The China Mail - Defending champion Taylor in leading bunch at Sony Open

Canada's Taylor had four birdies and three bogeys in his one-under par 69 at Waialae Country Club to join a five-way tie for the halfway lead on nine-under 131.

Taylor, who started the day tied with Kevin Roy on eight-under, had moved to 10-under with birdies at the 15th and 16th, but missed the green on the way to a bogey at the par-three 17th.

"The wind was strong and with some gusts," Taylor said of the tougher conditions that prevailed on the par-70 course in Honolulu. "A lot of holes were relatively crosswind, so it was tough to get yardages correctly.

"I felt like I hit it probably not as good off the tee today, but it was definitely difficult with the wind."

Roy maintained his share of the lead with a one-under 69 that also featured four birdies -- the last at his final hole, the par-five ninth.

The two were joined at nine-under by Davis Riley, South Korean Kim Seong-hyeon and Belgian Adrien Dumont de Chassart.

Riley matched the best round of the day with a six-under 64 that included seven birdies and a bogey.

Dumont de Chassart posted a three-under 67 and Kim carded a 68.

The leading group was one stroke clear of a quartet sharing sixth on 132.

Former world number one Vijay Singh, 62, made the cut in his first PGA Tour start since 2021.

Singh has opted to use the tour's one-time career money exemption, by which he is eligible for full-field events all season as a player inside the top 50 in career earnings.

The three-time major winner still sits in sixth place on the all-time money list with $71.2 million.

The Fijian opened with a two-under 68 and posted an even par 70 on Friday and a two-under made the cut by two strokes.

The event is the first of 2026 after the cancellation of The Sentry at Kapalua because of drought and water restrictions affecting the course on Maui.

Q.Yam--ThChM