingly benign conditions at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu to take a two-shot lead.
DeLaet shot six birdies, a chip-in for eagle and a lone bogey to set a sizzling pace in the PGA Tour's first full-field event of the season.
"I'm just so excited to be back out," a smiling DeLaet told reporters. "Just being in Hawaii, period, is a great way to start the year and to come out and fire a nice round in the opening round was great."
South Korean KJ Choi, the 2008 Sony Open champion who has always enjoyed playing at Waialae, carded a 65 to finish level with Swede Carl Pettersson and American Kyle Reifers.
American world number five Steve Stricker, who is in magnificent form after winning the PGA Tour's season-opening Tournament of Champions, also made a strong start with a 66.
| Player | Score |
|---|---|
| Graham DeLaet | -7 |
| Carl Pettersson | -5 |
| KJ Choi | -5 |
| Kyle Reifers | -5 |
| Webb Simpson | -4 |
| Ken Duke | -4 |
| Colt Knost | -4 |
| Doug LaBelle II | -4 |
| David Hearn | -4 |
| Pat Perez | -4 |
