Sony Open: Paul Casey & Webb Simpson share first round lead

Paul Casey hit nine birdies in his round of 62

England's Paul Casey shot an opening round of 62 to help set the pace at the PGA Tour's Sony Open in Honolulu.

The 37-year-old shares the lead with former US Open champion Webb Simpson after both shot eight-under rounds of 62 at the Waialae Country Club.

Casey has won 13 times on the European Tour but his sole win on the PGA Tour came at the 2009 Houston Open.

"I'm loving being in Hawaii but I had no idea what to expect today so I'm over the moon with that," he said.

Casey, who began on the back nine, started with a birdie at the 10th and then picked up another shot at the 14th before making five straight birdies from the 17th.

Although he dropped a shot at the sixth, the three-time Ryder Cup player finished his round with his ninth birdie at the last.

Simpson, who has used a belly putter for more than a decade, switched to the short putter for the first time in his PGA Tour career and it paid dividends.

"Today was a big day for me," he admitted. "It was one of the best putting rounds I've ever had to be honest.

"I made a lot of putts. I didn't hit it great on the back nine, my first nine holes, but then I started driving it well. If you drive it well around this golf course, you're going to give yourself opportunities."