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Friday, January 19, 2001

By Ken Sakamoto, Star-Bulletin
John Daly's morning round of 64 held up yesterday. He shares
the lead with Larry Mize and Brad Faxon at 6-under
going into today's second round.

Daly seizes
share of lead

Faxon and Mize also shoot
64 for a piece of the lead going into
the second round of Sony Open

Leader board | First round results
Nicklaus' different turn | Key hole
Sony Open Notebook

---

By Bill Kwon
Star-Bulletin

WHAT is it about the Sony Open?

Last year, Paul Azinger ended a seven-year PGA Tour itch with an emotional wire-to-wire victory -- his first since 1993 and his battle with cancer.

So look who's sharing the first- round lead in this year's Sony Open?

John Daly, who hasn't won since the 1995 British Open. It's been so long, he almost couldn't remember the last time he shot a 64 or had a drink.

SONY OPEN Where: Waialae Country Club When: Today, tomorrow, Sunday Who: 144 PGA Tour golfers today; low 70 scores and ties make cut for weekend Tickets: $10 today; $15 tomorrow and Sunday TV: Tomorrow and Sunday, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (CBS)

"I'm a little shocked myself," said Daly, who says he's not only a changed man but one with a new approach to golf.

No longer grip it and rip it for Daly, although he did average 317.5 yards off the tee yesterday at the Waialae Country Club. He's trying to control his swing and play a more patient game.

Joining Daly at 6-under 64 were Brad Faxon and Larry Mize, who's also seeking his first tour victory in a long time. Mize last won in 1993.

The New John Daly -- there are still skeptics -- is leaner and cleaner, he says.

For one, he has lost some 40 pounds. And he has taken himself off medication. No more Prozac, lithium or what have you. He's through with trying to chemically alter his body and his moods.

"I was the (laboratory) rat for some doctor," said Daly, who admits he would like to be among golf's elite again.

He misses the limelight he once enjoyed. "It would be awesome to get back again. That's what keeps me motivated."

His only vice now, Daly says, is that he "still smokes the hell out of Marlboros." And he's got to have his chocolate because of a fear of flying.

"This would be the biggest win in my life," said Daly, who also won the 1991 PGA Championship. "I haven't won in the last five, six years. But we've got three rounds left."

Ending his interview, Daly added," At least I know what the media room looks like."

Both Mize and Faxon weren't surprised to see Daly atop the leaderboard again.

"I felt like he was close to playing good," said Mize, who played with Daly in the final round of the Tucson Open.

Mize didn't birdie the two easiest holes -- Waialae's two par-5s (nine and 18) -- but still shot 6-under, thanks to birdie putts of 25, 30 and 50 feet. He also chipped in from 30 feet at the par-3 17th.

"I wasn't expecting a 64 when I teed it up," Mize said. "I scored better than I played."

Also finishing in the late afternoon, Faxon eagled the 18th for the share of the lead. Two six-foot par-saving putts at 15 and 16 kept his scorecard bogey free.

"Everything he does tends to surprise you," Faxon said of Daly. "The guy's got the world of talent. Everyone's pulling for him."

By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Jim Furyk, last weekend's Mercedes Championships winner,
winces after missing a putt on the second green during
the opening round of the Sony Open yesterday.

Richie Coughlan, who earned $174,035 as a tour rookie in 1998 but was shut out the last two years, was alone in fourth at 65, a stroke back of the leaders.

Jim Furyk, who won the Mercedes Championships last week at Kapalua, was in a 13-way logjam at 66 that included Tom Lehman, Gary Nicklaus, Carlos Franco, Joe Ozaki and Italy's Emanuele Canonica, who at 5-foot-2, is the shortest player on the PGA Tour.

Ten were bunched at 67.

Those at 68 included Ernie Els, reigning Masters champion Vijay Singh and rookie Garrett Willis, who won last week's Tucson Open.

Defending champion Paul Azinger's 2-over 72 had him in a tie for 103rd in the 144-player field. Only the low 70 scores and ties after today's round will survive the cut.

---

The leaders

Scorecards from yesterday's leaders at Waialae Country Club:

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	FRONT
Yardage	488	426	423	203	466	459	167	459	510	3601
Par	4	4	4	3	4	4	3	4	5	35
John Daly	3	4	3	3	4	3	3	5	4	32
Larry Mize	5	4	3	3	4	3	2	4	5	33
Brad Faxon	4	4	3	3	4	4	3	4	4	33
Richie Coughlan	3	4	3	3	4	4	3	3	5	32

Hole	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	BACK	TOTAL
Yardage	353	196	446	478	433	396	417	189	551	3459	7060
Par	4	3	4	4	4	4	4	3	5	35	70
John Daly	4	3	4	3	4	4	3	3	4	32	64
Larry Mize	4	3	3	4	3	4	3	2	5	31	64
Brad Faxon	4	2	3	4	4	4	4	3	3	31	64
Richie Coughlan	4	3	3	4	4	4	5	2	4	33	65

---

Sony Open in Hawaii

Yesterday's first-round results, par 70
a-denotes amateur

John Daly -- 32-32--64
Larry Mize -- 33-31--64
Brad Faxon -- 33-31--64
Richie Coughlan -- 32-33--65
Gary Nicklaus -- 32-34--66
Sean Murphy -- 32-34--66
Fred Funk -- 34-32--66
Carlos Franco -- 33-33--66
Emanuele Canonica -- 33-33--66
Joe Ozaki -- 32-34--66
Jim Furyk -- 34-32--66
J.L. Lewis -- 33-33--66
Tom Lehman -- 36-30--66
Jeff Sluman -- 32-34--66
Neal Lancaster -- 33-33--66
Franklin Langham -- 32-34--66
Spike McRoy -- 35-31--66
Shaun Micheel -- 34-33--67
Bill Glasson -- 34-33--67
Bradley Hughes -- 33-34--67
Chris DiMarco -- 35-32--67
Olin Browne -- 35-32--67
Loren Roberts -- 34-33--67
Hidemichi Tanaka -- 34-33--67
David Peoples -- 34-33--67
Chris Perry -- 31-36--67
J.J. Henry -- 32-35--67
Pete Jordan -- 34-34--68
Bob Burns -- 32-36--68
Ted Tryba -- 33-35--68
Garrett Willis -- 33-35--68
John Huston -- 35-33--68
Ernie Els -- 35-33--68
Andrew Magee -- 32-36--68
Vijay Singh -- 35-33--68
Michael Muehr -- 35-33--68
Cameron Beckman -- 34-34--68
K.J. Choi -- 33-35--68
Briny Baird -- 33-35--68
Scott Dunlap -- 35-33--68
Steve Lowery -- 33-35--68
Paul Goydos -- 33-35--68
Stephen Ames -- 33-35--68
Joe Durant -- 34-34--68
Tom Byrum -- 36-32--68
Cliff Kresge -- 35-33--68
Per-Ulrik Johansson -- 34-34--68
John Riegger -- 32-36--68
Andrew McLardy -- 35-33--68
Brandel Chamblee -- 34-35--69
Jerry Kelly -- 36-33--69
Greg Chalmers -- 37-32--69
Jay Don Blake -- 36-33--69
Kevin Johnson -- 37-32--69
Craig Barlow -- 35-34--69
Shigeki Maruyama -- 33-36--69
Peter Jacobsen -- 33-36--69
Bob May -- 34-35--69
Jesper Parnevik -- 34-35--69
Jeff Maggert -- 34-35--69
Billy Andrade -- 34-35--69
Dudley Hart -- 36-33--69
Brian Henninger -- 36-33--69
Chris Riley -- 35-34--69
Tommy Armour III -- 35-34--69
Craig Parry -- 36-33--69
Tommy Tolles -- 36-33--69
Bobby Kalinowski -- 35-34--69
Greg Kraft -- 37-33--70
Tom Scherrer -- 37-33--70
Robert Allenby -- 34-36--70
Notah Begay III -- 34-36--70
Davis Love III -- 36-34--70
Stewart Cink -- 36-34--70
Steve Jones -- 33-37--70
Chris Smith -- 38-32--70
Edward Fryatt -- 33-37--70
Kaname Yokoo -- 34-36--70
Stephen Allan -- 37-33--70
Brian Sasada -- 36-34--70
Lee Porter -- 35-35--70
Jim Carter -- 35-35--70
Rocky Walcher -- 34-36--70
Danny Ellis -- 35-35--70
Paul Gow -- 38-32--70
Esteban Toledo -- 34-37--71
Rory Sabbatini -- 36-35--71
Rich Beem -- 36-35--71
John Cook -- 37-34--71
Brian Gay -- 36-35--71
Mark Hensby -- 37-34--71
Matt Kuchar -- 36-35--71
Brian Wilson -- 36-35--71
Harrison Frazar -- 36-35--71
Joel Edwards -- 35-36--71
David Berganio -- 36-35--71
Jerry Smith -- 35-36--71
Frank Lickliter -- 36-35--71
Kelly Grunewald -- 37-34--71
Nobuhito Sato -- 37-34--71
Jason Gore -- 35-36--71
Geoff Ogilvy -- 34-37--71
Robin Freeman -- 34-38--72
Stuart Appleby -- 35-37--72
Paul Azinger -- 37-35--72
Michael Clark II -- 38-34--72
Jim Johnson -- 36-36--72
Keiichiro Fukabori -- 37-35--72
Glen Hnatiuk -- 35-37--72
Skip Kendall -- 36-36--72
Len Mattiace -- 36-36--72
Tom Pernice Jr. -- 37-35--72
Jeremy Anderson -- 37-35--72
Duffy Waldorf -- 38-35--73
Carl Paulson -- 36-37--73
Mathew Goggin -- 37-36--73
Corey Pavin -- 35-38--73
Dennis Paulson -- 35-38--73
Chris Tidland -- 39-34--73
David Ishii -- 38-35--73
Tripp Isenhour -- 37-36--73
Doug Barron -- 38-36--74
Matthew Hall -- 37-37--74
Fred Wadsworth -- 40-34--74
Jay Williamson -- 41-33--74
Ryuji Imada -- 38-36--74
Jeff Julian -- 38-36--74
Craig Perks -- 36-38--74
Woody Austin -- 38-37--75
Joe Ogilvie -- 39-36--75
Craig Stadler -- 40-35--75
Kent Jones -- 40-35--75
Jeff Gallagher -- 38-38--76
Mike Hulbert -- 40-36--76
Hunter Haas -- 39-37--76
Ben Ferguson -- 40-37--77
Jimmy Green -- 42-35--77
a-Brandan Kop -- 41-36--77
Ian Leggatt -- 40-38--78
David Morland IV -- 41-37--78
Douglas Bohn -- 38-40--78
a-Tommy Kim -- 45-35--80
Scott Simpson -- 43-37--80