Tom Hoge birdied 4 of his first 5 holes on his technique to a nine-under opening spherical of 64 as he secured a one-stroke lead at The Sentry in Hawaii.
The 35-year-old American registered 10 birdies and one bogey, on the sixth, to nudge forward of countryman Will Zalatorisand Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama on day one of many opening occasion of the 2025 PGA Tour season.
Matsuyama’s transfer up the leaderboard got here courtesy of a shocking birdie-eagle-birdie streak throughout holes 14 to 16 on the again 9; Collin Morikawa, Cameron Younger and Canada’s Corey Conners are bunched one additional again at seven below in in a tie for third.
Xander Schauffele, a two-time main winner in 2024 and the highest-ranked participant within the area, carded a disappointing opening spherical of 72, seeing him eight off the lead at one-under-par.
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Xander Schauffele is eight photographs off early pace-setter Tom Hoge after day one in Hawaii
Defending champion Chris Kirk shot a 74 with two double-bogeys and is again close to the underside of the leaderboard in a tie for forty eighth place.
The Sentry brings collectively 31 PGA Event winners and 29 gamers who completed inside the highest 50 FedEx Cup standings final yr.
World No 1 Scottie Scheffler was dominated out after present process surgical procedure to restore a hand harm sustained whereas cooking Christmas dinner.
In a single day chief Hoge, in the meantime, loved a while off from golf as he turned a father for the primary time in December.
“There wasn’t a whole lot of play or practice the last few months,” he stated. “I think when we kind of start off the year, expectations aren’t as high, you don’t know where the game’s at.
“I really feel like I am perhaps a bit of bit freer out right here on the golf course, simply since you shake off the dangerous photographs a bit of bit simpler and simply chalk it up for being January.”
Watch the second spherical of The Sentry, stay on Sky Sports activities Golf from 6pm on Friday or stream with NOW.
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