A full field in paradise!
Read more: Sony Open in Hawaii 2024 PreviewSony Open in Hawaii
Waialae Country Club
Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii
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My Venmo – @Mike-Glasscott
Welcome to 2024 and the new season.
For those of you who are just arriving for the first time, here’s what’s going on:
Please read the stuff above for the total experience.
Information changes from Sunday to Wednesday morning. If there is anything new/exciting/pertinent, I’ll add it in here.
This column is me. My thoughts, my humor, my fun, my opinions. I’m not here for grammar lessons, suggestions, or to charge you.
So shut up, keep up, and enjoy it.
If you have any questions, reach out.
Chalk (via Bet365.com)
My thoughts on the top players for betting purposes:
Ludvig Aberg (+1600): Started the week as the favorite, wasn’t the favorite Tuesday night, is the favorite again Wednesday morning. Posting 29-under at The RSM Classic is still ridiculous to type. Struggled in all phases last week but that won’t follow him to this flat walk. Get on him in live action after a bogey or two and get better odds!
Matt Fitzpatrick (+1800): Navigated a demanding Harbour Town last spring and won on the links of Scotland last fall. Like Aberg and Hatton, first-time participant at the event. No European or English or Brexit or or or has ever won this event.
Tyrrell Hatton (+1800): Same T14 as Fitzpatrick last week but did so with 62 (-11) in Round 2. Didn’t seemed pleased with much of anything so he’s in mid-season form. The argument for splitting the British duo can be made in his favor from the SG department. The counter would be he hasn’t won in three years anywhere in the world. Gambling!
Russell Henley (+2000): Winner 2013, P2 2022, and six of his 11 appearances are T32 or better.
Brian Harman (+2000): T5 last week in one of the biggest ballparks on TOUR. Weirdly, he’s posted only one top-10 result in 12 previous starts here (T4 2018).
JT Poston (+2500): Proven quantity in shootouts on either Bermuda or Bent. The fairway finder will be his key this week because the putter doesn’t take weeks off.
Chris Kirk (+2500): I’m not sure if he’s in the Ernie Els/Justin Thomas category. He will get a chance to prove me wrong. I’d chuck a tenner on him for a top 10 just in case.
Corey Conners (+2500): Ticks too many of the boxes for me this week. Win ticket.
NOW PLAYING:
| Host Course | Waialae Country Club. |
| Yards (per official scorecard): | 7,044. |
| Par: | 70 (35-35) |
| Greens: | TifEagle Bermuda; 7,100 square feet on average. |
| Stimpmeter: | 11 feet. |
| Rough: | Celebration Bermuda at almost three inches inches. |
| Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play | 83/4/5. |
| Architect(s): | Seth Raynor (1927). |
| Defending Champion (event): | Si Woo Kim (-18). |
| Multiple Champion(s) Entered: | None. |
| Course Record (last): | 59; Justin Thomas (Round 1, 2017). |
| 72 Hole Tournament Record (last): | 253 (-27); Justin Thomas (2017). |
| Fact of the Week: | Waialae CC has hosted every event played since 1965 (no event 1970 anywhere). |
| Fact of the Week II: | Only two of the last 10 winners did NOT play at Kapalua the previous week. |
Notes:
- Field of 144.
- Welcome to 13 of the 30 KFT graduates (10 others are alternates) and five of the 10 DP World Tour players who are eligible.
- The OWGR is represented by 22 of the top 50.
- Top 65 and ties will make the cut and play the weekend.
- $8.3 million – $1.494 million – 500 FedExCup points – Sentry and Masters ticket punched.
Season Winners
2023 Season Winners
Italics – not entered
| Event | Winner |
| Sentry Tournament of Champions | Jon Rahm |
| Sony Open in Hawaii | Si Woo Kim |
| The AMERICAN EXPRESS | Jon Rahm (2) |
| Farmers Insurance Open | Max Homa (2) |
| AT&T Pebble Beach | Justin Rose |
| WM Phoenix Open | Scottie Scheffler |
| The Genesis Invitational | Jon Rahm (3) |
| The Honda Classic | Chris Kirk |
| Arnold Palmer Invitational | Kurt Kitayama (first TOUR win) |
| THE PLAYERS Championship | Scottie Scheffler (2) |
| Valspar Championship | Taylor Moore (first TOUR win) |
| Corales Puntacana | Matt Wallace (first TOUR win) |
| WGC – Dell Technologies MP | Sam Burns |
| Valero Texas Open | Corey Conners |
| Masters | Jon Rahm (4) |
| RBC Heritage | Matt Fitzpatrick |
| Zurich Classic of New Orleans | Davis Riley & Nick Hardy (first TOUR win for each) |
| Mexico Open at Vidanta | Tony Finau (2) |
| Wells Fargo Championship | Wyndham Clark (first TOUR win) |
| AT&T Byron Nelson | Jason Day |
| PGA Championship | Brooks Koepka |
| Charles Schwab Challenge | Emiliano Grillo |
| Memorial | Viktor Hovland |
| RBC Canadian Open | Nick Taylor |
| U.S. Open | Wyndham Clark (2) |
| Travelers Championship | Keegan Bradley (2) |
| Rocket Mortgage Classic | Rickie Fowler |
| John Deere Classic | Sepp Straka |
| Genesis Scottish Open | Rory McIlroy (2) |
| The Open Championship | Brian Harman |
| 3M Open | Lee Hodges (first TOUR win) |
| Wyndham Championship | Lucas Glover |
| FedEx St. Jude Championship | Lucas Glover (2) |
| BMW Championship | Viktor Hovland (2) |
| TOUR Championship | Viktor Hovland (3) |
| Fortinet Championship | Sahith Theegala |
| Sanderson Farms Championship | Luke List |
| Shriners Children’s Open | Tom Kim |
| ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP | Collin Morikawa |
| World Wide Technology | Erik van Rooyen |
| Butterfield Bermuda | Camilo Villegas |
| The RSM Classic | Ludvig Aberg |
2024 Season Winners
Italics – not entered
| Event | Winner |
| The Sentry | Chris Kirk |
| Sony Open in Hawaii | |
| The American Express | |
| Farmers Insurance Open |
Recent Winners – Sony Open in Hawaii
Italics – not entered this week.
| Year | Winner | Notes |
| 2023 | Si Woo Kim (-18) | Shot 64 on Sunday to make up a three-shot deficit and knock out 54-hole leader Hayden Buckley by a shot. |
| 2022 | Hideki Matsuyama (-23) | Won a playoff over 54-hole leader and 2013 winner Russell Henley. |
| 2021 | Kevin Na (-21) | Shot 61 in Round 3 and held on to beat Chris Kirk by one. |
| 2020 | Cameron Smith (-11) | Matched the second highest winning score since 2000. Rain and windy conditions all weekend. |
| 2019 | Matt Kuchar (-22) | Won comfortably by four over Andrew Putnam. |
| 2018 | Patton Kizzire (-17) | Needed a playoff to win in just his second visit. |
Angles
Waialae Country Club stretches to just 7,044 yards, one of the shortest courses on TOUR, and plays to Par-70.
The last ten victors have produced winning scores of 17-under or better nine times.
Of the last 10 winners, eight played the week prior at Kapalua.
Bermudagrass fairways, rough, and greens are in play again this week.
With greens averaging 7,100 square feet, Waialae ranks near the top of the largest putting surfaces on TOUR.
Bermuda rough is approaching three inches this week after a deluge on Monday.
Experienced players flourished in this event from 1997 through 2019. All but three winners were under the age of 30. Over the last four years, only one winner has eclipsed that mark. If you’re good enough, you’re old enough.
The course record, 59, was set in 2017 by Justin Thomas (not entered), in Round 1. He would go on to win and smash the tournament scoring record by three shots as he posted 253 (-27).
The last four champions have represented the International team in the Presidents Cup.
The last five winners have needed four or more previous attempts.
The field of 144 contains 22 of the top 50 OWGR.
Players to consider for Top 10, Top 20, or Top 40 action:
Eric Cole: Doesn’t gain many strokes off the tee but sits 19th in SG: Approach and 13th in SG: Putting.
Matt Kuchar: The 2019 champ sits fourth on the all-time money list and was T7 the last two years.
J.J. Spaun: Making 10 consecutive cuts, he’s producedT13 or better in three of his last five on TOUR.
Nick Taylor: I’m always looking to ride the trend, and the Canadian has cashed T32, T11, and T7 in 2023 in his last three here.
Taylor Montgomery: T8 last time out at The RSM Classic and T12 on debut here last year.
Austin Eckroat: The 54-hole leader last year finished second after T12 on debut in 2022.
Takumi Kanaya: Posting top-10 paydays in four of his last five on the Japan Tour, he will get another chance as a sponsor’s exemption this week.
Kevin Kisner: The television announcer try-out has ended. He returns to an event where he’s cashed T4-T32-T3 in his last three visits.
One and Done
I’ll be joining Spotter’s game again this season. Now, where did I put my checkbook…
35 events.
1 player per event (plus a backup pick if your guy gets kidnapped on Wednesday night and doesn’t make it to the first tee Thursday).
1 use per year.
Add up the total money, and Spotter is yer uncle!
| Event | Selection | Earnings |
| The Sentry | Collin Morikawa | $690,500 |
| Sony Open in Hawaii | ||
| The American Express | ||
| Farmers Insurance Open |
His game has more fun stuff to it, so reach out @A340Spotter on Twitter or A340Spotter@comcast.com for more details and to join.
The second stop on The Opening Drive in Hawaii takes the TOUR to a familiar stop. Waialae has followed Kapalua in every edition since 1999.
Two major differences this week:
- No Cut
- Field of 144 players
This is not the time to fall in love, but if you had a big week last week (Theegala, Spieth, or a top-five selection) you absolutely can gamble.
The game has completely changed with the additional money added this year.
Winning $1.5 million this week is great, but that’s almost third place for a major, FedExCup Playoff event, THE PLAYERS, or seven more Signature Events.
If you’re one of those folks who plan out all your plays before the season, fantastic.
My approach is more art than science. There’s an old saying that guys peak for six to eight weeks annually. I’m trying to use that angle. I’m also a student of history. I will take in past victories, top finishes, trends, and even flippings of coins.
Last Week – The Sentry
MY CHOICE: Collin Morikawa – T5
One bogey gang. Not enough. #PickBetterGolfers
Others to consider/fade
Max Homa – Too many events in SoCal for me to use this week. He will defend at Torrey Pines, and Riviera is his personal open. I won’t talk YOU out of him, though. Posting four rounds in the 60s for 22-under didn’t even garner a top 10 (T14).
Xander Schauffele – Should interest the course historians at Kapalua, but the rust bothers ME. You gotta do you. I’ll save him for the U.S. Open or East Lake (if your game uses that event). Considering he played once in the fall, T10 (-24) was a decent haul.
Patrick Cantlay – Another quirk of mine is playing guys where they have won before. Memorial is his jam. Didn’t sign for anything worse than 5-under 68. That also wasn’t good enough to secure a top-10 payday (T12). Amazing.
Jordan Spieth – New folks, it’s either Augusta or Colonial for me. Maybe Pebble. Made a double on his third hole of the week. His next bogey came on his third to last hole. Making 435 feet of putts to lead the field didn’t hurt! T3.
Remember, not playing a guy is OK. There are 14 more chances to use them in BIG EVENTS this season. Of the top 25 OWGR, 21 are in this week. It should be difficult. It will be difficult all season.
Longshots
Sungjae Im – The best of three starts was his debut. He has gone in the wrong direction since. That direction included another top 10 plus solo 12th. Coming off his first season in five without a podium finish doesn’t inspire, but he knows his way around tee to green. The Korean set the PGA TOUR record for birdies in an event with 34. Sadly, he also shot 73 in Round 3. T5 with 73 is amazing. Bravo! He made more birdies than Pars (30). Hahahahahahaha.
Sahith Theegala – Free roll. Winner at Fortinet in September. ELITE putter who finished 33rd of 38 last year on these greens. He won’t do that again, promise! I guess I should have used one of these two LONG SHOTS, eh? Solo Second and $2.16 million.
This Week – Sony Open in Hawaii
MY CHOICE: Corey Conners
The last four winners have been his teammates on the Presidents Cup team. The last four winners have needed four previous attempts before hoisting the trophy. Hitting it great last week on approach, he was first or second Strokes-Gained in an elite field. Make a couple more putts this week, and we’re good.
Considerations
Eric Cole: Tough lay down this week. His form and function have been firing for months. Just a matter of preference.
Russell Henley: I won’t talk you out of him this week, but I prefer him on a tough ball-striking layout. Hairs split.
J.T. Poston: It shouldn’t be surprising that this is most of my lineup in Expert Picks.
Matt Kuchar: Nobody in the field this week has done it better at Waialae. It’s here or Harbour Town if you’re gonna ride. #ShorterTheBetter. If Conners is a WD, Kuchar goes in.
Hideki Matsuyama: Dead last in putting last week. Needed the best-putting numbers of his life to win this (his only top 10) two years ago. Careful.
Will Zalatoris: Hard to saddle a guy after 81 and 79 in his last official outing. Be patient.
Longshots
J.J. Spaun: I prefer him on Poa, but he’s been super consistent recently.
Chan Kim: Hawaiian native lit up the KFT late and has plenty of experience in the Pacific Rim.
Glass Houses 