Three years after making his debut in the Sony Open in Hawaii, Jared Sawada felt far more at home at Waialae Country Club on Thursday.

The Mililani and University of Hawaii graduate led the tournament’s six-player local contingent with a 2-under-par 68, shooting 34 on both sides, to end the first round tied for 54th.

Sawada made his first Sony appearance in 2014 by winning the Governor’s Cup qualifier for local amateurs. He carded rounds of 78 and 72 that weekend and turned pro shortly after.

He played his way back into the field with a 67 in the Monday qualifier at Hoakalei and stayed in red numbers nearly the entire round on Thursday.

“I feel a lot more comfortable. This year I feel like I actually belong here,” Sawada said. “Last time I was really nervous and really couldn’t even let the club go. Today I let it go and made some good swings.”

He saved par on his first hole with a 20-foot putt — the first of a run of 10 one-putts — then birdied the next two holes. He made the turn at 1 under, birdied No. 10 and gave it back with a bogey on 15. He stayed steady going into No. 18 and hit back-to-back 5-woods to reach the par-5 in two. His 21-foot eagle putt came up 10 inches short and he tapped in for his fourth birdie.

Moanalua graduate Brent Grant, this year’s Governor’s Cup qualifier, finished a stroke behind Sawada, carding a 1-under 69 in his first start in a PGA Tour event.

Grant said a practice round with pro Ken Duke earlier this week helped set his focus when he stepped to the first tee.

“Ken Duke gave me a great set of advice — ‘Just step up and hit it. Don’t think abut all the other stuff,’ ” said Grant, who starts today’s play tied for 74th. “He really took me under his wing for the round we had and it was awesome. I’m trying to keep my thoughts minimal and hit it.”

John Oda, Grant’s teammate at Moanalua and current UNLV standout, was the medalist on Monday with a 66 and was 2 under through 16 holes on Thursday before a bogey-bogey finish left him at even-par 70.

Punahou graduate Parker McLachlin played with Grant and finished his morning at 1 over in his ninth Sony Open.

“The back nine I felt like I played a little bit better. Just seemed like when I’d make a birdie I’d make a bogey and I’d never really allow myself to get that momentum going,” McLachlin said.

“Overall it was probably one of the worst rounds I played recently and I’m still at 1 over. I’m encouraged I was able to grind out a 1 over and felt some good stuff the last couple holes golf swing-wise to hopefully give myself better looks at birdie tomorrow and start making some putts.”

Hawaii Golf Hall of Famer Kevin Hayashi, playing in his 11th Sony and first since 2011, was also at 1 over. Tadd Fujikawa finished at 3 over in his return to Waialae after a five-year absence and a decade after his historic debut when he made the cut as a 16-year-old. Fujikawa started his day with a birdie, but scuffled for much of the morning.

“It was just one of those days nothing was really going right,” Fujikawa said. “But it’s all right. It’s still nice being back and playing.”