Kapalua Is More Like the Big Easy

KAPALUA, Hawaii —  The PGA Tour could not have asked for an easier start to the new season Thursday.

With Tiger Woods some 5,000 miles away recovering from knee surgery and Kapalua practically defenseless in surprisingly calm conditions, Ernie Els and Jim Furyk led after the first round of the Mercedes Championships.

Furyk made himself at home -- he finished his nine-under-par 64 about 300 yards from his house -- by making an eagle and five putts longer than 15 feet.

Els joined him in the lead by making two eagles and playing his final seven holes in six under par, recovering from a double bogey that kept him from setting the course record.

“I was watching the board. Seemed like everybody was doing the same that I was doing,” Els said. “It was a nice day for the guys out there.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen it this calm.”

Only three players in the 36-man field of PGA Tour winners were over par. More than half of the field was in the 60s, and the average score -- 69.31 -- was the lowest for any round in the five years that the Mercedes has been played at Kapalua.

No one had to tell Furyk how easy it was.

He just finished his second home this summer, played 27 holes during a visit to the Plantation Course in November, and he is the only guy who has played in all five season-opening tournaments since they moved to Kapalua in 1999.

“About as good as it gets,” he said. “The wind laid down for us today, made it possible to go out there and shoot low scores.”