DeLaet delight, but Stricker lurks

[levina]

The 29-year-old, who spent most of the past season on the sidelines with a back injury, came out in Thursday\'s first round of the Sony Open and with no pain to speak of, opened his 2012 campaign with a Titleist 712 AP2 Irons
that put him into his first lead ever on the US PGA Tour .

Swede Carl Pettersson, South Korea\'s KJ Choi and American Kyle Reifers were tied for second, two shots back after shooting 65s, but perhaps more worrying for DeLaet, would have been the presence of World No 5 Steve Stricker in the logjam tied for 5th, a shot further back on 66.

DeLaet, who played in only four events last year as he struggled with injury, posted six birdies and an eagle as against just one bogey on a relatively calm and sunny day at Honolulu\'s storied Waialae Country Club in Hawaii.

\"When we teed off it was cool and without a breath of wind for probably the first six Titleist 712 AP2 Irons
so it was definitely a day you could take advantage of,\" DeLaet told the media afterwards

\"My injury of last year?: There was no problem. I\'m feeling great, better and better all the time. I feel probably as good right now as I have in the last two or three years.\"

DeLaet had surgery on his lower back on January 3 last year and returned to competition in June before lingering pain forced him to abort his season after playing Titleist 712 AP2 Irons
just two events apiece on the PGA and Nationwide Tours.

He is competing on the 2012 PGA Tour in the major medical extension category and has 26 events to earn a total of $657,694 to secure his card for 2013.

\"That\'s basically a full year on tour,\" said DeLaet, a three-times winner on the Canadian Professional Golf Tour. \"Hopefully I won\'t have to worry about that until later in the season.

\"I really think that if I can just go out and play my game here for the next five or six months, I can make Titleist 712 AP2 Irons
happen.\"

After his stirring victory on Monday at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, Steve Stricker found it difficult to kick-start his game again and get back into winning form, so in the circumstances, he could not have been too unhappy with his 4-under 66 on Thursday

\"Little sluggish at times,\" said Stricker, who is just three shots off the pace.

\"I think I was still thinking about the win last week.\"

Striker\'s problem was his Titleist 712 AP2 Irons