New blood on top the leader board as 21-year old Joaquin Niemann sits alone on 66.

THE YOUFS!

18 Thoughts on Round 1

1.) Niemann didn’t make a bogey on his first loop at the Plantation Course. That won’t last but that surely won’t hurt his mindset or confidence.

2.) Niemann and Jim Herman each hit 17 GIR to co-lead the field. You can cipher which one had the better day on the greens!

3.) Justin Thomas led the field in Strokes-Gained: Tee-to-Green by half a shot. That shouldn’t surprise anyone. He’s one back.

4.) Four players were bogey free. They’re all in the top five (Niemann, Kuchar, Thomas and Schauffele).

5.) Tyler Duncan is T5 after winning his last time out at The RSM Classic. Schauffele won his last start (WGC-HSBC Champions) before winning here last year.

6.) Matthew Wolff leads the field in Strokes-Gained: Off-the-Tee and sits T5 on debut.

7.) Kuchar leads the field in Strokes-Gained: Approach-the-Green, the only player gaining over 2 shots.

8.) This is Kuchar’s eighth time on Maui. His bogey-free 68 is good for T3.

9.) Amount of players in the black. I didn’t expect Paul Casey to be one of them.

10.) Thomas leads in Strokes-Gained: Around-the-Green with Kuchar right behind.

11.) Patrick Reed, to the surprise of nobody, led the field in Strokes-Gained: Putting and was the only player to gain over three shots on the new TifEagle greens.

12.) Dustin Johnson’s putter saved him (No. 2 SG: Putting) as he had to eat THREE penalty shots. He still broke par (72; -1).

13.) J.B. Holmes almost lost five shots on approach. He’s last after 78.

14.) Graeme McDowell made the most bogeys (5) and is T26.

15.) Patrick Reed was one of four players to make an “other” but is the only one to sign for a red number (72; -1).

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Check the EXTENDED Forecast out at the bottom: