Sony Open in Hawaii Preview and Picks

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🌴 Sony Open in Hawaii: This Week’s Field

The 2025 Sony Open in Hawaii is shaping up to be a thrilling competition with a stacked field of top talent ready to take on Waialae Country Club. Here’s what you need to know about this week’s lineup:

This year’s field includes 49 of the top 100 and 22 of the top 50 players in the latest Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR). Headlining the tournament are some of golf’s biggest names, including world No. 5 Hideki Matsuyama, No. 12 Keegan Bradley, No. 13 Sahith Theegala, and No. 14 Robert MacIntyre. Other notable players include rising stars like No. 23 Tom Kim, No. 30 Brian Harman, and No. 34 Cameron Young, alongside steady veterans like No. 55 Chris Kirk and No. 74 Harris English. With this many elite competitors, expect plenty of drama and low scores in paradise.

The field includes 12 of the Top 25 on the FedEx point standings for 2025 and also includes 7 past champions.

Pro Tips: Our performance chart, listed by average finish, is a perfect way for fantasy golfers to check on the past performance of all the players in the Sony Open in Hawaii field.

Another way to check who is the best is through a special formula worked out in Golfstats that gives us the best average performances at the Sony Open in Hawaii in the last five years or check out our sortable 8-year glance at the Sony Open in Hawaii.

🔥 Sony Open: The Buzz

Since 1999, when the Sony Open was slotted behind the Sentry Tournament of Champions, it has gained an added boost from players making the short flight from Maui to Honolulu. This year, 33 of the 59 players who competed in Kapalua last week are teeing it up at Waialae, thanks in part to the Sentry’s status as an elevated event with a doubled field size. The back-to-back scheduling creates a unique challenge, with only Ernie Els (2003) and Justin Thomas (2017) achieving the rare Hawaii Slam by winning both events in the same year. With Hideki Matsuyama, last week’s Sentry winner, in the field, there’s a chance for history to be made.

🎯 Going Low at Kapalua

The 2025 season started with a bang as Hideki Matsuyama joined the elite 30-under club at the Sentry, shooting a PGA Tour record 35-under to beat Collin Morikawa by three strokes. Matsuyama’s dazzling week featured 33 birdies, 2 eagles, and only 2 bogeys, narrowly missing the record for most birdies in a tournament, held by Sungjae Im with 34 at last year’s Sentry. Morikawa also shone with 32 birdies of his own, while Im continued his birdie barrage, solidifying himself as a consistent top performer in Maui.

🏌️ Players to Watch

• Will Zalatoris: After a challenging 2024 marked by injury and recovery, Zalatoris is back stronger than ever. He’s revamped his swing, added muscle, and even graduated from Wake Forest during his time off. Although he finished T-26th at Kapalua, he’s brimming with confidence for 2025.

• Viktor Hovland: Despite a tumultuous offseason filled with coaching changes and a bizarre injury (a broken pinky toe!), Hovland is looking to recapture his stellar 2023 form. His T-36th finish at the Sentry raised questions about his short game, but there’s plenty of time to rebound.

• Tom Hoge: Fresh off a December filled with life changes—including the birth of his first child—Hoge impressed with a T-8th finish at the Sentry, showing he’s one of the most consistent players on tour.

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🌊 Waialae Course Insights

Waialae Country Club has been the Sony Open’s home since 1965, ranking among the PGA Tour’s most iconic venues alongside Augusta National, Pebble Beach, and Colonial. Designed by Seth Raynor and Charles Banks in 1925, Waialae blends tradition with strategic renovations over the decades. The course features 7,500-square-foot greens, 79 bunkers, and nine holes with water, though only three significantly challenge the pros.

A unique twist is the reversed nines during tournament play, positioning the picturesque par-3 8th (now 17th) along the Pacific Ocean as a TV highlight. The closing stretch demands precision, with four of the last five holes (14, 15, 16, 18) being sharp doglegs left, favoring players who can hook the ball.

Waialae Country Club is known for its tight fairways and strategic challenges, making it a stark contrast to the wide-open fairways of Kapalua. With a 2023 scoring average of 68.82, it ranked as the 27th hardest course on the PGA Tour last year. Weather plays a significant role in scoring; light winds often lead to low scores, while gusty conditions can make the course play over par, as seen in 2020. This year, moderate winds of up to 17 mph are expected, which could test accuracy and patience.

📊 Key Stats to Watch

1. Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green

Success at Waialae starts with precision off the tee and into the greens. The narrow fairways demand accuracy, and players who excel in this metric often rise to the top. Recent winners, like Si Woo Kim and Kevin Na, ranked highly in Tee-to-Green performance during their victories. Look for players with consistent ball-striking and an ability to avoid the rough.

2. Greens in Regulation (GIR)

Hitting greens is a must at Waialae, as winners historically excel in this stat. Over the past 20 years, 17 of 23 champions have ranked in the top 12 for GIR during their win. Last year’s winner, Grayson Murray, was hit 57 of 72 greens to rank T-2nd in this category. Players who consistently give themselves birdie opportunities will have an edge.

3. Par Breakers (Birdies + Eagles)

With only two par-5s, scoring opportunities at Waialae are limited, making birdies and eagles crucial. Last year’s winner, Murray, made 19 birdies and 1 eagle, highlighting the importance of capitalizing on every scoring chance. Watch for players who can go low with explosive offensive skills.

4. Putting Average

Interestingly, putting prowess isn’t a prerequisite for success here. Waialae’s flat, straightforward greens level the playing field, allowing less skilled putters to thrive. Grayson Murray and Si Woo Kim, two of the Tour’s weaker putters, excelled on Waialae’s greens to secure their wins. This stat rewards those who can complement strong ball-striking with consistent putting for the week.

Using our Composite Ranking tool (Golf IQ subscription needed) on GolfStats.com, here are the top 10 players in the field:

To succeed at Waialae, players must combine accuracy off the tee, sharp iron play, and the ability to convert scoring chances. Weather will test patience, while the flat greens open the door for weaker putters to contend. Fantasy players and bettors should prioritize Tee-to-Green specialists, GIR leaders, and those with strong Par Breaker potential when making their picks this week.

Who to watch for at the Sony Open in Hawaii

Best Bets:

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