HONOLULU — The wind blew early and lingered late Friday during the second round of the PGA Tour’s season-opening Sony Open. Davis Riley continued to perform well in the morning’s difficult conditions, scoring a 64 with a birdie on the par-5 18th hole to move into the lead.
Riley tied defending champion Nick Taylor, Kevin Roy, SH Kim and Adrian Dumont de Chassard at 9-under 131 at Waialae Country Club.
“I think situations like this bring out a little bit of what’s in me because I have to be creative,” Riley said. “I’m not trying to make a perfect golf swing every time. There’s definitely feel and creativity.”
Taylor faced the day’s strongest winds the afternoon after posting a 62 in calm conditions to share the first-round lead with Roy. The Canadian took the lead for good with a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-4 15th and a 17-foot birdie putt on the par-4 16th, but fell back with a bogey on the par-3 17th.
“It was windy and gusty,” Taylor said. “Many of the holes were relatively crosswind, so it was hard to gauge yardage accurately. Sometimes it hurt, sometimes it helped. You had to time your shots precisely, and you also needed a little bit of luck.”
Last year, Taylor chipped in for eagle on the 18th to reach the playoffs and beat Nico Echavarria with a birdie.
Roy finished the day with a birdie on the par-5 ninth in the late afternoon.
“When the wind blows like this, it doesn’t feel like the wind is blowing in the same direction,” Roy said. “It seems like it’s blowing everywhere I go. I tried to plan myself around the course and did a really good job.”
Dumont de Chassard shot a 67 and Kim shot a 68, both results in the morning.
Morning starter Maverick McNeely (66) trailed afternoon players Takumi Kanaya (66), John Parry (68) and Chris Gotterup (69) by one stroke.
“Obviously it’s a windy, tough day here,” Gottapp said.
Jordan Spieth shot a 69 to go to 3 under, but bogeyed the 15th.
“This morning was very difficult,” Spieth said. “I hit a 7-iron on the 15th hole. I think it was about 158 holes, and I hit it 120 yards, and I played it about 175 yards. So it was very difficult at times. And when it’s windy on the green, it’s really hard to putt.”
Vijay Singh won with rounds of 68 and 70. The 62-year-old Hall of Famer is taking advantage of a one-time career money exemption to compete in this year’s full-field event. It will be his 25th appearance in the tournament, which he won in 2005.
The season started a week later than usual because the Sentry in Kapalua, Maui, was canceled due to water issues.
