KAUPULEHU-KONA, Hawaii » Those who have lived in Hawaii for more than 10 minutes are well aware of Hale Irwin's love affair with the state.

Turning 64 in June, Irwin has managed only one win in two years and that was here at the MasterCard Championship, part of nine victories he's had in the island chain dating back to his days on the PGA Tour. Put all the money he has won in official events and Skins Games into one pile, and Irwin has pocketed $4.2 million.

So when he shot to the top of the leaderboard early yesterday with a 7-under 65 in the opening round of the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai, you could hardly be surprised. He enters today's second round trailing front-runners Brad Bryant and Bernhard Langer by one shot.

Outside-the-rope problems in 2008, including the death of his mother, sucked all the life out of Irwin's game. He said as much as he came into the press room for the first time since 2007. Last year, he had no wins, no top 10s and no chance at the Schwab Cup, something he practically owned en route to 45 victories on the Champions Tour.

“;The objective of course, as it is any year, is to get off to a good start,”; Irwin said. “;As important as anything else, was to put 2008 behind me. It was a very disappointing year that started a little oddly and uncomfortably last year with my wife's incident (she had a nasty fall) and a few weeks later my mom dying.

“;I kind of got off to a slow start and I never got any momentum. People can point to putting as I do, but it wasn't just putting. It was a lot of things.

“;So what I tried to do—my wife and I came over a week early—was not just to get acclimated, but to get myself doing things simply. I didn't want to just beat golf balls, I needed to play a little bit.”;

In this simpler approach, Irwin tried to get back to the basics and fundamentals of the game—his posture, his stance, his grip. He also changed his caddie of eight years, who went on the PGA Tour with Kevin Na, and now has his son, Steve, on the bag.

“;It's always good to have the family out,”; Irwin said. “;All in all, it was trying to be serious about what I'm doing, but kind of let it happen, instead of trying to force it to happen.”;

The result was seven birdies and no bogeys, including a chip from off the green at the 17th from 25 feet for birdie to put him into contention for the first time in a while.

If he wins tomorrow, he will be the oldest to ever capture a senior circuit event, something not lost on Irwin, who would like nothing better than to write another chapter in his Champions Tour record book.

“;I appreciate days like these,”; Irwin said, “;because last year was so disappointing.”;

He and partner Gary Player hit the ball so well, they had to play through the twosome of Mike Reid and Pete Oakley. Oakley was having so many problems in the lava, that he wound up shooting a nine at the par-4 second. While he was taking his drops, the twosome allowed Player and Irwin to go through.

“;When was the last time that happened?”; Irwin asked, then smiled. “;I thought I was a kid again.”;

Pate plays after all

Jerry Pate, who won the Turtle Bay Championship last year, is still recovering from his fifth shoulder surgery. He said yesterday that if it hadn't been for his trainer taping up his left arm, he wouldn't have been a part of this 34-man field.

“;When you've had as many joint surgeries as I've had, it's tough,”; Pate said, who opened with a 5-under 67.

“;For the last five months, I've been rehabbing anywhere between 4 and 8 hours a day. I was glad I was able to get out there.”;

Pate is currently tied for eighth.

Eaks cards rare double eagle

For only the second time since this tournament was moved here in 1997, R.W. Eaks managed a 2 at the par-5 seventh for a double eagle.

After hitting his drive at the 551-yard hole down the middle, Eaks had 246 to the pin. He used his 5-wood as the ball rolled up onto the green and right into the hole. The last time that happened here was by John Jacobs at the par-5 10th in 2002. There were two double eagles last year by John Cook and Bobby Wadkins.