Daisuke Kataoka got off to a good start to the 2018 PGA Tour season, shooting a 5-under-par 65 to sit two shots off the pace after the opening round of the Sony Open on Thursday.
In the first full-field event of the tour calendar year, Kataoka carded six birdies against a lone bogey at the Waialae Country Club to join a four-way tie for seventh while Americans Chris Kirk and Zach Johnson shared the lead.
Four Americans are tied for third.
"My tee shots were unexpectedly wild but I managed to make up for my mistakes and had some good plays," said Kataoka, who sank 13-foot and 8-foot birdie putts at Nos. 7 and 9 before the turn. "I read the greens well. I hope to make some adjustments to my drives and improve my score on the second day."
Shugo Imahira's round of 67 featured four birdies and a bogey, and put him in 20th place along with defending champion Justin Thomas.
Yusaku Miyazato, who topped the Japan tour money rankings last season, shot a 72. Sony Open debutant Tatsuya Kodai and Satoshi Kodaira both had 75s.
The 72-hole men's tournament is part of the tour's FedEx Cup series.
