Things to Know

• En route to a career-low-tying 9-under 62, Thongchai Jaidee used five birdies and an eagle on his outgoing nine holes to turn in 7-under 28; marks the lowest nine-hole score on PGA TOUR Champions this season
• 2020 and 2023 Hoag Classic champion Ernie Els sits T42 at 1-under 70; opened last year’s event with the same score, before back-to-back 6-under 65s in rounds two and three resulted in his one-stroke win over Steve Stricker and Doug Barron.

Thongchai Jaidee (1st/-9)

• After several weeks at home rehabbing a back injury, Thailand native mixed an eagle-3 at No. 3 with birdies on 1, 4, 7, 8 and 9 to make the turn in 7-under 28; with added birdies at Nos. 12, 14 and 15, signed for a 9-under 62 to tie his career-low score (2023 Shaw Charity Classic/final round)
• The lowest 18-hole score in Hoag Classic history of 11-under 60 was posted most recently (three occasions) by Duffy Waldorf in round two of 2015
• The last nine-hole score sub 29 before this week came courtesy of Padraig Harrington on the inward nine of his third round at the 2023 DICK’S Sporting Goods Open
• Hit 18-of-18 greens in regulation
• His only dropped shot came at the par-4 16th
• Is 0-for-1 when holding an 18-hole lead/co-lead on PGA TOUR Champions (T11/2021 Principal Charity Classic)
• Best of three previous starts in the Hoag Classic: T15/2023
• Making his third start of the season, with each of the previous two resulting in T18 finishes
• Seeks a third PGA TOUR Champions victory this week: 2022 American Family Insurance Championship, 2023 PURE Insurance Championship
• At age 20 in 1989, joined the Royal Thai Army, serving as a paratrooper; 10 years later, turned professionally to the game of golf

Other Notes

• Seeking a seventh win on PGA TOUR Champions and first since the 2023 TimberTech Championship, 2024 World Golf Hall of Fame inductee Padraig Harrington birdied three of his last four holes – and eight total – en route to a bogey-free 8-under 63 (T2), one stroke shy of his career-low score on PGA TOUR Champions; in his only previous Hoag Classic start, closed with a bogey-free 5-under 66 last year to finish T7 at 10-under 203
• Highlighted by six birdies on the seven-hole stretch of 6-12, 58-year-old Paul Broadhurst opened his seventh Hoag Classic with a career-low-tying 8-under 63; lone top-10 finish in the event: T10/2019; two top-10 finishes in four starts this season: T3/Chubb Classic, T7/Trophy Hassan II
• Making his second start in the Hoag Classic (T2/2023), reigning Charles Schwab Cup winner Steve Stricker hit 11-of-14 fairways and 11-of-18 greens in regulation before signing for a bogey-free 4-under 67 (T8)
• In his season debut after recovering from back injury, Jim Furyk sits T28 after a bogey-free 2-under 69
• 2021 and 2023 Hoag Classic champion Els is T42 after opening with a 1-under 70 for the second year in a row; closed in 2023 with back-to-back 6-under 65s to win by a stroke over Doug Barron and Steve Stricker.