Tway leads as Thomas, Johnson lurk at Tournament of Champions

Kevin Tway earned a one-stroke lead after the opening round at the Tournament of Champions as the 2019 PGA Tour season got underway.

American golfer Tway carded a seven-under-par 66 to set the pace at the season-opening event in Maui, Hawaii on Thursday.

Tway made seven birdies without dropping a shot to lead a field restricted to golfers who won a tournament during the previous calendar year.

The 30-year-old's display was impressive after he withdrew from Wednesday's pro-am at the Plantation Course.

"It kind of felt like I was walking on a water bed the whole hole and so I withdrew from the pro-am, went to the doctor, had like an ear infection and sinus infection," Tway said. "I got some pills and feel a little bit better today but still a little dizzy."

Tway, who claimed the 2018 Safeway Open, ended the day ahead of Justin Thomas and reigning champion Dustin Johnson.

7 birdies. 0 bogeys.@KevinTway extends his lead @Sentry_TOC.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/28DKbnFI9W

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 3, 2019

American stars Thomas and Johnson had seven birdies and a bogey apiece on day one of the event, while Gary Woodland also recorded a 67.

Patton Kizzire – three shots off the pace at four under – made the shot of the day as he registered a hole-in-one on the par-three eighth.

It was Kizzire's first ace on the PGA Tour and he told Golf Channel: "I was just trying to hit the green.

"I was just trying to hit the green." @PKizzire on his first ace on TOUR: pic.twitter.com/fgWPEQHus0

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 4, 2019

Major winners Rory McIlroy and Jason Day also ended the day tied for sixth alongside Kizzire.

McIlroy holed five birdies and a bogey, while Day enjoyed a flawless back nine to move within three strokes of Tway.

This trajectory from @McIlroyRory. pic.twitter.com/8xKIHXpqjT

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 4, 2019