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The 52-year-old from New Zealand carded a
7-under-par 65 at Hualalai Golf Club in Ka'upulehu-Kona, Hawaii,
leaving him level with 60-year-old Vijay Singh of Fiji.
Steve Stricker, defending event champion and tour champion, was
tied for third along with Brett Quigley, South Korea's K.J. Choi
and South Africa's Ernie Els at 6 under.
Rocco Mediate, Scott Parel, Harrison Frazar, Ken Duke, Stewart
Cink and Australia's Mark Hensby shared seventh place at 5
under.
Alker was 1 under par at the turn but added six birdies in a
bogey-free back nine, closing with four consecutive birdies.
He finished runner-up at Hualalai each of the past two years --
his first two appearances at the event.
Asked about the venue, he said, "What's not to like? It's
Hualalai. Just coming here, I think being with the family and
just the start of the year, ready to go. Not quite sure what
you've got in the tank, but just great to be here. Just
grateful. And I like the golf course, too. That helps. Always
nice to come somewhere you like coming and you like the golf
course."
Singh's bogey-free round was highlighted by an eagle on the
par-5 fourth hole, and he was 4 under par through five holes.
"I drove the ball well and (the course) played a lot easier than
it did the pro-am in the practice days," Singh said. "No wind,
literally no wind our back nine. It was gettable. The pins were
not super hard and par-5s were all reachable. If you played half
decent and made a couple of putts, you know, the score's out
there."
Germany's Bernhard Langer, a three-time Hualalai champion, shot
4 under par and was tied for 13th.
Jay Haas posted a 3-under 69, going lower than his age (70).
--Field Level Media
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