Under placid and gentle weather conditions during the initial round of the 2026 PGA Tour calendar, the previous year’s victor at Waialae Country Club surged ahead to claim an early lead once more. Nick Taylor demonstrated faultless execution in the opening phase of his Sony Open championship defense, recording a round of 62 free of bogeys, which placed him in a shared top position with Kevin Roy.
This performance marked Taylor’s seventeenth consecutive round at or below par at Waialae Country Club, with the most recent twelve rounds finishing under par.
“I believe we were fortunate with the weather prediction this morning. I had anticipated more significant winds,” Taylor commented. “I recall seeing a tweet, possibly from Michael Kim, regarding this year’s wind direction, which proved quite precise in suggesting that much of the wind aligned with the course’s doglegs, potentially making some tee shots less demanding. My ball-striking was excellent, but then again, this particular course truly suits my playing style. My iron play was exceptionally precise, and I managed to interpret the greens effectively.”
The golfer, who boasts five PGA Tour victories, maintained command from the very outset, sinking two swift birdies to commence his year. A series of pars satisfied his game for the subsequent hour before he transitioned to the back nine and sank six birdies across his concluding ten holes.
Nevertheless, Taylor was not the sole 2025 season winner to impress, as Ben Griffin and Chris Gotterup exhibited comparable excellence, both submitting scores of 63 to trail by a single stroke. Griffin had secured a victory in his final tournament of 2025 at the World Wide Technology Championship, while Gotterup attributed his seamless transition back to competitive golf to participating in a few TGL matches over recent weeks.
“One can never truly predict how the first competitive round after a break will feel,” Griffin stated. “It has been several months since I last competed on this circuit. I played a considerable amount at home and felt confident in my game. However, when you tee off in an official Tour event, it always carries a slightly different sensation. Therefore, I was particularly pleased with my ball-striking. I was also content with the overall feel of my game. A few minor adjustments are still needed, but on the whole, I’m very satisfied with my performance.”
The afternoon brought an increase in wind activity, accompanied by a corresponding rise in bogeys on scorecards, making scoring approximately one stroke more challenging by the end of the day. Among those navigating the blustery conditions was previous tournament victor Hideki Matsuyama, who posted a 69, joining U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley and Jordan Spieth, both of whom carded 68s. This trio faces a quick turnaround on Friday morning, where they will aim to accelerate their progress towards the top of the leaderboard and position themselves for weekend play.
Leaders
T1. Nick Taylor, Kevin Roy (-8): Taylor was not entirely unprepared, having traveled to South Africa last month for a DP World Tour competition. He credited the preparation for that event as a method to maintain his sharpness, arriving in Hawaii at 37 years old with additional companions and relatives, and a mindset primed for a successful championship defense.
On Thursday, his golf appeared as effortless as professional play can be. Taylor found 10 fairways, hit 15 greens in regulation, and consistently managed the course effectively. Recognized as a strong finisher, Taylor is now focused on sustaining this momentum. He understands that if his name appears on the leading page of the leaderboard by Sunday, there’s a significant probability it will remain at the top when the tournament concludes.
“As I mentioned earlier, I believe I managed my offseason timing effectively,” Taylor remarked. “I didn’t want to go without playing for four months, so after a two-month break, I participated in a couple of tournaments to build up to this, then took more time off. That felt like it was roughly a month before this event. I prepared for those, played adequately, and extracted what I needed from the experience. Yes, my game felt acute coming here. You can never be certain, but competing on a course I am familiar with certainly provides an advantage.”
Contenders
T3. Ben Griffin, Chris Gotterup, John Vanderlaan (-7)
T6. Alex Smalley, John Parry (-6)
T8. Denny McCarthy, Kurt Kitayama, Harry Hall, Russell Henley, Nick Dunlap, Adam Svensson (-5)
During his initial two seasons on the PGA Tour, Gotterup failed to achieve a single top-10 finish throughout January, February, and March. Displeased with the prospect of another sluggish season commencement, the Scottish Open champion made the decision to relocate to Florida this past offseason to intensify his practice regimen and keep his game refined.
“I relocated this offseason to Florida, hopefully for scenarios like this,” Gotterup commented. “I feel my game is in superior condition simply because I’ve dedicated more practice time at home. Indeed, my caddie and I were jesting that playing TGL over the past few weeks has definitely prepared me for experiencing some competitive pressure, in addition to competing in the Grant Thornton and the Bahamas events. I’ve played a respectable amount over recent weeks and months. Yes, I feel I am in a rather favorable position.”
Gotterup’s relocation yielded positive results on Thursday as he carded eight birdies against merely one bogey, positioning himself just one stroke behind the leading players. The powerful right-handed golfer dominated Waialae CC with an average driving distance exceeding 310 yards.
“I felt that, in the past couple of years, my tournament starts were quite poor right from the beginning,” Gotterup elaborated. “I enjoyed residing in Oklahoma, but experiencing 40-degree temperatures and 40-mile-an-hour winds in December is not conducive to preparing for Palm Springs or Hawaii. So, I concluded that moving was the intelligent choice. After one round, it appears to be a good decision. Yes, it’s challenging to depart from a place you’ve called home for a while. Yes, I now have a new residence.”
2026 Sony Open updated selections, probabilities
Probabilities sourced from DraftKings Sportsbook
- Ben Griffin: 5-1
- Nick Taylor: 6-1
- Russell Henley: 8-1
- Chris Gotterup: 11-1
- J.J. Spaun: 19-1
- Maverick McNealy: 20-1
- Kevin Roy: 20-1
- Harry Hall: 20-1
Spaun, at 19-1, presents an intriguing prospect. The U.S. Open victor did not achieve significant gains on the greens on Thursday yet still completed his round with a 4-under 66. His current odds are consistent with the pre-tournament figures, and his ball-striking resembled his performance from the previous year, which should enable him to advance over the subsequent 54 holes. Berger, at 45-1, should also be considered, particularly after his 66 in the significantly more challenging afternoon conditions.
