Graham DeLaet has never been happier to be on the PGA Tour, and it showed Thursday in the Sony Open.
One year after back surgery that made him wonder if he could still play professional golf, DeLaet chipped in for eagle and twice holed 35-foot birdie putts for a 7-under 63 that gave the Canadian a two-shot lead in Honolulu.
Carl Pettersson and former Sony Open champion K.J. Choi were among those at 65, while Kapalua winner Steve Stricker, Webb Simpson, Bud Cauley and Gig Harbor’s Kyle Stanley were among those at 66.
“I’m just so excited to be back out,” DeLaet said. “I had a good season my rookie campaign, and then it was all basically just taken away. And I realize now how fortunate we are to be playing golf for a living.
“My whole attitude is definitely better.”
For Stricker, a minor adjustment was in order.
He is trying to become the first player since Ernie Els in 2003 to sweep the Hawaii events, and Stricker was noticeably tired during his pro-am Wednesday, and parts of the opening round.
Part of that was a Monday finish on Maui. He took the day off Tuesday, and he couldn’t take three steps Wednesday without dozens of players congratulating him.
“A nice problem to have,” Stricker said.
He picked up four birdies on the back nine, though, and was right in the hunt.
“I was a little sluggish at times. I’m still excited from last week,” he said. “You turn around and you’re right back in the competition. You’ve got to be focused. And I was, for the most part.”
Thursday was a gentle start of the season in the first full-field tournament of the year on the PGA Tour, with the ocean breeze barely strong enough to move fronds on the palm trees that line the fairways.
Sixty-three players in the 144-man field broke par, including Oahu native Tadd Fujikawa, who was given a late sponsor exemption.
DeLaet surged to the top when he chipped in from just short of the green on the par-5 ninth, then holed a 35-foot birdie putt on the 10th.
This time a year ago, he was a week removed from surgery on his lower back, which included shaving part of a disk to keep it from pressing against a nerve.
RAIN IN AFRICA
Ireland’s Damien McGrane and England’s Jamie Elson each shot 8-under 63 to share the lead in the rain-delayed first round of the Joburg Open, a European Tour event in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Nearly half the field, including defending champion Charl Schwartzel, failed to complete the round because of a four-hour rain delay.
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