Sony Open 2016: Thursday Leaderboard Scores and Highlights

Jimmy Walker is trying to join elite company on the PGA Tour at the 2016 Sony Open at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. Unfortunately for him, Brandt Snedeker, Kevin Kisner, Ricky Barnes, Vijay Singh and Morgan Hoffmann had different ideas Thursday.

Walker is the two-time defending champion at this event, and only Tiger Woods, Tom Watson, Steve Stricker and Stuart Appleby have won a tournament three years in a row, per Brian Wacker of PGATour.com.

However, Walker couldn't establish much consistency during the first round, finishing at one under par, and is looking up at the fivesome of leaders who all finished with seven-under 63s. The entire first-round leaderboard can be found at PGATour.com. Here is a look at the top competitors:

Barnes, Singh and Hoffmann paced the early group and watched their leads hold up during the late shift of golfers. The presence of Barnes and Hoffmann was particularly interesting because plenty of competitors on tour have tallied their first career victories at the Sony Open, as PGA Tour Media noted:

Barnes caught fire on the front nine and tallied three consecutive birdies on Nos. 7, 8 and 9. He didn't notch a single bogey throughout his round and finished it off with a birdie on No. 18. He birdied each of the par-five holes, which is always critical on par-70 courses, where scoring opportunities are limited.

As for Hoffmann, he was even more impressive on the two par fives. He eagled No. 9 and birdied No. 18, which helped him overcome a bogey on No. 10.

Hoffmann and Barnes are attempting to establish themselves as household names on tour, but they will have to beat out someone who already has done so for the Sony Open title. According to the PGA Tour, Singh made his 570th career start Thursday, and his 63 tied his lowest opening-round score ever. Singh was consistent, with four birdies on the front and three on the back, and Wacker acknowledged there is some history on the line if he keeps it up:

Snedeker and Kisner set the tone for the late group and managed to tie the original trio of leaders. Snedeker eagled No. 10, which is a par four, and bounced back from a bogey on No. 14 with two straight birdies late in the round. The PGA Tour shared a replay of his head-turning putt from the fringe on No. 16:

Kisner tied the leaders with a birdie on the final hole, which meant he also finished with a birdie on each of the par fives. The PGA Tour passed along a replay of his final putt to pull even:

As for Walker, his quest for a third straight title took a detour Thursday with a one-under 69. That is typically a decent score, but he found himself outside the top 50. He, like many others, salvaged his round on the two par fives with an eagle on No. 9 and a birdie on No. 18.

While the leaders and Walker drew more headlines Thursday, Patton Kizzire turned plenty of heads with a hot start after he began his round on the back nine. He notched birdies on Nos. 10, 11, 15, 16, 17 and 18 and turned in some impressive putting during his streak, which the PGA Tour shared:

Unfortunately for Kizzire, his round was a roller coaster, with a double bogey on No. 3 and bogeys on Nos. 8 and 14, and he finished with a two-under 68.

Among the other notable names at the Sony Open were Luke Donald, Zach Johnson, Jason Dufner and Adam Scott.

Donald is in the top 10 at five under par because of his ability to take advantage of the par fives. He tallied an eagle on No. 9 and a birdie on No. 18 and is within striking distance of the top of the leaderboard. Johnson is also right there at six under par, although Dufner and Scott are further back at three under and two under, respectively.

Wacker pointed out Scott's biggest issue was on the greens:

A number of talented golfers in this dangerous field are in position to make a run in the next three rounds. If the five on top hope to hold off Johnson, Donald, Walker and the rest of the group, they will need to continue capitalizing on the par fives on this par-70 course. 

Because Nos. 9 and 18 are the par fives, the entire tournament could come down to critical eagle and birdie putts. The leaders did what they needed to with those opportunities Thursday, but three more rounds will determine the champion.

Post-Round Reaction

Kisner actually won the last PGA Tour event in 2015 and finished in ninth place at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions coming into the Sony Open. He commented on his recent surge, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com): “I really didn't work on much on offseason. We stayed with our plan, and the game has been great. I was striping it today, and that's what you need to do at this place.”

Snedeker also made a late charge in his first trip back to Waialae in eight years. He discussed his decision, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com): “I’m glad I came back. It’s a good golf course for me.”

The story of Thursday was Singh, and he said a certain book helped him shoot a 63, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com):

"

‘I haven't read it for the last 10 years,’ he said. ‘So I picked it up yesterday and started reading a few things that I've been doing, and it's just a different mindset. Golf swing has been the same (so) become a lot more aggressive this year. That's the plan, to attack the golf course instead of just trying to put it in the fairway and trying to make a good swing.’

The name of the book?

‘I can't tell you,’ he said. ‘I'd have to kill you.’

"

Whatever book it is, it did the trick Thursday.