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Fiji's Vijay Singh sat in second place after carding a 65 at
Hualalai Golf Club. Charles Schwab Cup champion Bernhard Langer
of Germany, New Zealand's Steven Alker, Northern Ireland's
Darren Clarke, Canada's Stephen Ames and South Africa's Retief
Goosen were tied for third at 66.
The PGA Tour Champions' season-opening event includes six Hall
of Famers -- Els, Singh, Langer, Goosen, Mark O'Meara
(first-round 72, tied for 33rd) and Tom Watson (78, 41st place)
-- among the 42 entrants.
Els was already 5 under for the day before his second shot on
the par-5 14th hole landed just right of the green and trickled
toward the pin. He sank the 10-foot eagle putt, and he capped
his bogey-free round with a birdie on the 18th hole.
Els said of his offseason preparations, "You know what, just
took a rest. I need to lose about 10 pounds, but I'm sure we can
do that in the next couple weeks. I played with the guys, kept
myself sharp, played a lot of golf. ... Just a great feeling
coming out here. Just want to let it go out here, so it's a good
feeling to be out here."
Singh's card was almost identical to Els'. He had an eagle (on
the par-5 fourth hole) and no bogeys, but Singh finished with
one birdie fewer.
"My game has been good for a while," Singh said. "It's just
getting all the jitters out and going out and playing tournament
golf, which I haven't done since (the season-ending Charles
Schwab Cup Championship). It was nice to get a good one in."
Langer also eagled the fourth hole. The 64-year-old German keeps
thriving against the "youngsters" on the over-50 circuit, having
won his sixth Charles Schwab Cup in the combined 2020-21 season.
"Why should it be different than it was two months ago really as
long as I'm healthy?" Langer said. "I'm a lot shorter (hitter)
than these guys. Miguel (Angel Jimenez) outdrives me 30, 40
(yards) and Darren (Clarke) 40, 50 if he catches one. I'm
hitting more clubs into the greens, but so far, so good."
--Field Level Media
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