LOS ANGELES - FRESH from victory at last week's Mercedes-Benz Championship, Australian Geoff Ogilvy defied swirling winds to surge into a tie for the early lead in Thursday's opening round at the Sony Open in Hawaii.

Ogilvy offset a pair of bogeys with six birdies en route to a four-under-par 66 at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, finishing level with Americans Boo Weekley, Brian Gay and PGA Tour rookie Webb Simpson.

American Charles Howell III, runner-up at Waialae in 2007, opened with a 67 while US Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger and South African Rory Sabbatini were among a group of seven bunched on 68.

'I'm happy with four under,' Ogilvy told reporters after playing the opening round in the company of Weekley and Tour veteran Kenny Perry, who carded a 69.

'This morning, I didn't think many people would be shooting under par. It was pretty blustery with rain on the ground and I thought it would be a pretty poor day.

'But it was a lot more playable than it first seemed like it might be,' added Ogilvy, who won the PGA Tour's season-opener by six shots at the Kapalua Resort last week.

'It was a pretty nice day, really, apart from the wind. We all drove the ball quite well. It's a tricky place when you're in the rough.'

The 2006 US Open champion was delighted to build on the experience gained last week in the fickle Hawaiian winds.

Kapalua advantage
'Everyone who played at Kapalua is at an advantage coming here because they have all got a week of tournament golf under their belt, a week in the wind, same sort of grass,' the world number six said.

'And obviously playing well last week, you have a lot of confidence coming here, as well. I guess you get back to business as usual and just keep trying to hit good golf shots. And today, I hit a few more.'

US Ryder Cup player Weekley scrambled efficiently on a day when he struggled for accuracy off the tee, matching Ogilvy with six birdies and two bogeys.

'I kind of got off to a rocky start with the driver and I missed a lot of greens but I got up and down a bunch today,' the 35-year-old hunting and fishing enthusiast said.

'It's windy out there, ain't no doubt about it. I don't think anybody can run away from you in these conditions.'

'The whole thing is just getting it in the fairway here, minimising your mistakes around the greens, because the greens have got a little bit of rough around them and stuff like that.'

Twice champion Ernie Els of South Africa and South Korean K.J. Choi, who won last year's title by three shots, were among the late starters. -- REUTERS