KAPALUA, Hawaii — Some of the 34 players at the winners-only Mercedes-Benz Championship talked Thursday about a grueling day and that the first round was a test of survival.

It's the kind of commentary often heard the third week of June at a U.S. Open.

Raging trade winds started before K.J. Choi hit the opening tee shot of the 2007 season (a 3-wood that found the fairway) and never let up until three-time defending champion Stuart Appleby missed a 5-foot birdie putt that left him four shots behind at even-par 73.