Sony Open round one: Sabbatini and Campbell ideally poised

So remind me. Who is it I can’t say should be lynched? Because I’ve got a long list here (I’m in a particularly vindictive mood today), but I really wouldn’t want to fall foul of that Rev Sharpton geyser. He sounds scary. Is he really a Christian?

Mind you, come to think of it I could quite do with a two-week suspension a la Kelly Tilghman. I’m up to my eyes in stuff and these Hawaiian hours are doing my head in. They seem to be suiting K J Choi, though. I was surprised he did so badly at Kapalua last week because he usually thrives on the grainy greens of Hawaii. Must have been a heavy case of early season rust because Thursday he matched his first round score of 64 last year to take the lead - bogey-free too. (He wasn’t leading last year because Luke Donald shot a 63.) His mission now is to avoid following on with the 71 he scored in last year’s second round.

It’s a pretty mixed bunch at the top as you’d expect and the stats are all over the place too. Choi, for instance, was 15th for accuracy off the tee and Jimmy Walker in second place 66th. Neither particularly sparkled in finding the greens. Only thing that is becoming clear from everyone’s comments is that the rough is a big no-go area, Walker presumably being the exception that proves the rule.

Best figures of the day came from Steve Marino in second place - 8th for putting, 7th for greens in regulation and 6th for accuracy.

Interesting to see Rory Sabbatini and Chad Campbell side by side in fifth place. They ended up joint second in this competition last year. There was a thought this tighter course would not suit last week’s winner Daniel Chopra, but he looms large with another solid display with his irons - he tops the table for finding greens.

And don’t count out Jerry Kelly, a winner here in 2002. He is sixth for accuracy and 7th for finding greens. Now he just needs to scrape some of the rust off his putter.

PS: Didn’t take long for Sabbatini to end his silent treatment of the media. I get the impression his new equipment sponsors might have had a little word. Maybe they threatened to set that Sharpton chap on him.