LA QUINTA, Calif. — Brandon Hagy didn’t find out he was in the field at The American Express until three days before it started. The Californian then left no doubt he belonged.

Hagy took the first-round lead Thursday with an 8-under 64 on the Nicklaus course, staying one shot ahead of South Korea’s Byeong Hun An in the opening tournament of the PGA Tour’s West Coast swing.

Hagy racked up 10 birdies, including three streaks of three in a row. He capped the round with a calm birdie putt on the 18th.

“I felt like I saw the greens really well, and the last couple of days, I felt like I was putting really well,” Hagy said. “Once I started to read them well, I knew if I could just keep doing what I was doing, I’d have a good shot to do something.”

Hagy grew up in Westlake Village before his All-America collegiate career in Berkeley.

He was added to the AmEx field Monday when second-ranked Jon Rahm abruptly dropped out without giving a reason to tour officials. Rahm later said he incurred a minor injury in the gym, but the Spaniard plans to play at Torrey Pines next week.

Hagy might have made it into the field anyway after additional dropouts, but he was still grateful to Rahm, his friend and a collegiate opponent when Rahm played at Arizona State: “I’ll have to send him a gift or something.”

An made seven birdies without a bogey in his 65. Max Homa, Martin Laird and Si Woo Kim shot 66.

David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., and Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., are the top Canadians after opening with 4-under 68s.

Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., fired a 69, Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont. opened with a 71 and Abbotsford’s Adam Hadwin came in with a 72.

This famed Palm Springs-area tournament long hosted by Bob Hope has undergone significant changes this season due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the idyllic sunshine was familiar to the players who made the trip to the venerable desert event.

The long-standing pro-am format has been dropped for a year, although the likes of Landon Donovan and country singer Jake Owen participated in a charity tournament Wednesday. With fewer golfers on course, the pros are also playing on only two courses instead of the usual three.

But the tournament kept its tradition of providing every opportunity for low scores: the once-feared Stadium Course and the Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West are among the most generous in the sport, with birdie opportunities abounding.

Hagy started with a bogey on the first hole of the Nicklaus course, but then the birdies came in bunches. He birdied six of the seven holes before the turn, and he added three more on the back nine after his second bogey.

The 29-year-old’s game is coming into focus after a rough few years for a promising talent. After turning pro in 2017 and recording his first top-10 finish in 2017, Hagy missed the entire 2018 season with a persistent wrist injury, and he played only 13 events in 2019 while struggling with a back injury.

After making eight cuts last year, Hagy is back at full health after a solid off-season of preparation.

“I’m happy with what I’ve been doing,” Hagy said. “I’m getting to a point now where I know exactly what I need to work on, and to just keep getting the reps.”

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Danielle Kang managed to steal some of the spotlight from the Korda sisters on Thursday as the LPGA Tour opened its 71st season with a winners-only field at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions.

Kang opened the year with a bogey-free, 7-under 64 for a one-shot lead over Jessica Korda and Nelly Korda, along with defending champion Gaby Lopez, at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando.

Kang is coming off a two-win season last year that was shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, winning back-to-back in Ohio when the LPGA resumed after a five-month shutdown.

The highlight for Kang, who birdied three of the four par-3 holes — including a 30-foot chip-in at the ninth — came at the 530-yard 13th. Facing a downhill lie with 241 yards to the front edge for her second shot, and needing to hit a hard draw, Kang took a gamble with a 5-wood and pulled it off, setting up a two-putt birdie from 20 feet.

She joked later that her caddie, Oliver Brett, did not think she could hit the shot.

“It’s one of the top-20 shots I’ve ever seen,” Brett said. “She saw it, I didn’t. That’s why she’s the player.”

Kang, No. 5 in the women’s world ranking, had to quarantine twice in recent weeks after being exposed to COVID-19 and did not arrive into Orlando until late Monday night. She tested negative six times before getting the go-ahead to play.

Playing alongside country music singers Lee Brice and Cole Swindell, she was back to being her high-energy self, her closest brush to making bogey solved with a 7-footer for par at the fourth hole.

“I think my short game was really good today,” Kang said. “I had a lot of feel and touch around the greens.”

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., was part of a group at tied for seventh at 4-under 67. In an interview prior to the first round, Henderson expressed excitement to be playing at in the first LPGA event of the year. “It’s a great golf course, and as I mentioned, just getting to know some of the celebrities and playing with them, they’re really great golfers” she said.

“it’s just a different atmosphere. It’s fun. It’s just a great way to start the season”

Nineteen players in the 25-player field broke par.

A good portion of the day belonged to the Korda sisters. Jessica played her first nine holes in 7 under and was atop the leaderboard for a majority of a calm and sunny day. Nelly, the top-ranked player in the field at No. 4 in the world, caught her with a late run, dropping a long putt for eagle at 17 after reaching the green with a 3-wood.

When Jessica reached her final hole, she glanced over to a digital leaderboard to see her little sister had her by a shot. So much for that. She ran in an 18-footer for birdie to temporarily join Nelly in the lead. The world of women’s golf has waited for these sisters, two of the top young American stars, to battle head-to-head with a tournament on the line.

The sisters’ view? If it happens, it happens.

“We don’t really think about it too much,” said Nelly Korda, who atoned for three early bogeys by playing her last seven holes in 5 under. “We both root on each other, but at the end of the day we want to beat each other, as well. It’s healthy, but a good competitiveness.”

The season-opening Diamond Resorts TOC features 25 LPGA champions paired with 53 athletes and celebrities. The $1.2 million LPGA portion (the celebrities compete for a separate $500,000 purse) traditionally is open to LPGA winners of the last two seasons. But the LPGA’s condensed 2020 schedule prompted the tournament to add winners from 2018.

Tennis player Mardy Fish, a past champion of the celebrity division, took the opening round lead in a modified Stableford format with 41 points, two better than New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks.

The self-doubt and frustration snowballed for Canadian golfer Adam Hadwin last season.

“I felt like there was a number of tournaments where all it was was a missed putt in a certain moment to either get some momentum or keep momentum, and I wasn’t able to make the putt or get up and down or get a good iron shot when I needed to,” Hadwin said. “It seemed like every event I was close to playing well, making a run and getting into the top 10. And then I ended up finishing 50th.”

Compartmentalizing his frustration week to week proved difficult. One week started to bleed into the next. One minor mishap and he’d be back at that place of frustration.

“It’s very difficult. I had a very difficult time managing that last year, I just couldn’t find a way to pull myself out of the funk,” he said. “I would start off a week OK, and you know, fresh start and here we go. And then that one bad thing or one missed putt would happen during the first couple of rounds, and it was kind of right back where I started.

“So hopefully that six weeks off has allowed my brain to kind of get out of its own way a little bit.”

Hadwin tees of what he hopes is a better 2021 on Thursday at the American Express Championship in La Quinta, Calif.

He spent the month-and-a-half off visiting family, a break that “went by too fast.” But now he’s keen to hit the reset button.

“I didn’t end the year on a very great note. So, it was nice to take some time and just get away from it a little bit, and recharge the batteries and start the year out in a place that I’m comfortable in,” Hadwin said.

The 33-year-old from Abbotsford, B.C., finished fourth at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in July, but his year petered out from that point. He missed three consecutive cuts to finish 2020, including The Masters in mid-November, and sits 158th in the FedEx Cup standings for 2020-21.

The Players Championship had already started in mid-March when the NBA shut down due to COVID-19. The PGA Tour did the same the next day, and it would be two months before the circuit teed off again. The pandemic forced the cancellation or postponement of 11 tournaments.

Hadwin, who was 54th in the FedEx Cup standings last season, said golf has been relatively lucky.

“What we have done hasn’t changed that much, at least the way that our sport is being conducted, the essence of the competition really hasn’t changed,”

he said. “Some of the smaller things maybe, (such as) not as much locker-room access, or how we eat at tournaments, travel may be a little bit different, but not much has changed once you get inside the ropes.”

The shutdown last spring meant extra time with his young family. His wife Jessica gave birth to their daughter Maddox a year ago.

“So, she was three months when everything shut down. And certainly my wife and I have talked quite a few times about how it’ll be very crazy when she grows up, like these are things that will be written in textbooks, when she’s learning, and that we actually went through it.”

It does feel eerie, he said, being in California, which has gone back into lockdown to battle the pandemic’s second wave. His wife and daughter, however, are able to travel with him, since they drive from one tournament to the next.

The break last spring also allowed Hadwin and his wife to launch the Hadwin Family Foundation in May. The Foundation’s aim is to help couples struggling to become parents.

The Hadwins struggled to get pregnant, and finally did through IVF (in vitro fertilization), which is a costly procedure.

“At the end of it, when we came out with our daughter, for a few months, we were both looking at each other and just feeling very thankful that we were in a position financially to be able to afford what we did,” Hadwin said. “We had tossed around the idea about starting a foundation for a while, and we just weren’t sure maybe what our purpose would be.

“After having Maddox after having wanted something so badly, that became part of our idea was helping people grow their families, and helping support the financial costs of growing a family through non-traditional means . . . for those who can’t have kids naturally.”

Hadwin said it’s still a taboo topic, so he and his wife believed by sharing the story of their struggles, they could “make it more of an open topic, it’s not something to be down about or ashamed about, and a lot of people deal with these sorts of things.”

Abbotsford’s Nick Taylor, Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont., and David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., are the other Canadians in the field this week.

FootJoy, the #1 Shoe in Golf, has been trusted by the greatest golfers in the world for a singular dedication to the game of golf and relentless commitment to innovation performance, style, comfort and quality. In fact, FootJoy has been the #1 shoe chosen by players at every PGA Tour tournament for 75 straight years.

As part of their continued commitment to performance innovation, FootJoy introduces the all-new HyperFlex, tuned specifically for golf to deliver crazy-soft comfort and performance along with support that returns energy to the golfer.

HyperFlex features an advanced midsole/outsole combo that includes two new technologies that provide unrivalled comfort and performance where you need it out on the golf course.

• STRATOFOAM CUSHIONING: FJ’s StratoFoam cushioning is a proprietary foam blend that provides optimal support and comfort in any conditions. This midsole design provides the perfect blend of cushioning which helps absorb shock while maximizing energy return to reduce foot fatigue.

• OPTIFLEX™ OUTSOLE: The all-new OptiFlex outsole design features dual flex grooves that flex naturally with your foot for comfort as well as a thin, semi-rigid TPU flex plate that promotes multidirectional flexure and traction where you need it in the golf swing.

“When you take the first steps in HyperFlex, you’ll notice that the shoe moves in unison with the foot,” said Chris Tobias, Vice President, FJ Footwear. “This new outsole technology is designed to mimic the natural flexure of the foot, so not only are you getting a great walking shoe, but a shoe that will maximize the ground force throughout every movement in the golf swing.”

WRAPID, powered by the BOA® Fit System

HyperFlex features breakthrough performance fit technology, delivered with athletic-inspired styling and materials in both a laced version as well as the all-new WRAPID, powered by the BOA® Fit System. This innovative new system features an asymmetrical configuration that ensures a dialed-in, precision fit with a reduction in pressure on the top of the foot. It enables the shoe to move with you, wrapping your foot in complete security, all while providing powerful support through the swing.

Tour players have already made the switch to incorporate HyperFlex in practice and in play at tournaments around the world, including Rafa Cabrera Bello and Bernd Wiesberger.

“They look and feel so athletic,” said Rafa Cabrera Bello. “Super comfortable the moment you put them on.”

“It’s a great looking shoe that you can just slip into,” said Bernd Wiesberger. “You get that great stability without sacrificing on comfort.”

Launching in unison with the HyperFlex footwear is the all-new HyperFLX® glove and HyperFlex Pullover, featuring the same commitment to innovation performance, style, comfort and quality.

“As the leader in gloves and apparel, we have a commitment to enhance the golf experience through golf-specific innovation, which is evident here with these new product launches,” said Whitney Trimble, Vice President, FJ Apparel, Gloves and Accessories.

The new HyperFLX glove features a Premium Cabretta Leather Palm that provides a super-soft, comfortable feel, and a lightweight MicroVent™ FiberSof™ material on the back of the hand for added breathability. The Powernet™ Mesh along the knuckles is placed with purpose, increasing moisture control and fit consistency.

Designed to deliver where it matters most, the new HyperFlex Pullover features a lightweight stretch woven fabric that is windproof with a DWR finish, engineered to best protect you from the elements. The lower back pocket acts as a self-stowing pocket that easily stores in your golf bag, providing easy on-the-go removal as conditions change.

FJ is the #1 Shoe and Glove in Golf and the leader in on-course apparel, founded on a heritage of innovation and focus on delivering the ultimate in performance for golfers around the world.

Learn more at www.footjoy.ca or follow on Facebook or Instagram.

The HyperFlex shoe (starting at $219) and HyperFLX glove (starting at $25) are available in Canada February 1, 2021

FootJoy shoes have been trusted by more professional golfers than any other brand through an uncompromising commitment to quality, unrivaled design, and a single-minded focus on golf performance. In fact, FJ has been the #1 shoe on the PGA Tour for 75 consecutive years, an impressive streak in any sport.

That same pioneering spirit of innovation continues today, driving FootJoy to elevate the standard of performance and style in golf footwear.

As part of FootJoy’s continued brand innovation, FJ is excited to introduce you to The Premiere Series, a modern representation of the classic golf shoe for men and women.

INSPIRED BY THEN

Designed in collaboration with several PGA Tour players, The Premiere Series will feature three new upper designs, inspired by the past but made relevant for today. Influenced by the discerning taste of the modern golfer, each collection uses soft, supple premium leather uppers and ultra-lightweight materials, as well as exquisite detailing that deliver distinctly modern classic styling.

THE TARLOW

The Tarlow collection is inspired by Bill and Dick Tarlow, who bought the FootJoy business in 1957 and focused the brand primarily on golf. The Tarlow collection, a modern interpretation of the timeless cap toe design, uses a natural grain leather in the vamp and the quarter, complimented by a coordinated croc print in the heel, cap toe and eyestay. The midsole is complimented by a natural leather welt and contrast stitch.

THE PACKARD

The Packard collection is inspired by Frederick Packard, FootJoy’s founder and a shoe pioneer who drove the adoption of many modern manufacturing and design innovations still employed today. The Packard collection features exquisite detailing and a pebble grain leather in both the vamp and the quarter. The collection uses a calfskin croc print accent in the saddle area, complimented by a natural leather welt and contrast stitching.

THE FLINT

Inspired by Perley Flint, a young Harvard graduate and avid golfer who designed FootJoy’s first golf shoe in the 1920’s, this collection is clean and refined. A smooth ChromoSkin leather is used in the upper, highlighted by a nice embossed detailing on the saddle area, a refined FJ ornament as well as a nice piping on the side. Inside the shoe, you will find premium lambskin linings and a new fitbed for exceptional comfort.

SUPERCHARGED FOR NOW.

While timeless in design, the Premiere Series is infused with performance innovation, led by the all-new VersaTrax+ outsole. This revolutionary anti-channeling tread pattern is engineered to provide grip for any lie or angle, providing total traction coverage, reducing any slippage. VersaTrax+ utilizes multiple TPU compounds to grip any surface – a harder TPU for on-course grip and a softer TPU for traction on harder surfaces.

“We saw a terrific opportunity to completely reinvent the classically inspired golf shoe from the ground up,” said Chris Tobias, Vice President, FJ Footwear. “And to accomplish that, we leveraged every ounce of innovation, as well as direct input from the world’s best players, to deliver next-level performance with a distinctly modern take on classic design.”

The Premiere Series also delivers on comfort, featuring a Ortholite EcoPlush FitBed® that delivers perimeter stability in the heel as well as super-soft and comfortable custom underfoot cushioning.

Tour proven, The Premiere Series will be worn by more Tour players in 2021 than any other golf shoe, including Justin Thomas, Adam Scott, Ian Poulter, Webb Simpson and many, many more. In fact, even during testing, the Premiere Series was the shoe chosen by more players at the 2020 Masters Tournament than any other.

“I was lucky enough to work with the team over the last several years to talk about what’s needed for the best golf shoe out there,” said Adam Scott. “My big belief is that FootJoy should have the best golf shoe out there and I believe they’ve achieved that with The Premiere Series.”

“I love ‘em,” said Webb Simpson. “They are a bit classic, which remind me of what I wore growing up, but definitely have a super modern twist while keeping that FootJoy look.”

“They feel super comfortable the moment you put them on,” said Ian Poulter. “They don’t need breaking in which is a massive plus, and I also obviously love the fact I can customize them!”

For those looking to design their own golf shoes, The Premiere Series is available on MyJoys. Create custom MyJoys with millions of possible combinations of colours, prints, laces and more, available for both Men and Women in both Laced and BOA.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

• Soft, supple, waterproof Pittard’s leather uppers featuring patterns that are modern interpretations of classic style
• Estane® TPU, provides enhanced traction on all surfaces
• Ortholite EcoPlush FitBed® for enhanced stability and comfort
• Featuring Pulsar Low Profile Cleats by Softspikes
• Luxurious, soft and supple sheepskin linings inside Tarlow and Packard. Flint utilizes super soft microfiber linings in order to achieve a distinctive pop of color
• Laser Street Last (Men): Full rounded toe character, standard forefoot and instep with a slightly narrow heel. Refined toe shape for a classic profile
• Performa Last (Women): Full rounded toe character, fuller fit across forefoot, narrower fit in heel
• Two-year waterproof warranty
• MyJoys customization available

The Premiere Series is available in Canada on March 1 starting at $299.

Novelist Paul Theroux once said: “Winter is a season of recovery and preparation.” He could never have imagined just how true those words would ring right now.

Not that we have much choice. Most of us, the sensible ones that is, are staying home because of the pandemic and the precautions imposed to prevent its spread. Kudos to us.

So what’s a golfer to do? We’re mired in a Canadian winter with travel south of the border restricted and limited opportunities to congregate at public golf simulators, ranges or other golf-related activities.

Don’t despair!

If you don’t have the space, budget or inclination to have a home simulator, there are myriad options to pass the time … “prepare” as Theroux suggested … until, hopefully, golf courses across Canada reopen in spring. Online instruction, social media, podcasts (what?) … even, dare I say, books and magazines … all not only can improve your game but boost your spirits as well.

READ

As an author myself, I may be biased but I enjoy turning the pages of a book or magazine. My special area of interest is course architecture so, after rereading the essentials yet again, I look for Canadian authors. Keith Cutten’s The Evolution of Golf Course Design is a fascinating deep dive into the broader question of not just how course design evolved but why. James Harris’s Stanley Thompson and Icons of Canada has no equal in its in-depth examination of Canada’s most iconic architect as a master of his craft and a man. Although not Canadian and actually intended for green committee members and club managers, many of whom (wrongly) think they are qualified for DIY projects on a multi-million-dollar course, Designs on a Better Golf Course (published by the American Society of Golf Course Architects) is a must-read for armchair architects as well as folks whose hobby is second-guessing their course’s superintendent. For pure “golf porn,” there are few better options than Catalogue 18, a luxurious magazine published in Toronto featuring awesome photography and text from around the world.

WATCH VIDEO TIPS

We were all thankful when the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour returned to TV in January but if you need more than entertainment and climate envy, there are hundreds of videos on social media, many from PGA of Canada instructors. Derek Ingram, Team Canada’s Men’s Head Coach, posts indoor tips on Instagram. Women’s Head Coach Tristan Mullally offers helpful hints on Twitter. (Just between you and me, Ingram and Mullally are collaborating on an upcoming project that distills their extensive experience into instruction for folks like you and me. Stay tuned.

 

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A post shared by Derek Ingram (@dingramgolf)

PRACTICE

Once you’ve looked at those videos, you’ll want to practice, so order a putting mat and/or chipping net online. My Golf Spy picked the BirdieBall 4×14 as its best putting mat but the company has a variety of customizable products. Lots of other companies make comparable mats at various price points and in a full range of sizes. A chipping net is a compact and convenient way to hone your short game at a reasonable price. My choice would be the GoSports Chipster. It’s about $60, includes three nets of various sizes and can be used indoors with foam balls or outside with real golf balls.

CONNECT

Find some (virtual) friends with common interests. I’m a member of the Stanley Thompson Society and the Golf Historical Society of Canada. If you’re interested in the history of the game in this country and/or being a collector of anything golf, the GHSC is a fantastic resource.

FANTASY GOLF

Fantasy pools, such as PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf, can be a blast if you need some heated competition to warm you up during the winter. Or you can organize your own fantasy league using online resources and invite your friends and colleagues to participate.

VIDEO GAMES

You may not have access to that Golden Tee game down at the local pub but you can order the home edition if you’re addicted. More affordable options are video games such as the highly rated PGA TOUR 2K21. Golf nut Shawn Bell of Kelowna, B.C., has not only played the game since its first release several years ago but has actually designed a course for it. He says he enjoys the experience for many reasons including the fact that “it provides me with an outlet to spend time thinking about and playing the game I enjoy so much. There is also the ability to play with others live which is pretty cool. Played a round with an acquaintance in Ireland the other night. It was fun and a social interaction, playing golf, that would otherwise be impossible.”

PODCASTS

If, like me, you were late to the world of podcasts, a podcast is a conversation or discussion you can download to your personal device and listen to at your leisure. Makes for great company when you’re walking the dog or when you’re just hankering for the sound of someone else’s voice. (Although I do get some odd glances when I bark back at them when they don’t share my own—indisputably correct—opinion.) There are lots of terrific golf podcasts including some with great Canadian content that I subscribe to like Flagstick.com’s TeeTalk, Golf Talk Canada and Swing Thoughts with Tim O’Connor and “Humble” Howard Glassman.

And, remember, in the words of Ernest Hemingway,

“When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be the happiest.”

That won’t be a problem for us golfers!

Brooke Henderson’s breakneck pace of nearly 30 tournaments a season was slashed to a pedestrian 10 in 2020 due to COVID-19.

But the 23-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., said she found a silver lining in the slow year.

“Only playing 10 events last year kind of taught me how to prepare for events a little bit differently, because I was having more breaks naturally that I wasn’t used to having,” Henderson said Tuesday. “So, it kind of taught me how to prepare on those off-weeks to still perform well, when I was (eventually) back out competing.”

Henderson is in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., for the LPGA Tournament of Champions which begins Thursday. She hopes it’s the start of a busier 2021 season, but she also plans to pace herself, particularly as the global pandemic still rages across the U.S.

“I’ve definitely sat down with my dad (Dave, who’s her coach) and looked through the schedule, it’s hard to say right now, you never really know what’s going to happen with COVID. God forbid if it got worse or something,” she said. “So, you have to be a little bit prepared to maybe take some events off that you don’t want to, but at the same time, we have a game plan and I’m really looking forward to playing this week . . . and take it from there.”

Henderson is back after a brief off-season. She was seventh at the CME Group Tour Championship, which ended five days before Christmas, then flew home to spend the holiday with her family. A dump of snow in Smiths Falls, plus the required quarantine at home, meant she didn’t get much training in over the break.

“But at the same time, it was kind of nice to take a break and kind of get refreshed for 2021,” she said.

The highlight of her visit home was ice skating on a lake.

“Took me back to when I was really young, spending Januarys in Canada,” she said.

This week’s Tournament of Champions is a glitzy fun event featuring 25 pros and 50 celebrities, with a US$1.2-million purse over 72 holes and no cut. Henderson said she chatted with former Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson, who she plays with on Thursday, on the range.

“It is really fun though seeing all the celebrities, it’s a different atmosphere than just a regular Tour event,” she said.

“We’ll definitely miss the fans this year, because it’s always a huge part of this event. But I’m still looking forward to the opportunity just to getting to know some of these celebrities a little bit more, I always enjoy playing with them.”

Henderson had six top-10 finishes in the pared-down season, and is ranked No. 6 in the world.

“I’m really proud to be in the top-10,” she said. “It’s hard because a lot of people ask me about trying to become world No. 1, and it’s not necessarily a huge goal of mine right now. Obviously I would love to move up in the world rankings, but I’m just trying to take a tournament by tournament and small goals along the way. If I finally get the opportunity to compete for that No. 1 spot, I’ll definitely try my best.”

Henderson won’t play again until the second stop on the tour calendar which tees off Feb. 25 in Orlando. The schedule _ if the global pandemic co-operates _ then gets busy. She’s already secured a spot on the team for the Tokyo Olympics, which were postponed a year.

She’s also keen to play in the CP Women’s Open, which was one of the numerous events erased by COVID-19 in 2020. The 2020 host Shaughnessy Golf and Country in Vancouver will get the chance to hold the Canadian stop this August.

“I’m really excited, the way the schedule looks this year, looks really healthy. And, hopefully I’ll be able to compete in many more tournaments and hopefully get back on to my winning streak.”

HONOLULU — Three shots behind with six holes to play, Kevin Na birdied three straight holes and finished with an up-and-down birdie from behind the 18th green for a 5-under 65 and a one-shot victory in the Sony Open.

Na won for the fifth time in his PGA Tour career, and this one looked unlikely when he three-putted for bogey on the 12th hole at a time where there was no room for mistakes.

He answered with birdie putts of 15, 10 and 6 feet, and the winning shot was out of the right rough on the par-5 closing hole at Waialae and ran just over the back of the green. He chipped to tap-in range for his last birdie.

Na finished one shot ahead of Joaquin Niemann and Chris Kirk, and only one of them got a consolation prize.

Abbotsford, B.C. native Nick Taylor finished in a three-way tie for 11th place at 17-under par. Taylor fired a 3-under 67 in his final round. Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., shot a 4-under 66 to end his tournament in a six-way tie for 19th place at 15-under. Brights Grove, Ont. native and 2003 Masters champion Mike Weir finished in a tie for 47th place.

Niemann chipped in for birdie from 55 feet on the par-3 17th and got up-and-down with a long bunker shot on the 18th hole for a 66. Even so, he was runner-up for the second straight week in Hawaii. The 22-year-old from Chile was 45-under par in two events without a trophy to show for it.

Kirk closed with his fourth straight round of 65 — that wasn’t enough to win on a soft Waialae with no wind — and his tough pitch from below the 18th for birdie proved to be massive.

Kirk stepped away from golf in May 2019 citing alcoholism and depression, a bold move that is paying off. He was given a medical extension to make up for lost time, and this was the final event for him to regain full status. Needing nearly 150 FedEx Cup points at the Sony Open, his tie for second was worth 245 points.

As for Brendan Steele, it was another year of disappointment in paradise, this one more of a slow leak. Steele last year had a two-shot lead with two to play and wound up losing in a playoff. This time, he made an 18-foot eagle putt on the ninth hole to take a three-shot lead into the back nine.

He three-putted the easy 10th hole from nearly 80 feet, and his game was so tentative the rest of the way that he didn’t have a birdie chance inside 30 feet until the 17th hole. That was from 10 feet to tie for the lead, and he missed that. Steele also failed to birdie the 18th and closed with a 69.

Na won for the fourth consecutive season, and he attributed the late surge to being happy at home with his wife and two children. He looked comfortable even when the Sony Open appeared to be slipping away.

Once he made the 15-footer on the 13th hole, he started walking them in.

“I knew there was a lot of birdie holes left,” Na said. “I was having fun out there.”

Webb Simpson matched the low score of the final round with a 64 and tied for fourth along with Steele and Marc Leishman, shot shot 30 on the back nine.

Na finished at 21-under 259 and is assured of returning to Hawaii for two weeks next year, starting with the Tournament of Champions at Kapalua. That course can be too big for him. Waialae proved to be a perfect fit.

HONOLULU — Brendan Steele had the lowest score of his PGA Tour career with a 9-under 61, giving him a two-shot lead and another chance to win the Sony Open.

Steele has reason to still be smarting from last year. He had the tournament all but won until a series of errors over the last three holes he played to lose in a playoff to Cameron Smith.

And if Saturday was any indication, even a two-shot lead isn’t safe.

Overnight rain at Waialae Country Club, coupled with the tropical wind not even strong enough to make palm trees sway, left the course as vulnerable as it has ever been.

Steele didn’t even have the low score to himself. Kevin Na also had a 61 and was two shots behind, along with Kapalua runner-up Joaquin Niemann. Na had it going so well he thought about a 59 when he stood over a 10-foot birdie putt on the 17th, knowing that would leave him an eagle away from golf’s magic number. On this day, he had to settle for a 61.

Niemann squinted his eyes into the setting sun as his approach on the par-5 bounced up to 10 feet for a birdie-eagle finish and a 63. In two holes, he went from outside the top 10 to the final group on Sunday.

Steele was at 18-under 192.

Stewart Cink birdied his final hole for a 65 and was three shots behind, along with Charley Hoffman (64), Peter Malnati (64), Chris Kirk (65) and Russell Henley (65).

Abbotsford, B.C., native Nick Taylor, who ended his second round with a two-stroke lead, hit a 2-under 68 to the end the round in a tie for ninth. Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., is in a tie for 23rd at 11-under. Brights Grove, Ont. native Mike Weir also hit a 2-under 68, and he sits in a tie for 47th place.

Starting times have been moved up by two hours Sunday with hopes of finishing ahead of heavy rain in the forecast.

Steele had a two-shot lead with two holes to play a year ago when he missed a 6-foot par putt on the 17th hole, hit a wild hook on his approach to the easy par-5 18th and had to settle for par, and then missed the 10th green with an 80-yard shot in the playoff. It was a final hour when everything went wrong.

On this blissful day, everything went right.

And he wasn’t alone.

Keith Mitchell, who had a 62 on Friday, took the lead at one point in the third round and was 8 under through 15 holes on his round when his tee shot landed near a cement wall of a house and cost him a penalty drop. A mediocre finish gave Mitchell a 63, which felt even higher being in the same group as Na.

There were 10 scores of 64 or better. The average score for the third round was 66.7.

Taylor was keeping pace until a pair of bogeys on the back nine. He shot a 68 and was still only four shots back.

Such is the nature of this tournament in this kind of weather. It was wide open on Saturday, and it’s not likely to be any different in the final round.

HONOLULU — Nick Taylor pitched in for an eagle to get his round headed in the right direction, and he kept going until he finished with a good break and one last birdie for an 8-under 62 and a two-shot lead Friday in the Sony Open.

It’s still as crowded as the H-1 at the top, typical of this tournament.

Taylor gave himself at least some separation with a gap wedge to 6 feet for a birdie on No. 8, and then even his worst swing of the day turned into a birdie on the par-5 ninth.

The Canadian hooked his tee shot toward the high netting of the driving range. The ball was so close to the knee-high boundary fence that his only hope was to play the shot left-handed. However, the netting that extends upward from the fence is considered a temporary immovable obstruction. Taylor was given a free drop.

He hit iron to about 50 yards short of the green leaving a good angle, and he clipped a wedge to 2 feet.

“It was a fortunate break,” Taylor said. “Easily could have probably gone under the fence, but to bounce off and get a drop was a break and it was nice to take advantage of it.”

Taylor, who won at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last year, was at 12-under 128.

Five players were two shots behind, a group that was decidedly Southern for the second leg of this Hawaii swing — Stewart Cink (63), Webb Simpson (65), Russell Henley (64), Vaughn Taylor (66) and Chris Kirk (65).

It doesn’t stop there. Fourteen players were separated by three shots going into the weekend.

Attribute that to an ideal day of a blue sky and only a light, tropical breeze on a dry course at Waialae. Taylor played in a group with Keith Mitchell, who also shot a 62. Their better-ball score was 55, with only four holes where neither of them made a birdie.

Mitchell also was right around the cut line. Birdies started dropping, and now he’s right in the mix.

Ditto for Harris English, who had at least a share of the lead after every round in his playoff victory last week at Kapalua. He opened with a 70 and was in danger of missing the cut. He shot 64 and was six back.

“I think it’s probably harder out here to make double (bogey) and there’s a lot of birdie opportunities,” Taylor said. “You can make four, five, six pars in a row and you’re probably getting lapped, especially with how the fairways are running.”

Taylor wasn’t even doing that. He was 1 over through 5 holes, slipping behind the cut line. But instead of worrying about the cut, he just kept playing and putting, along with that chip-in for eagle on the 18th.

Waialae has never looked so empty without fans, and Taylor wasn’t sure how to react except to eventually high-five his caddie. Sergio Garcia had a moment like that. He holed a flop shot from right of the sixth green and simply stood there. No one was sure where it went until a caddie reached into the cup and tossed the ball to him.

But it’s plenty crowded on the scoreboard, and the weekend figures to be as wild as ever.

Cink already won the season-opener in the Safeway Open in September, his first victory since the 2009 British Open at Turnberry. He and his wife, a cancer survivor, recovered from COVID-19. His 23-year-old took a leave from Delta Airlines to caddie for him. It doesn’t take much to make the 47-year-old smile.

And then he played golf beneath a gorgeous blue sky in a light, tropical breeze with gentle surf along the edge of Waialae.

“Today was a dream day for playing here at Waialae,” he said. “It was almost no wind. There was a little bit of moisture on the ground from last night, and it was a day where you could really dial it in. You could really hit your spots instead of having to do the usual, which is figure out how wind is going to help or hurt the ball.”

The group three shots behind included Kapalua runner-up Joaquin Niemann of Chile, Collin Morikawa and Hideki Matsuyama, who shot 28 on his second nine for a 65.

Mackenzie Hughes (69) of Dundas, Ont., and Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., (66) head into the third round at 6 under.

David Hearn, from Brantford, Ont., (72), Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., (70) and Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont., (70) didn’t make the 4-under cutline and will miss the weekend.

The weather was so good that Simpson was nervous. He was 1 under for his round in conditions where he felt the good scores would be in the 62 range. And then he made a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-3 fourth, closed with three straight birdies and felt a lot better.

“It’s one of those days where calm winds, you feel like you need to go shoot 7, 8, 9 under, and I was a couple under for a while there,” he said. “Really happy with my finish and I thought if I can get it to double digits, I would be at least close to the lead going into Saturday.”