Arjun Atwal started off the new season with an even par 70 while Shiv Kapur made a rather subdued debut to USPGA Tour with a three-over 73 in the $5.1 million Sony Open Golf in blustery conditions at the Waialae Country Club here.Atwal, who seemed to be cruising well at two-under and inside top-15, went to the left rough and was forced to take a penalty drop and then added to his woes by three-putting from just past 25 feet for a double bogey that brought him back to par for the day and in the tied 33rd place.Kapur, who played his round in the afternoon, when the wind was up and strong, started with a bogey on the tenth, but seemed to have recovered with birdies on 12th and 14th.He was then derailed by two more bogeys on the 15th ad 16th. He played safer towards the end and parred his last three holes on the seventh, eighth and ninth. He was disappointed at missing out on the four-foot birdie on the ninth.At three-over 73, Kapur was tied for 88th, and the cut seemed to be likely at one-over. But Kapur, who took 33 putts in his first round, has a chance to make up on second day, when he will be playing in the morning when the wind is kinder.“It was a tough day out with strong gusting winds (over 35 miles per hour at times). I played steady, but left a few shots out there. Still it was nice to be out there with the world’s best,” said Kapur on his first day at the US Tour.A day earlier Kapur played his practice round with Daniel Chopra, who had struggled to a six-over 76 and is in danger of missing the cut tied 127th. Chopra struggled off the tee and found just 29 per cent fairways.
