Robert Allenby had hoped for a better result.
The Australian, who made more news outside the ropes here last year than inside, wanted to wash that memory away with a good opening round Thursday at the Sony Open in Hawaii. It didn’t work out that way.
The 44-year-old, whose best finish here is a second, opened with a 3-over 73 thanks in part to a triple bogey at the opening hole. He hit his first shot of the tournament wide left and out of bounds. He rattled off seven straight pars before getting a birdie at the ninth.
The back nine was adventurous as well for Allenby, who carded two birdies, three bogeys and four pars to finish tied for 127. He will need something special today to stay around for the weekend. Last year, Allenby was involved in an incident where he was robbed after a night on the town. He doesn’t remember anything for a 21⁄2 -hour period of that evening and was found lying in the bushes by some homeless people near Ala Moana.
Local connections
The four local boys walking the familiar fairways of Waialae will need some help if they want to be doing the same thing this weekend.
Shawn Lu was the only one of the foursome playing the relatively calm conditions of the morning. Unfortunately, the Moanalua High senior didn’t take advantage en route to a 3-over 73. He will need something in the mid-60s to have any chance of making it to the weekend.
The afternoon threesome of Parker McLachlin, Nick Mason and Garrett Okamura of Maui had their good and bad holes. Mason was the only one flirting with the red numbers, going as low as 2 under after three holes, before settling for a 68.
McLachlin was 2 over for most of the day as the winds briefly kicked up for the afternoon pairings. He, too, will need something in the mid-60 range in order to be playing on Saturday after finishing at 1-over 71. Okamura came home at 4-over 76, tied for 135 of the 144 golfers in the field.
Geezer golf
The three guys playing next week at the opening Champions Tour event of the year at Hualalai on the Big Island may be tied up this weekend playing a little golf at Waialae Country Club.
Vijay Singh worked a little magic with a 7-under 63 to find himself tied for first with four other golfers, including FedEx Cup points leader Kevin Kisner. He is playing in the elite field for the first time on the senior circuit and will be joined by Fred Funk and Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III.
Funk threatened to join the leaders, going as low as 6 under on the back before setting for a 5-under 65 and a tie for ninth. Love was right on his heels with a 4-under 66, giving all three a good shot at playing this weekend.
Inside the numbers
With the winds down, the scores went with them in Thursday’s opening round with a scoring average of 68.834. The 144 golfers in this field produced 25 eagles, 563 birdies and 1,611 pars against only 350 bogeys, 36 doubles and seven others. The hardest hole was the first one and the easiest was the par-5 ninth.
