Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez, a three-time champion of the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai, rolled in a long eagle putt and wound up tied for the lead after the event’s first round on Thursday.
In the PGA Tour Champions season opener at Hualalai Golf Club in Ka’upulehu-Kona, Hawaii, Jimenez and Argentina’s Ricardo Gonzalez each shot 7-under-par 65.
Germany’s Alex Cejka and Canada’s Stephen Ames share third place at 6 under.
Brett Quigley, Tim O’Neal, Joe Durant, Fiji’s Vijay Singh and South Africa’s Ernie Els are tied for fifth at 5 under.
Gonzalez and O’Neal, both first-time winners on the circuit last year, are competing in the event for the first time.
Defending champion Steven Alker of New Zealand is tied for 20th at 2 under.
Jimenez’s eagle came at the par-5 10th hole, in the middle of a bogey-free round.
“(I) still need to work, need to adjust my game because I (am) still missing some shots,” said Jimenez, who won this event in 2015, 2020 and 2022 in 10 previous starts. “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 said, “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 round featured three birdies on the front nine and four more on the back nine, including one to conclude the day.
“I played solid, especially my putting,” said 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 tournament, which features a limited field of just 42 players, concludes on Saturday.
–Field Level Media
