The defending champion shot rounds of 67, 73, 69 and 69 last year. He beat the best of those rounds by two shots on Thursday. The defending champion is well on his way to being the champion of champions. Again. Here are three things you need to know after the first round of the Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course at Kapalua.
Justin Thomas tied for the lead
Justin Thomas won last year’s Tournament of Champions. He and his dad, Mike, won the last PGA Tour-affiliated tournament, last month’s PNC Championship. He’s tied for the lead after the first round of this year’s TOC.
Or, he’s hot.
Thomas birdied his first hole, birdied his last, added six more in between and bogeyed none on his way to an eight-under 65 and a share of the lead with Harris English. Five golfers are two shots back.
“It was a good day. It was a good opening round. It was solid,” Thomas said. “I didn’t do anything great, didn’t do anything bad, just kind of made my way around the course.
“I mean, the conditions were about as good as you could get them. I mean, not much wind and soft greens, so I was glad to take advantage.”
English made a bogey in his 65, but also eagled the 511-yard, par-5 9th with a chip-in. He and partner Matt Kuchar won the second-to-last PGA Tour-affiliated event, last month’s QBE Shootout.
“The wind wasn’t pumping like it normally does out here and got on a roll, hit the ball really well,” English said. “I think I only missed maybe two or three greens out there, and it was fun to make that many birdies. And that chip-in at 9 was a kind of icing on the cake.”
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Six players tied for third
Six players — Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia, Sungjae Im, Nick Taylor, Ryan Palmer and Robert Streb — each shot six-under 67 and are two shots back of Thomas and English. Palmer was three over after his first four holes, then played the final five holes of his front nine at five under. Garcia was two over after three holes, then made eight birdies.
Adam Scott, Patrick Cantlay and Brendon Todd each shot five-under 66s and are three shots back of the leaders.
Bryson DeChambeau is four shots back
Bryson DeChambeau made five birdies and one bogey on his way to a four-under 69. Also of note, world No. 2 Jon Rahm shot a three-under 70, and world No. 1 Dustin Johnson shot a two-under 71.
Only two players were over par — Tony Finau at one over and Sebastian Munoz at two over.