Stewart Cink shot one of the best rounds of his career to earn a share of the lead with three other Americans after yesterday's windswept first round at the $4.8 million Sony Open.
"My swing was feeling great, I had a lot of opportunities to make some birdies, and I didn't putt very well," Cink said.
It was a disappointing day for 15-year-old Michelle Wie who shot 75 which left her tied for 120th.
Retief Goosen hit two balls out-of-bounds from the first tee while Cink shares the lead with Hank Kuehne, Tom Byrum and Brett Quigley.
Cink parred the first eight holes in strong winds at Waialae
Country Club, before jump-starting his round with an eight-foot eagle at the par-5 ninth hole on his way to a bogey-free 4-under-par 66 in Kona winds that gusted to more than 20 mph.
Cink, Quigley, Byrum and Kuehne are one shot clear of Jonathan Kaye, Paul Azinger, Chad Campbell, Shigeki Maruyama, Tom Lehman, Jeff Sluman, Woody Austin, Justin Rose and Andrew Magee.
Vijay Singh was three behind after bogeying the par-five 18, while two-time defending champion Ernie Els joined 55-year-old Tom Kite at one-over 71.
"I played better today than I remember playing in a few years," said Cink, who only once came close to dropping a shot, at the first, where he holed a 20-footer to save par.
"So to be four-under with really not making anything, I'm very happy with that round."
The Fijian didn't do much wrong, although he wasn't pleased to drop a shot at the final hole.
"Under par is a good score today," he said. "Four under is like a course record. I'm really happy with my round."
Wie, who missed the cut by one stroke last year, had a
disappointing day. She battled to par her final seven holes, after dropping five shots in five holes mid-round.
"Last year was a lot easier than this year, with the conditions," she said. "I easily could have made five or six more bogeys, but I hung in there and hit it really good. At least I'm not last."
Singh offered her some consolation. "It's tough for the boys here, you know. It's going to be tough for a girl too," he said.
