Sony Open First-Round Leader Tips: Look to Lingmerth

• 100/1 David Lingmerth has been starting well on similar courses

• 66/1 Ryan Palmer can start fast in one of his favourite tournaments

• 66/1 Greyson Sigg has been posting low first rounds over the last few months

Weather forecast for Thursday: It's a mild and sunny day with temperatures in the 70s. Winds could be around 12-15mph early on before settling down in the afternoon.

This used to be a tournament when an early tee-time seemed favourable but six of the last eight first-round leaders were p.m. starters. The weather suggests that trend could continue so I'll look at those heading out from 12pm onwards.

Lingmerth can make early leap

David Lingmerth is my first late tee-timer (12pm) at attractive odds of 100/1.

The Swede hasn't played this event since 2017 but that was his fifth straight appearance at Waialae Country Club so the course is familiar.

Lingmerth was tied 13th on his penultimate visit and opened that week with a 65 to sit ninth after 18 holes. He finished off with a 64.

More recently, the rejuvenated 35-year-old has been starting fast on correlating courses.

He opened with 65s at both the World Wide Technology Championship in Mexico and the RSM Classic in Georgia. Those two low ones put him seventh and sixth respectively on the first-round leaderboard.

Lingmerth also won on the Korn Ferry Tour in August, paving the way for that success with a Thursday 62 which put him in front after day one.

With three top 11s in his last four starts, hopefully he can continue his impressive recent form with a birdie-laden round one.

Palmer a worthy pick

I went for Ryan Palmer in my outright preview and he looks worth following in the FRL market too at 66/1.

The veteran flashed some form recently when runner-up alongside Charley Hoffman in the QBE Shootout and said later that the "Sony Open can't get here fast enough".

Palmer's new putter is having results and hopefully it can help him thrive from his 12pm tee-time.

He's a former winner of this event and has five other top 10s including a top four in 2020 and 12th last year.

Palmer was the first-round leader when he won in 2010, second after 18 holes in 2020 and third following Thursday's play in 2014. Last year he opened with a 64 to end round one in the top 10 yet again.

More recently, he's finished the first day in the top eight in two of his last eight starts.

Dig Sigg

Greyson Sigg is turning into an habitual fast starter on the PGA Tour.

So far this season the American has failed to end the opening lap inside the top 20 just once in six events.

Of particular interest are his last three starts. Why? Those respective first rounds of 64 (Bermuda Championship), 66 (World Wide Technology Championship) and 66 (RSM Classic) came on courses similar to this one.

Sigg made the top 15 in two of those so his confidence is high as he resumes the season.

At this venue, the 27-year-old from Georgia started out 67-66 on his tournament debut last year and his rankings of 14th in Strokes Gained: Putting and 27th in Birdie Average this season point to a low one.

Back the 12.40pm starter at 66/1.