Nick Taylor picked up right where he left off.
The defending Sony Open champion opened his 2026 PGA Tour season with a blistering 62 at Waialae Country Club, grabbing a share of the lead at 8-under alongside Kevin Roy after the first round in Honolulu. Taylor, who won last year’s edition in a playoff, looked locked in from the start-dialed with his irons and clinical on the par threes.
And yes, the weather helped.
“I think we got lucky with the forecast this morning,” Taylor admitted. “I expected some more wind.”
That wind didn’t show up until the afternoon, giving the early starters a window to attack. Taylor made the most of it, navigating the doglegs with confidence and taking advantage of favorable tee shot angles.
Kevin Roy, meanwhile, caught fire early in his round. He rattled off seven birdies in his first 11 holes and capped the day with another on the par-five 18th to match Taylor atop the leaderboard. It’s a strong start for Roy, who’s looking to make a mark early in the season.
This year’s Sony Open marks a slightly delayed start to the PGA Tour calendar. The Sentry at Kapalua, typically the season opener, was canceled due to water issues, making Waialae the first stop of 2026.
While the field doesn’t feature the top three players in the world-Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and Tommy Fleetwood are all sitting this one out-it still boasts four of the top 10, and plenty of intrigue.
World No. 7 Robert MacIntyre finished his opening round with a 67, putting him five shots back. The Scot was steady, but he’ll need to find another gear to chase down the leaders heading into the weekend.
S.H. Kim also posted a 67, closing strong with three straight birdies in a clean, bogey-free round.
He’s joined at that number by Ben Griffin-fresh off a three-win season and his Ryder Cup debut-and Chris Gotterup, who’s still riding momentum from his Scottish Open victory. John VanDerLaan also sits one shot back, rounding out a crowded group just off the pace.
And then there’s Vijay Singh, who continues to defy time. The 62-year-old Hall of Famer used a one-time career money exemption to tee it up this week.
Despite carding two double bogeys, Singh still managed a 68-proof that his competitive fire hasn’t faded. Jordan Spieth matched that score, though his round was a roller coaster: six birdies offset by four bogeys.
With soft conditions early and the wind expected to be more of a factor in the coming days, the leaderboard could shift quickly. But for now, it’s Nick Taylor and Kevin Roy setting the pace-and doing it in style.