Hovland, Kim and 2 others share Hero World Challenge lead

He has a chance to become the first player to win back-to-back at the event since Tiger Woods in 2007.I like drivable holes because when Im hitting my driver well, I feel like I can be pretty aggressive, Hovland said.And that green obviously is not the biggest green, but with how soft it is, if you land it on the green, you can keep it on the green Obviously, youre not supposed to make four out of five eagles there, he added.South Koreas Kim was the only golfer to register a bogey-free round.

Viktor Hovland started his title defence on a rousing note, carding 3-under 69, which included a sensational eagle, to stake a claim in a four-way opening round lead at the Hero World Challenge here. The others who are tied at the top spot are debutants Tom Kim and Sepp Straka and two-time major champion Collin Morikawa, all at 3-under.

Four players tied for the lead is the most after any round in tournament history.

Sam Burns, who was third last year, was sole fifth at 70, while Cameron Young, Tommy Fleetwood and Max Homa were tied sixth with rounds of 71 each on Thursday. Four others, Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Tony Finau and Xander Schauffele carded even par 72 to be tied ninth.

Hovland, who won last year by one stroke over Scheffler, had two birdies and a bogey along with an eagle on the par-4 14th hole which was nearly a hole-in-one. The 25-year-old Norwegian has never held the 18-hole lead/co-lead in an official stroke-play event on the PGA TOUR. He has a chance to become the first player to win back-to-back at the event since Tiger Woods in 2007.

''I like drivable holes because when I'm hitting my driver well, I feel like I can be pretty aggressive,'' Hovland said.

''And that green obviously is not the biggest green, but with how soft it is, if you land it on the green, you can keep it on the green… Obviously, you're not supposed to make four out of five eagles there,'' he added.

South Korea's Kim was the only golfer to register a bogey-free round. The 20-year-old, who has won twice on the PGA Tour, parred the first 10 holes before he found his first birdie. He added two more birdies at the rain-soaked Albany Golf Course.

Austrian Straka, who was added to the field as Woods' replacement after the 46-year-old withdrew due to a foot injury, signed off his card with six birdies and three bogies.

''I found out Monday around lunchtime. I was about to play some golf back in Birmingham, we've got like a little Ryder Cup-style event that we play just amongst the pros over there and that was supposed to be Tuesday-Wednesday of this week,'' he said.

''We were about to tee off for a practice round and I got the call, so I had to change my schedule up.'' Morikawa, who let go off a five-shot lead on the final day last year, hammered six birdies. The American golfer began his round with two bogeys over his first six holes before notching up birdies on eighth, ninth, 11th, 14th and 15th. He had a bogey on the par-3 17th but bounced back with one more birdie.

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