Defending champion Nick Taylor tied for Sony Open lead

HONOLULU (AP) — Defending champion Nick Taylor was sharp with his irons and handled the par 3s at Waialae Country Club for an 8-under 62, giving him a share of the lead Thursday with Kevin Roy as the PGA Tour season started at the Sony Open.

This is the latest start to the tour season because The Sentry at Kapalua on Maui was canceled due to water issues. The Sony attracted a strong field, with four of the top 10 in the world.

Taylor, who won last year in a playoff, and the early starters caught a break when the wind didn't arrive until the afternoon. Only four players from the top 16 on the leaderboard played late.

“I think we got lucky with the forecast this morning. I expected some more wind,” Taylor said. “A lot of the wind is going with the dogleg, so it felt like some of the tee shots maybe weren't as challenging. I hit it great, but this course fits my eye.”

Taylor made birdie on three of the par 3s. The one par 3 he didn't birdie produced what he felt was his best swing of the day, a 4-iron to the top shelf on the difficult fourth hole that left a 25-footer he narrowly missed.

The Canadian was pleased, though not surprised with his game despite this being the first event of the year. He played just enough in the offseason to stay sharp and still get rest, playing only in Mexico and then the Nedbank Challenge in South Africa.

Roy had seven birdies in 11 holes at the start, and the finished with a birdie on the par-5 18th.

S.H. Kim played late and birdied his last three holes in a bogey-free round for a 67. He was in a group with Ben Griffin, coming off a three-win season and a Ryder Cup debut, and Scottish Open champion Chris Gotterup.

Vijay Singh, the 62-year-old Hall of Famer who used a one-time career money exemption, had two double bogeys and still shot a 68. Also at 68 was Jordan Spieth, who had six birdies against four bogeys and a late club change that he figures cost him 2 1/2 shots.

Spieth put in a 3-iron instead of his hybrid.

“The problem is I had four months to get ready for this week and I dug five 3-irons out and I hit them the day before I came here and then I brought them all here and then I was trying to figure out which one I liked here and they were all good,” he said. “So then I got to pick one and it just ... I just haven't been playing with it, so I think I'm going to go back to the hybrid.”

Robert MacIntyre of Scotland and Adam Scott were at 67. Scott's tee shot on the par-5 ninth to end his round hit the net lining the driving range and settled in the mesh at the bottom, inches outside the out-of-bounds stakes. He had to go back to the tee, hit 6-iron to 4 feet and saved par.

Scott was coming from Australia and figured Waialae, one of his favorite courses, was on the way to California for his next two starts. There's also a feeling this might be the last Sony Open as the tour revamps its entire schedule.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Jordan Spieth hits from the 17th tee during the first round of the Sony Open golf event at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Brice Garnett hits on the 16th hole during the first round of the Sony Open golf event at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Johnny Keefer watches his shot on the seventh hole during the first round of the Sony Open golf event at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Kevin Roy hits on the 14th hole during the first round of the Sony Open golf event at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Nick Taylor, of Canada, reacts on the 18tyh hole during the first round of the Sony Open golf event at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt York)

CARY, N.C. (AP) — Clayton Kershaw isn't done pitching just yet, agreeing Thursday to join the U.S. team for this year's World Baseball Classic.

The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner wanted to pitch for the Americans in the 2023 tournament but was prevented because of insurance issues. He had a $20 million, one-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers at the time.

“I was too broken for the insurance to cover my arm and everything,” Kershaw said on MLB Network, “so now that it doesn't matter I get to go and be a part of this group.”

A left-hander who turns 38 two days after the March 17 championship game, Kershaw announced last September that he was retiring at the end of the season, his 18th in a stellar career for the Dodgers. He won his third World Series title and finished 223-96 with a 2.53 ERA and 3,052 strikeouts.

“I just want to be the insurance policy,” Kershaw said. “If anybody needs a breather or if they need me to pitch back-to-back-to-back or if they don’t need me to pitch at all, I’m just there to be there. I just want to be a part of this group.”

Later Thursday, new Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman announced he will join the U.S. team.

When Kershaw received a call from U.S. manager Mark DeRosa, he thought he was being invited as a coach.

“I didn't have a whole lot of interest in picking up a baseball again," Kershaw said. “I started throwing 10, 12 days ago and it doesn’t feel terrible, so I think I’ll be OK.”

Kershaw joins a U.S. pitching staff that includes right-handers David Bednar, Clay Holmes, Griffin Jax, Nolan McLean, Mason Miller, Joe Ryan, Paul Skenes and Logan Webb along with left-handers Tarik Skubal and Gabe Speier.

The American roster also includes catchers Cal Raleigh and Will Smith; infielders Ernie Clement, Gunnar Henderson, Brice Turang and Bobby Witt Jr.; outfielders Byron Buxton, Corbin Carroll, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Aaron Judge; and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber.

The U.S., which lost the 2023 championship game to Japan, opens March 6 against Brazil at Houston, part of a group that also includes Britain, Italy and Mexico.

Shohei Ohtani struck out then-Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout to end Japan's 3-2 win in the 2023 championship. Kershaw doesn't anticipate facing Ohtani, his teammate for the Dodgers' World Series titles in 2024 and 2025.

“I think something will have gone terribly wrong if I have to pitch against team Japan in the finals or something. I think we got plenty of guys to get that guy out and not me,” Kershaw said. “But if that happens, I'll be nervous. I'll be nervous at this point.”

AP baseball: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

FILE - Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw celebrates the end of the top of the 12th inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 3 of baseball's World Series, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)