Davis Riley Takes Command at Sony Open

HONOLULU (AP) — Davis Riley made a strong showing at the wind-swept Waialae Country Club during the second round of the PGA Tour’s season-opening Sony Open. The golfer birdied four of the last seven holes, finishing with a 3-under 67 to take a two-stroke lead heading into the final round. Riley now stands at 12-under 198 on the oceanside course, with several competitors closely following.

Harry Hall, Chris Gotterup, and Kevin Roy are all tied for second place, each posting scores of 66, 68, and 69 respectively. The competition is tight, and the conditions have proven challenging for many players.

Navigating the Windy Conditions

Riley described the conditions as tough, noting that making “gritty pars” was essential. He emphasized the importance of putting in crosswinds and fast greens, stating, “You got to make some gritty pars in these conditions and just try to make some putts on these fast greens in crosswinds in tough putting conditions when you have a chance.”

His performance included a birdie on the par-4 12th after a bogey on the par-3 11th. On the par-4 14th, he hit a wedge inside 2 feet, and on the par-4 15th, he made a 15-foot putt. Finally, on the par-5 18th, he ran his 60-footer 7 1/2 feet past the hole but managed to make the comebacker.

“I just started feeling really good with the swing and I was hitting my start lines,” Riley said. “That’s the biggest thing in this wind, is hit your start lines and control the curvature, and I felt like I was hitting some really good hold shots against the wind and hitting my start lines.”

Riley’s Background and Performance

The 29-year-old Riley, currently ranked 101st in the world, has one individual PGA Tour title from the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge. He also teamed up with Nick Hardy to win the 2023 Zurich Classic.

Despite starting the day slowly with bogeys on holes 1 and 3, Riley found his rhythm. “I could feel myself a little tense or trying to force it a little early just because we’re coming off the offseason,” he admitted. “We hadn’t had really any competitive juices like this in a couple months. I definitely felt like I was forcing it a little bit early and trying to be a little perfect and I just felt a little tense.”

Other Competitors’ Performances

Harry Hall, an Englishman, rebounded from a bogey on the 15th hole with a birdie on the 16th. Hall won a playoff in the 2024 ISCO Championship for his lone PGA Tour title. “Hitting the ball where I’m looking and doing well judging the wind tee to green,” he said. “Did a lot better job today of making some putts.”

Chris Gotterup closed with a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th. He has won the 2024 Myrtle Beach Classic and the 2025 Scottish Open. “I would say putting today was probably the toughest,” Gotterup noted. “Obviously, hitting shots in this wind is hard, but it’s hard for everyone.”

Additional Players and Weather Impact

Kevin Roy, who is winless on the tour, remains in the mix after a strong performance. Canadian Nick Taylor struggled on the back nine Saturday, finishing with a 70. Fellow Canadian Corey Conners posted a 65 to reach 8 under. “I like when it’s windy here,” Conners said. “I think it really puts a premium on the ball-striking. You really got control your ball. Was able to hit a lot of good shots.”

Jordan Spieth and Hideki Matsuyama both reached 6 under. Vijay Singh, the 62-year-old Hall of Famer, is playing in his 25th start in the event he won in 2005.

The season started a week later than usual due to the cancellation of The Sentry at Kapalua on Maui because of water issues.