Steven Alker, Vijay Singh lead at Champions opener

Steven Alker, who finished 2023 by winning the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, opened the 2024 PGA Tour Champions season by grabbing a share of the lead at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai on Thursday.

The 52-year-old from New Zealand carded a 7-under-par 65 at Hualalai Golf Club in Ka'upulehu-Kona, Hawaii, leaving him level with 60-year-old Vijay Singh of Fiji.

Steve Stricker, defending event champion and tour champion, was tied for third along with Brett Quigley, South Korea's K.J. Choi and South Africa's Ernie Els at 6 under.

Rocco Mediate, Scott Parel, Harrison Frazar, Ken Duke, Stewart Cink and Australia's Mark Hensby shared seventh place at 5 under.

Alker was 1 under par at the turn but added six birdies in a bogey-free back nine, closing with four consecutive birdies.

He finished runner-up at Hualalai each of the past two years -- his first two appearances at the event.

Asked about the venue, he said, "What's not to like? It's Hualalai. Just coming here, I think being with the family and just the start of the year, ready to go. Not quite sure what you've got in the tank, but just great to be here. Just grateful. And I like the golf course, too. That helps. Always nice to come somewhere you like coming and you like the golf course."

Singh's bogey-free round was highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 fourth hole, and he was 4 under par through five holes.

"I drove the ball well and (the course) played a lot easier than it did the pro-am in the practice days," Singh said. "No wind, literally no wind our back nine. It was gettable. The pins were not super hard and par-5s were all reachable. If you played half decent and made a couple of putts, you know, the score's out there."

Germany's Bernhard Langer, a three-time Hualalai champion, shot 4 under par and was tied for 13th.

Jay Haas posted a 3-under 69, going lower than his age (70).