Lee leads foursome into Sony Open field

Danny Lee decided to get to Honolulu a little early to prepare for Monday’s Sony Open in Hawaii qualifier.

He ended up extending his stay by taming the winds on the North Shore to shoot a 7-under-par 65 and earn a spot in the first full-field event of the PGA Tour season.

Lee claimed one of four berths available in the qualifier at Turtle Bay Resort’s Palmer Course and will be joined in the field by Russ Cochran, who fired a 67, and Steven Alker (69). Josh Persons shot a 70 and survived a four-way playoff to secure a tee time Thursday at Waialae Country Club.

With the temperatures dropping in Texas, Lee returned to Hawaii last Wednesday looking for a second chance to play in the Sony Open after missing the cut in last year’s tournament.

"It’s cold in Dallas. I couldn’t practice there, so I might as well get here early and get some practice," Lee said.

Lee, who broke Tiger Woods’ record as the youngest player to win the U.S. Amateur Championship in 2008, started his round with a bogey, then turned his day around by chipping in for an eagle on the par-5 third hole. He followed with four birdies over the next six holes to make the turn at 5-under 31.

Lee, who was born in South Korea, moved to New Zealand at 12 and has lived in Dallas for close to four years, added two more birdies on the back nine.

"With this weather and the wind, it wasn’t really easy out there," Lee said. "I was hitting my driver well, hitting my second shots well and my short game was going well, and especially my putting was awesome today."

Cochran and Alker secured the next two spots, leaving four players tied for the final berth at 2 under.

Persons had come up short in the Sony Open’s Monday qualifier the previous two years, and his hopes this time were given oxygen when Steven Lecuyer three-putted No. 18, the first playoff hole, and settled for par.

With three players left, Persons put his approach shot on No. 1 on the back fringe about 25 feet away from the hole. His putt then snaked into the cup to assure him a tee time in his first PGA Tour event.

"I was pumped. I was just happy it went in," Persons said. "We just picked a spot about halfway to the hole. I guess it was right."

‘Iolani graduate and UCLA freshman Lorens Chan led the local entrants in the qualifier and finished one shot out of the playoff at 1 under.

Punahou graduate Alex Ching and Jared Sawada of Mililani were among eight players at even-par 72. Tadd Fujikawa and Parker McLachlin finished with rounds of 73.

Fujikawa also fell short in the Monday qualifier last year but was given an exemption into the tournament and responded by shooting 7 under, highlighted by a 66 in the second round, and tying for 19th. He would need another exemption this week to have another chance to tour Waialae.

"I didn’t make any putts and it was just a little off all around today," Fujikawa said.