After visiting several Hawaiian islands, Cam Davis was relieved that the rust had returned to Maui. On Thursday, when the wind was at its greatest, he shot the best opening round of the Sony Open in Hawaii, finishing at 8 under 62 to take a two-shot lead.
Last week at Kapalua at The Sentry, Davis hovered around the bottom of the pack until he eventually put his game together with a final-round 65. Four days later on a flat but windy Waialae Country Club course, it felt even better.
“On Sunday of last week, I began to put some consistent shots together when I started to figure out what was and wasn’t working. I reasoned that if I could build on that round and carry it over into this week and the next, it would be the kind of momentum I was hoping for. To have a great round to support it was very awesome.” Davis said.
Playing six holes before gusts of up to 30 miles per hour reached along the shoreline over the bend from Diamond Head, Taylor Montgomery had it easier. In addition, he had 64 with birdies on half of his holes.
Gary Woodland, the former U.S. Open champion, made his comeback at the Sony Open. On September 18, he underwent brain surgery to remove a portion of a tumor that was creating anxiety and terror, with the majority of his thoughts being related to death.
It was only during the last week or so that he determined he was prepared to play. And when his name was called on the first tee, he noticed that he was starting to become emotional.
“It moved me more than I anticipated when I heard my name being called after hearing Topeka, Kansas because there was a moment when I didn’t know if I would hear my name called again” Woodland said.
It was insignificant in some ways, but the score was 71.
“Shooting over par was probably the happiest I’ve ever felt. This week’s objective was to assess my mental state, and I was in excellent mental shape. One of the most difficult rounds I’ve ever had here was this one. And things didn’t go well at first. I was breathing heavily, trying to slow everything down since I was moving quickly, and I was delighted.
I played quite well after I got into the game, especially throughout the final nine holes. A lot can be built upon.” Woodland said.
At Waialae, Davis’s gallery was the loudest and not just because he was creating birdies. The whole Seattle family of his wife arrived to support the Australian, and they stayed to support him for his post-round interview with Golf Channel.
“It was a lot of joy to put together a strong round in front of them because many of them had never watched a golf event before. I’m happy that I brought them some joy.” Davis stated
Webb Simpson, who was one of the players at 66, put 5-wood into the first hole, which was 490 yards away, because of the wind. Harris English, who made just nine birdies on the day, struck one of the best shots of his life on that particular hole, a 3-iron to just within 10 feet.
Eventually the wind brought heavy clouds and a light rain, making it too dark for anyone to continue. The rounds of eighteen players were not completed.
Among those at 66 was Chris Kirk, who won The Sentry in Maui last week and is attempting to join Justin Thomas (2017) and Ernie Els (2003) in sweeping Hawaii.
Although he claimed that winning made it difficult to sleep for the first few nights on Oahu, Kirk claims he never goes too high or too low on the golf field. Both the high from winning and the down from a hard playoff loss can linger. One distinction exists.
Kirk smiled and replied, “You don’t mind lying awake after you win.”
The last time Woodland played was in August. Doctors worried that the tumor might be expanding because medication wasn’t helping, so surgery was the only course of action. He took his family to the Big Island and played a round of golf, but he didn’t feel ready to play until he had walked the full 18 holes without any major problems.
Too many times he was in the rough. He putted at an odd pace. However, he thought his energy and concentration levels were fine. It took him 12 holes to make a birdie, but the final 10 holes saw him play without making any bogeys.
“I made an effort to break expectations. It’s challenging, particularly when playing in an environment where outcomes are prioritized. I made an effort to let go of expectations and concentrate on the things I can manage. I also tried to calm things down and maintain my energy, which worked.” Woodland said.
