Henley in Good Shape after First Round of Tournament of Champions


Russell Henley, who gained entry in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions because he won the Honda Classic last year, opened with an 8-under 65 to take the 18-hole lead in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.

The 72-hole, winners-only event began with an odd Friday start at the par-73 Plantation Course at Kapalua. The $5.7 million tournament will conclude Monday.

One stroke back is South Korean Sang-Moon Bae, while shooting 67s were Americans Scott Stallings, Robert Streb, Ben Martin, Patrick Reed and Jimmy Walker. Defending champion Zach Johnson was another stroke back with three others.

Bubba Watson, the only 2014 major champion who opted to play in the winners-only Hawaii tournament (U.S. Open winner Martin Kaymer and British Open and PGA champion Rory McIlroy passed), shot a 70.

Henley, who had eight birdies and no dropped shots in his impressive outing, cited technical issues he sorted out with his instructor. "When I take the club back, I don't know if it's shoulder flexibility or what, but I always have a tendency to have a little bit of lift and be a little over the plane and that's made me steep," Henley explained to PGATour.com.

"Most of the really consistent players out here do the same thing every time and they have the club on plane," Henley added.

"I always putted it pretty well. But since I started hitting the ball better … I've been playing better golf, and definitely I think the swing as it's gotten better, has made me play more consistent."

For more explanations and all the scores at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, visit http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html.