GOLF: Shigeki Maruyama recorded four birdies on the front nine en route to a five-under-par 65 and the lead after the first round of the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club.

Geoff Ogilvy, who cruised to a six-stroke victory at the Mercedes-Benz Championship last week, is one of five players one stroke off the lead at four-under 66.

The €4 million event is the first full-field event of the PGA Tour season and the second straight in Hawaii.

After a bogey on the par-four 12th hole dropped him to four-under, Maruyama recorded pars on four straight holes before birdying the 17th to take sole possession of the lead.

Following his wire-to-wire win, the fifth of his PGA career, Ogilvy started his round on the back nine with a birdie. The Australian recorded six birdies and two bogeys.

Americans Boo Weekley, Brian Gay and Webb Simpson shot rounds of 66, as did Ogilvy’s countryman, Nathan Green.

Defending champion KJ Choi, who opened with a six-under-par 64 last year and went on to a wire-to-wire victory, shot a 68. The South Korean had four birdies and two bogeys on the round.

Choi tied for 15th last week at the Mercedes-Benz Championship.

Other notable players in the field of 114 players teeing it up on the 7,044-yard, par-70 course include Ernie Els, Steve Stricker, Stewart Cink and Adam Scott.

Els, who enjoyed great success here since 2000, struggled to a two-over 72. He fell to three-over after a double bogey on number five. Three birdies in four-holes from the seventh got him back to level par but the South African bogeyed 16 and 17 to conclude a disappointing first round.

The 39-year-old won this event in 2003 and 2004 and finished as runner-up in 2005. Els was also third in 2001 and fifth in 2000.

Stricker is another player that has had success here, tying for fourth in each of the past two years. The American opened with an even-par 70.

Cink and Scott each carded rounds of 71 to tie for 51st.