(Photo credit score: Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK)
Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez, a three-time champion of the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai, rolled in an extended eagle putt and wound up tied for the lead after the occasion’s first spherical on Thursday.
In the PGA Tour Champions season opener at Hualalai Golf Club in Ka’upulehu-Kona, Hawaii, Jimenez and Argentina’s Ricardo Gonzalez every shot 7-under-par 65.
Germany’s Alex Cejka and Canada’s Stephen Ames share third place at 6 underneath.
Brett Quigley, Tim O’Neal, Joe Durant, Fiji’s Vijay Singh and South Africa’s Ernie Els are tied for fifth at 5 underneath.
Gonzalez and O’Neal, each first-time winners on the circuit final yr, are competing within the occasion for the primary time.
Defending champion Steven Alker of New Zealand is tied for twentieth at 2 underneath.
Jimenez’s eagle got here on the par-5 tenth gap, in the midst of a bogey-free spherical.
“(I) still need to work, need to adjust my game because I (am) still missing some shots,” mentioned Jimenez, who received this occasion in 2015, 2020 and 2022 in 10 earlier begins. “Every shot I miss, I miss in the right place, it’s important. Apart from that, the game is OK, quite good. We are dealing with that.”
As for his continued success at Hualalai, Jimenez mentioned, “Everybody wants to come here and play the tournament. It’s a little far away in the middle of the Pacific, but when you are here, it’s a beautiful place. Nice golf course, nice people around. That’s what you need. That’s what makes you feel good.”
Gonzalez’s bogey-free spherical featured three birdies on the entrance 9 and 4 extra on the again 9, together with one to conclude the day.
“I played solid, especially my putting,” mentioned Gonzalez, the 2024 PGA Tour Champions Rookie of the Year. “Last year was good (overall). This year (I) start good again. And when the putter’s hot, all is different, you play more relaxed. My tee shot is in the middle of the fairway and just some good shots to the flag. But I think the key is the putter today.”
The 54-hole match, which includes a restricted subject of simply 42 gamers, concludes on Saturday.
–Field Level Media