A year ago, Tyler Ota walked alongside John Oda in support of his former Moanalua teammate’s second Sony Open in Hawaii appearance.

When the former Na Menehune standouts returned to Waialae Country Club on Thursday, both had opening-round tee times in the PGA Tour’s annual stop on Oahu.

“I was inside the ropes with him (last year) and he was, ‘Dude, you have to make it next year, it’s so fun,’” Ota recalled.

Less than seven years removed from their season together on the Moanalua golf team, Ota, a 2011 graduate, and Oda, a freshman that year, left the course encouraged by their performances on the tournament’s first day.

In his third Sony start and first as a professional, Oda, 21, turned in a steady 2-under-par 68 Thursday morning that left him in a tie for 41st entering today’s play.

Ota, the reigning three-time Hawaii State Golf Association player of the year, signed for an even-par 70 in his first appearance in a PGA Tour event.

“It’s pretty special … luckily for us, we get to experience it,” said Ota, who won the Governors Cup qualifier in November for the exemption reserved for a local amateur. “It’s crazy to think how far we’ve both come, especially him with how well he’s playing. I look up to him, he’s one of my idols now.”

Two of the state’s top high school players in 2011, Ota closed his senior year with a second-place finish in the HHSAA championships while Oda came in 17th as a freshman to lead Na Menehune to a third-place finish.

Oda went on to an All-America career at UNLV before deciding to forego his senior season and turn pro in September.

He picked up his first paycheck — and a hefty one at that — with an eighth-place finish at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba in Mexico on a course that, like Waialae, rewards accuracy.

“There are a lot longer holes here than Mayakoba. The par-3s here are kind of tricky. But it’s very similar, it sets up for a precision player,” said Oda, who earned a spot in Monday’s qualifier at Hoakalei Country Club.

“Mayakoba was really soft, but off the tee, you need to place yourself in good spots.”

Oda hit nine of 14 fairways and brushed off an opening bogey to make the turn at 3 under. He started a run of four birdies in six holes by dropping a 27-foot putt on the par-3 fourth hole.

“To get back to level par was pretty comforting early on,” Oda said. “You can get into a chasing mode and that helped me stay within myself.”

His approach on No. 5 settled within a yard of the flagstick to set up another birdie and added two more on Nos. 8 and 9. He held steady until the previously dormant wind suddenly kicked up at 16 and 17. He bogeyed both before closing with birdie on the par-5 18th.

“Red numbers are always good,” Oda said after signing for his lowest score in five Sony Open rounds. “Felt like I could have gotten more out of my round, but I’m pleased for sure.”

Ota finished his round just before sunset and a “boring” round of fairways and greens provided a boost in confidence going into his 8:50 a.m. start today.

“I didn’t hit many wayward shots. I missed at most five greens,” he said. “My (putting) speed was good, but I just couldn’t get the line. They weren’t turning as much. The greens were slower than I thought they would be. I left a lot out there, so hopefully keep the same thing going tomorrow with a little bit more putts.”

Eric Dugas, a pro at Makena Golf and Beach Club and winner of the Aloha Section PGA’s stroke play title last October, finished his round at 1-over 71 in his third appearance in the tournament.