JJ Spaun Leads Sony Open as Ryder Cup Captain Bradley Trails

A wild Saturday at Waialae Country Club left J.J. Spaun clinging to a one-shot lead at the Sony Open, setting up what promises to be a thrilling Sunday shootout in Hawaii.

Spaun’s 5-under 65 got him to 13-under overall, but it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. He rode a rollercoaster of birdies and bogeys down the stretch before finally securing the lead with a clutch birdie on the par-5 18th.

“I’ve felt pretty calm and relaxed out there,” Spaun said. “It’s always laid back and easygoing here in Hawaii. I’ve been carrying that mindset on the course.”

He’ll need every bit of that Hawaiian chill tomorrow. A packed leaderboard has more than a dozen players within striking distance.

Stephen Jaeger made the day’s biggest move, firing a tournament-best 62 that included nine birdies. The German started the day six shots back with 40 players ahead of him.

“You’re in limbo at that point,” Jaeger said. “You’re either going to have a great round and have a chance or…” He let the thought trail off, but his scorching round definitely gave him that chance.

Eric Cole (67) and Patrick Fishburn (68) joined Jaeger just one shot behind Spaun.

Fishburn, a second-year pro playing his first Sony Open, actually grabbed the lead at 14-under after going out in 31. But the tricky Hawaiian winds took their toll on the back nine.

“The conditions got quite a bit harder as soon as we made the turn,” Fishburn said. “A lot of wind was hard off the left with pins on the left, so it was a tricky setup.”

Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley made a late charge with birdies on his final two holes for a 64. He’s just two shots back, along with Nick Taylor, Brian Harman, and Zozo Championship winner Nico Echavarria.

Three shots behind sits an inspiring story in Gary Woodland. He’s back at Waialae a year after returning from brain surgery, looking more like his old self after spending months getting his brain functioning properly through breathing exercises.

The historic course, with its deep bunkers and unpredictable Bermuda rough, has a habit of keeping things tight until Sunday’s final putts drop.

“If you can get hot, you can make a run,” Woodland said. “It wouldn’t shock me if someone came from behind and posted a number. Hopefully, that’s me tomorrow.”