Former world number one and 2005 champion Vijay Singh rolled back the years as he charged into a share of the first-round lead with a sizzling seven-under-par 63 in the opening round of the Sony Open in Honolulu, Hawaii. on Thursday.
Seeking to become the oldest winner in PGA Tour history, the 52-year-old Fijian racked up seven birdies with his cross-handed putting style on the tight, palm tree-lined layout at Waialae Country Club.
He finished the day in a five-way tie along with Americans Ricky Barnes, Morgan Hoffmann, Kevin Kisner and Brandt Snedeker.
Singh, who turns 53 next month, narrowly missed a nine-foot putt for eagle on his final hole, the par-five ninth, as he ended a bogey-free display with consecutive birdies in relatively benign morning conditions.
“I was feeling good about my body, my swing, my mind, so I just went out there—it was early—started off well and just kept it going,” Singh told Golf Channel after making his 19th career start at the event.
“I scrambled very well. Early on, I didn’t hit too many fairways but I got it around the greens, chipped in once and my putter was working really well.” If he wins on Sunday, Singh would become the oldest winner in PGA Tour history, esclipsing the record held by Sam Snead, who won the 1965 Greater Greensboro Open at the age of 52 years, 10 months and eight days.
Singh, a 34-times winner on the PGA Tour, has not triumphed since 2008, and in recent years battled assorted health problems which impacted his trademark loose-limbed swing, but he still believes he is capable of winning at the game’s highest level.
“I just want to play,” he replied when asked what kept motivating him as one of the PGA Tour veterans. “I feel like I can come out and win any tournament if I play well. It’s been the same way for the last five, six years.
“I just haven’t produced the scores that I want to produce, but I’m always optimistic about my next day, my next round, my next tournament. Same this year,” added Singh, who has long been renowned for his workaholic approach to practice.
Among the leaders, Kisner and Snedeker played in the afternoon. “I’ve always struggled at this course,” said Kisner, who credited his improvement to having had a chance to shake off the rust at last week’s Tournament of Champions on nearby Maui. Reigning champion Jimmy Walker, who is bidding for an unprecedented third victory in a row at Waialae, carded a 69.   
EurAsia Cup: Europe seize lead
The European Team has drawn first blood, seizing a three-point lead on the opening day of the EurAsia Cup in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Darren Clarke’s Europe team won three of the six matches, the Jeev Milka Singh-led Asian Team took one, while the other was halved, giving 4.5 to 1.5 European Team points advantage on the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club course.
“It’s been a wonderful start to have a three-point lead after day one but then in saying that, there was a lot of matches that could have swung either way over the back nine,” said Clarke. “Halfway around Europe was leading in all the matches but then I was on the radio to a few of our back-room guys to say this is match-play and Asia could very well come back at us over the back nine, and that’s exactly what they did.”
Singh, who competed two years ago in the inaugural EurAsia Cup, admitted he was like a headless chicken endeavouring to keep abreast of all six matches.
“I was like a chicken without a head and I don’t think I have ever covered so many miles in a golf buggy on a day ever before,” he said smiling. “My team played really well today and I am very proud of my boys.”
England’s Ian Poulter and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger secured the first point, winning the opening Fourball encounter in defeating reigning Asian Tour number one Anirban Lahiri of India and Korean Wang Jeung-Hun 4 and 3. Poulter set the tone for the match at the very first hole in sinking a 20-foot birdie putt.
Europe then gained a second point and with England’s Ross Fisher and Swede Kristoffer Broberg handing out the biggest defeat of the day, a 6 and 4 drubbing of Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng and Korean Kim Kyung-Tae.
Thirteen-time Asian Tour winner Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand and 2015 European Tour ‘Rookie of the Year’ An Byeong-Hun combined to secure the only Asian victory. The pair stormed back from 2 down after 10 holes with An birding three of the closing four holes in a 3 and 1 success over the all-England pair Danny Willett and Matthew Fitzpatrick.
There was concern over Frenchman Victor Dubuisson when he needed on-course medical treatment for an apparent injured left knee on the 16th tee. Dubuisson and partner Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark were all square at the time over the all-Malaysian pair of Danny Chia and Nicholas Fang. However the current double Turkish Airlines Open champion stood tall to birdie the 16th but with Chia only taking birdie. Kjeldsen and Fung pulled off great birdies at the par three, 17th for the match to eventually end halved.