Rookie Adam Svensson is alone in first place at the Sony Open in Hawaii today after shooting a career-best 61. Thanks to a 10-foot birdie putt on No. 18, Svensson finished at 9 under par, one stroke ahead of Andrew Putnam.

Svensson played the Waialae Country Club course in the afternoon, when the wind was at times nonexistent and barely noticeable otherwise. The 25-year-old Canadian leads at the end of a round for the first time in his 12 career PGA Tour starts.

Svensson’s bogey-free round included seven birdies, and an eagle on No. 9. He was under par on eight of his last 14 holes.

Putnam, who played in the morning when it was breezy, had nine birdies and a bogey. The round was especially impressive considering Putnam had not practiced at Waialae this week because of a bee sting at last week’s Sentry Tournament of Champions on Maui. Putnam was especially effective with his putter.

“The putter was hot … it was getting a little ridiculous out there,” said Putnam, a 29-year-old who got his first PGA win last year at the Barracuda Championship. “The hole was very large and the ball was going in. It was fun.”

Patton Kizzire, who won here last year after a six-hole playoff, was tied for 14th after today’s first round.