A year ago, rounds in the mid 60s weren’t good enough to get Morgan Hoffmann a spot in Web.com Tour events.
Now, one such round has him in a tie for seventh place in a PGA Tour event.
Hoffmann, one of 23 rookies teeing off at the Sony Open in Hawaii on Thursday, eagled No. 18 to finish at 4 under, four shots off the pace after the opening round at Waialae Country Club.
The former Oklahoma State star is one of a talented group of newcomers who played like seasoned veterans expecting to win the tour’s first full-field event of the year.
Of the 23 newbies on tour, 12 shot under par Thursday and six are currently in the top 17 — including leader Scott Langley at 8 under and Russell Henley at 7 under.
Langley and Hoffman are roommates with 2010 PGA Tour rookie of the year Rickie Fowler at his home in Jupiter, Fla.
"Generation X is Generation Right Now," Golf Channel commentator Rich Lerner exclaimed just after Langley’s birdie on 18 gave him sole possession of the lead.
Hoffmann, 23, earned his tour card by finishing in the top 25 of the money list on the Web.com Tour — formerly the Nationwide Tour. He didn’t clinch his spot until a third-place finish in the final event, shooting 64 on a Sunday to finish third. Prior to that, Hoffman hadn’t been in the top 30 of the money list all season.
It capped a fantastic end to a year in which he placed in the top 10 in seven of his final 10 events.
But before a fourth-place finish at the United Leasing Championship on July 1, Hoffman, who at one time was the No. 1-ranked amateur golfer in the world, had played in only three tournaments through the first five months.
"I didn’t have any status and had to go (play) Mondays and it was a brutal run for a long time," Hoffmann said. "Shooting 67s and 66s and not getting in and now finally having a place to play, it’s a real honor to be out here."
His status for 2013 settled, Hoffmann arrived in Hawaii on Sunday relaxed and ready to attack a course where the conditions bared no resemblance to the winds that howled at Kapalua for the Hyundai Tournament of Champions that ended Tuesday.
He jumped out to a fast start and flirted with the top of the leaderboard for much of the morning after birdies on four of the first nine holes.
Hoffman holed a shot from 60 feet in the rough on the par-4 sixth to move to 3 under and was within one stroke of the lead at the turn before missing consecutive par putts of 13 feet or less to fall back to 2 under.
"Had a couple stupid mistakes but got a couple of good breaks in there as well," Hoffmann said.
He used his length off the tee to attack the two par-5s that end both the front and back nines.
He settled for birdie at No. 9 after missing an 8-foot eagle putt but was good from the same distance on No. 18. He used an 8-iron on his approach from 185 yards after a monstrous drive that was about 40 yards in front of playing partners Cameron Percy and Andrew Svoboda.
The eagle on 18 moved him from a tie for 27th into the top 10 heading into today’s second round.
"They will be key," Hoffmann said of the closing holes. "Whatever happens on Sunday, it’s going to be an exciting finish."
Especially if he continues to shoot in the 60s.
