Two eagles help Buckley snare lead at Sony Open

HONOLULU — Two swings were all it took for Hayden Buckley to become another face in a large crowd of contenders to a two-shot lead Saturday at the Sony Open.

On a day when eight players were tied for the lead at one point, Buckley made two eagles on the back nine at Waialae that carried him to a second straight 6-under-par 64.

One of the eagles was a wedge from 133 yards that he thought he tugged to a left pin at No. 10, the course’s third-easiest hole. Instead, it turned out perfectly.

The other was among his best swings of the day, a 5-iron from 221 yards that rolled up to 2 feet to the front left pin on the par-5 18th hole. Otherwise, it was a steady diet of pars and an occasional birdie on a course where the fairways are running fast.

“We did exactly what we were trying to do and got away with two shots, had two big eagles,” Buckley said. “Our game plan stays the same. If we play well enough, that’s great. If not, we just deal with it.”

The 26-yearold from Chattanooga, Tennessee, was at 15-under 195 as he goes for his first PGA Tour title in his second full year, and he’s not alone in that regard.

Buckley will be in the final group with Las Vegas resident David Lipsky (66) and Ben Taylor (65), neither of whom have won on the PGA Tour. Lipsky has won on the Asian Tour, Sunshine Tour, DP World Tour and Korn Ferry Tour.

Nine of the leading 15 players at Waialae are going for their first PGA Tour win.

Chris Kirk (68) also was two shots behind after beginning the third round with a oneshot lead. He missed a 6-foot birdie putt on the 18th that would have put him in the final group.

Hayden Buckley