Jan 12 (Reuters) - Long-hitting American Justin Thomas started and finished with eagles to fire a sizzling 11-under-par 59 for an early five-stroke lead in the opening round of the Sony Open in Hawaii on Thursday.
Taking advantage of ideal scoring conditions at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Thomas became only the seventh player to break 60 on the PGA Tour after he also racked up eight birdies and a lone bogey.
The 23-year-old could have gone even lower as he narrowly missed birdie putts on the fifth and seventh holes, but he closed in champion style with his eagle at the par-five ninth where he hit a five-iron from a fairway bunker to 15 feet and coolly sank the putt.