Paul Peterson, a 36-year-old rookie on the PGA Tour, opened with an impressive 6-under 64 score to grab a share of the lead at the 2025 Sony Open.
On a pleasant day at Waialae Country Club, Peterson – a left-handed golfer from Oregon State – was deadlocked atop the leaderboard with Harry Hall, Adam Schenk, Eric Cole, Denny McCarthy and Tom Hoge.
“Yeah, it was nice to birdie the first hole in my first official Tour start, so it was good,” said Peterson. “So got momentum early. Hit a really nice 7-wood into 9, made an eagle there, and I think made six threes in a row, so it was pretty fun.
“Yeah, just hit it nice, putted it nicely. Put some extra time in on the greens yesterday evening, and it seemed to pay off. So it was good.”
Peterson’s journey to this point is notable for its international scope; he has traveled extensively, holding cards from six tours around the world, including the European, Asian, and Japan Golf Tours. His experience is vast, with stamps from 44 countries in his passport, which has prepared him well for his PGA Tour debut despite not feeling like a typical rookie due to his age and extensive background.
Henrik Norlander, Adam Hadwin, Ben Griffin and Patrick Fishburn were one further back on 5-under 65.
