KAPALUA, Hawaii — Jonathan Byrd and Carl Pettersson didn’t miss a beat in the PGA Tour opener Thursday, both enjoying the views and surprisingly calm conditions in the Tournament of Champions to share the lead at 7-under-par 66.
That wasn’t the case for others.
Kapalua was missing its two-time defending champion when Geoff Ogilvy had to withdraw with 12 stitches in his right finger, making him the first defending champ in 50 years to miss the winners- only event.
Stuart Appleby was missing his putter. It wasn’t in the bag when he showed up Thursday morning, and he sent caddie Scott Sajtinac to a nearby golf shop to get the closest he could find. With the price tag still glued to the shaft, Appleby opened with a 69.
Jim Furyk was missing a playing partner when Ogilvy withdrew, so he brought along Scott Carroll as a marker. The popular head pro at Kapalua got the loudest ovation of anyone on the first tee. Furyk got off to a quick start before he stalled and had to settle for a 5-under 68.
Above all, the Plantation Course was missing its notorious wind, which allowed for a gentle start to the PGA Tour season.
“It’s quite an adjustment going out there with no wind,” Byrd said.
It was Byrd’s first tournament since he qualified for the Tournament of Champions by winning in Las Vegas with the best finish of the year, a hole-in-one in a three-man playoff. After making five birdies on the front nine, Byrd holed out another shot. This was only a wedge from 111 yards that caught the grain perfectly and rolled sideways about 4 feet and into the cup.
If only the rest of the day had gone as well.
“From there on, got a little shaky,” Byrd said.
Ben Crane was a stroke behind the leaders.
Golf Digest, Tiger part ways.
Tiger Woods has one less endorsement deal, ending his 13-year relationship with golf’s biggest magazine when they couldn’t agree on how many hours he should devote to the job.
Golf Digest, with a circulation of 1.65 million, announced the mutual end of a relationship that began at the 1997 Masters. He made his debut in the magazine in June that year, and the endorsement had been his second-longest, behind Nike.
Golf Digest never disclosed terms of the deal, although it was believed to be among the smallest financially for Woods — less than $2 million yearly.
Pieters leading Africa Open
EAST LONDON, South Africa — Branden Grace holed a 9-iron approach at the 18th hole to get within a shot of Brandon Pieters (66) for the Africa Open lead after a partially completed first round.
