Darren Clarke, Kevin Sutherland share lead at Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai

Things to Know

Kevin Sutherland and 2021 champion Darren Clarke share the Round 1 lead, as five players sit one stroke back.

Sutherland and Clarke were two of five players to go bogey-free on Thursday, along with Justin Leonard (T3) Corey Pavin (T3) and Bernhard Langer (T8).

Kevin Sutherland, 32-33 – 65 (-7)

This is his sixth time leading/co-leading after the first round on PGA TOUR Champions

Is 1-for-5 converting those into victories (2019 Rapiscan Systems Classic)

58-year-old seeks his sixth win on PGA TOUR Champions (173rd start)

Last win: 2021 Cologuard Classic

Making his fifth start at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai, his best finish is T4 (2021)

Darren Clarke, 33-32 – 65 (-7)

This is his fifth time leading/co-leading after the first round on PGA TOUR Champions

Is 1-for-4 converting those into victories (2021 Sanford International)

54-year-old seeks his fifth win on PGA TOUR Championship (83rd start)

Last win: 2022 Senior Open Championship presented by Rolex

Making his third start at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai, he won in 2021

His first-round scoring average at Hualalai is 64.66

Other Notes

World Golf Hall of Fame member Ernie Els is one of five players T3 after opening with 6-under 66, along with Corey Pavin, Mike Weir, Alex Cejka and Justin Leonard, who is making his fifth start on PGA TOUR Champions.

Defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez, a three-time winner at this event (2015, 2020, 2022), shot 5-under 67 and sits T8.

Three-time Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai winner Bernhard Langer (2009, 2014, 2017) carded a bogey-free 5-under 67 and sits T8.

Making his 300th start on PGA TOUR Champions, David Frost is T11 after carding 4-under 68.

Reigning PGA TOUR Champions Player of the Year Steven Alker opened with 3-under 69 and sits T17, along with 2018 champion Jerry Kelly and 2019 champion Tom Lehman.