Byrd shares lead at tourney

Associated Press

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 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, 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 on the first tee.

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 the only the rest of the day could have gone as well.

“From there on, got a little shaky,” Byrd said. “I didn’t play great for about a three- or four-hole stretch.”

Ben Crane was a stroke behind the leaders. He played bogey-free in the calm, overcast conditions with the sun trying to break through the clouds but never quite succeeding.

Furyk also got off to a quick start before he stalled and had to settle for a 5-under 68, leaving him tied with Bill Haas and Charley Hoffman.