Zach Johnson leads Hyundai ToC

Edited by Anand Datla

January 11, 2015: Just last year, Zach Johnson was still wondering if it was worth the trip to Hawaii for the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. In six attempts at the course before 2014, he could only muster a single top ten finish. But after his 10th career victory there last year, he started to take a liking to the greens in Kapalua. The defending champion made a 67 on Saturday, to share the 36-hole lead with Jimmy Walker, Russell Henley and Sang-Moon Bae.

“I’ve just finally gotten used to it,” Johnson said of the 7,452-yard course. “It’s just about getting your feet on these holes and seeing different winds and figuring out how to attack it. The more I see it and play it, the more I like it.

“My first five or six years here, it was frustrating because I’m seeing these guys shoot 5 and 6 under every single day and can’t figure out how they’re doing it. But now I finally feel more comfortable and I know what holes to lay back on and where to attack.”

After 36  holes at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, there is one man without a bogey on his scorecard. Surprisingly, it’s a player making his first trip to tricky Kapalua. Not surprisingly, it’s Robert Streb, who has been one of the hottest players on the planet since the start of the 2014-15 wraparound season.

Already with a win (The McGladrey Classic) and two other top 10s this season, the FedExCup leader is one off the lead after a 67-69 start to the week. “I guess I just haven’t hit any too far sideways yet,” Streb said. “I’m just trying to score as best I can out here for the first time. I didn’t feel like I struck it too well on the front nine, but I got it around.” One thing Streb has working to his advantage this week is the wind. Or, rather, the lack thereof.

“I think if the wind gets up like it usually does, that could be pretty tough for a first-timer,” said Brendon Todd, who, like Streb, is one back in his first trip to Kapalua. “It might surprise you and cause you to make a big number somewhere. But we’re having really calm conditions, so it allows it to play like a normal golf course.”

After finishing 21st out of 30 players at Kapalua last year, Jimmy Walker seems to have figured out the formula, as well. Walker has a share of the 36-hole lead, thanks, in part to feeling more comfortable on the tee boxes.

“I get lost off the tee a little bit because it’s so expansive,” Walker said. “I have to really focus on picking lines off the tee and really picking a target. You kind of do that at other courses where it’s tight and narrow. Here, it’s just big.”