HONOLULU, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- Coming off a record-breaking performance, Ernie Els begins his first week as the world's No. 2 player Thursday at the Sony Open, the opening full-field event of the PGA Tour season.
With Tiger Woods recovering from knee surgery and Phil Mickelson on vacation, Els crushed an elite field at the season-opening Mercedes Championships last week. The 33-year-old South African set a 72-hole PGA scoring record at 31-under-par 261, breezing to a wire-to-wire eight-stroke victory.
Els totaled four eagles, 28 birdies, one bogey and two double-bogeys en route to his 11th career PGA Tour triumph, moving past Mickelson into second place in the World Golf Rankings.
Els took advantage of unusually benign wind last week to tame Kapalua. He was greeted Wednesday by a high wind warning at the Waialae Country Club, where gusts approached 30 miles per hour. Conditions are expected to be slightly more favorable when play begins Thursday.
The reigning British Open champion has a chance to do something not even Woods has accomplished -- win the first two events of the season. Steve Jones was the last to do it in 1989.
Els is one of four top-10 players in this week's field, joining countryman Retief Goosen, Spain's Sergio Garcia and Fiji's Vijay Singh.
Also around is Jerry Kelly, who claimed his first career victory here last year. Leading by one stroke after 54 holes, he carded an even-par 70 in the final round for a one-shot win over 1992 champion John Cook.
It was an unusually tight finish at this event. The previous four years, the tournament was decided by a combined 20 strokes.
Ranked 28th in the world, Kelly is among 10 former champions here. The others are Cook, Paul Azinger, Brad Faxon, Jim Furyk, John Huston, Corey Pavin, Gene Sauers, Jeff Sluman and Howard Twitty.
Kelly is trying to join Hubert Green (1978-79) as the only players to defend their titles in the tournament's 39-year history.
Furyk has a history of performing well in Hawaii. He is coming off his fifth straight top-10 finish at Kapalua and has missed the cut just once in nine appearances at Waialae, adding a runner-up finish in 1997 to his win in 1996.
There are 22 rookies in this week's field, including Andy Miller, the 23-year-old son of Hall of Famer Johnny Miller. The younger Miller played his way into the field Monday, shooting a 7-under 65 to secure one of four qualifying spots.
