Six Tied for Lead at 2025 Sony Open; Matsuyama, Henley in Contention

Six players are tied for the lead after the first round of the 2025 Sony Open at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Hawaii. Harry Hall, Adam Schenk, Denny McCarthy, Eric Cole, Tom Hoge, and rookie Paul Peterson all carded 6-under 64s on Thursday, matching a tournament record for the most players tied atop the leaderboard after 18 holes.

Peterson, a 36-year-old rookie making his PGA Tour debut, stole the spotlight with a strong start. After birdieing his first hole, he added three consecutive birdies around the turn to reach 6 under. “I had the best kind of nerves,” Peterson said. “Just ready to go. I felt ready to go yesterday.” Despite a couple of late bogeys, Peterson finished with a birdie on the par-5 18th to secure his share of the lead.

Denny McCarthy, known for his putting prowess, made a surprising equipment change ahead of the tournament. After struggling on the greens at last week’s Sentry Tournament of Champions, McCarthy switched putters and gained over three strokes putting in Round 1. “I really struggled last week on the greens,” McCarthy said. “I wanted to change this week, just something different to look at, and it feels pretty good.”

Hideki Matsuyama, the 2022 Sony Open champion, carded a 3-under 67, highlighted by a bizarre birdie on the par-5 9th. After an errant tee shot, Matsuyama accidentally tossed his driver and then threaded a shot through palm trees to salvage a birdie. Russell Henley, a consistent performer at Waialae, also shot 66, bouncing back from early bogeys to stay in contention.

The leaderboard remains crowded, with 13 players within two shots of the lead. Major champions like Brian Harman, Zach Johnson, and Webb Simpson are among those at 4 under, while recent PGA Tour winners such as Nick Taylor and Sepp Straka are also in the mix. The tournament, which features a full field of 144 players, will cut to the low 65 and ties after Friday’s second round.

Waialae Country Club, a par-70 layout measuring 7,044 yards, presented a stiffer challenge compared to last week’s Plantation Course at Kapalua. With trade winds expected to strengthen over the weekend, scoring conditions could become more difficult. The winner of the Sony Open will earn a spot in the remaining seven Signature Events of the 2025 PGA Tour season.