Toms (61), Campbell (62) Say Aloha to Field

David Toms set a course record with a nine-under-par 61 and it still wasn’t enough to take the lead Saturday in the Sony Open, which turned into a two-man race between Toms and the equally hot Chad Campbell.

Toms looked as dominant as he was a year ago winning the Accenture Match Play Championship, even if it felt as if it was all he could do to keep up with Campbell.

Toms finally caught him with a two-putt birdie on the 18th, setting the tournament record at Waialae Country Club since it changed to a par 70 in 1999. Davis Love III still has the course record of 12-under 60 in 1994.

“I was just trying to keep up,” Toms said. “I made a couple of putts I wasn’t supposed to make, but that’s what you do when you have a hot round.”

Campbell rarely left himself birdie putts outside 15 feet and converting enough of them for a 62. He had a 15-foot birdie putt to match Toms’ record score on the final hole, but it hung on the lip.

They were at 14-under 196, seven shots clear of anyone else.

“I was able to follow in his footsteps,” Campbell said. “It was nice to see the wind calm down so we could make some birdies.”

Big-hitting Bubba Watson, who hit a wedge into the par-five 18th for a birdie and a 66, and Shane Bertsch (63) were tied for third at 203. Jim Furyk, tied with Campbell starting the third round, struggled to a 70 that left him in the group at 204 that included Rory Sabbatini and Charles Warren.

A gentle breeze allowed for better scoring, but no one took advantage like Toms and Campbell.

Defending champion Vijay Singh went out in 30 to pull within one shot of the lead, but he managed only two birdies and two bogeys on the back nine for a 65, and wound up losing ground.

“You just knew if the weather was going to be like this, we could play better,” Watson said.