2007 Sony Open in Hawaii: Pre-tournament notes
 
Jan. 9, 2007

David Toms' five-stroke victory in 2006 was largest at Sony Open in Hawaii since Paul Azinger won by seven over Stuart Appleby in 2000.

• David Toms posted his career low on the PGA TOUR in the third round with a 9-under-par 61 during Saturday's third round. Toms' previous low was 62 in the third round of the 2001 Verizon Byron Nelson Classic. The 61 set the current course record at Waialae CC (since the configuration was changed to a par-70 in 1999), breaking the 62 set by John Cook in 2002 and later tied by Steve Allan (2004), Frank Lickliter II (2004) and Ernie Els (2005). Davis Love III posted a 12-under-par 60 in 1994 when the par was 72.

• The Driving Accuracy percentage for the field in the 2006 Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Country Club was a TOUR low 43.66%. Jim Furyk led the field with Driving Accuracy of 67.86%. That figure tied Jeff Sluman at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot CC for the lowest Driving Accuracy percentage for the category leader in 2006.

Five Toughest Rounds Since '99
Waialae Country Club
Year Round Scoring Average
2006 1 71.917
1999 2 71.868
2005 1 71.813
2000 3 71.568
2002 1 71.361

• The first round of the 2006 Sony Open in Hawaii was the most difficult at the tournament since the course was changed to a par 70 in 1999.

• Three rookies finished inside the top-10 in their first starts of the 2006 season -- Bubba Watson (4th), Nathan Green (5th) and J.B. Holmes (T10). Will this year's rookie class be able to top that figure?

• Along with his nine top-10s in 10 Hawaiian starts, Ernie Els has a Hawaiian Scoring Average of 67.70 (68.70 at the Mercedes-Benz Championship and 66.70 at the Sony Open in Hawaii) and has posted a combined 39 of 40 rounds in Hawaii at par or better (20-20 at Mercedes-Benz Championship and 19-20 at Sony Open in Hawaii). Of those rounds, 17 of the 20 at Kapalua and 18 of 20 in Honolulu are sub-par rounds.

• Players who hold/share the third-round lead at the Sony Open in Hawaii have gone on to win 20 of the 41 times this tournament has gone all 72 holes. The last to do so was David Toms in 2006, who was tied with Chad Campbell, before defeating Campbell and Sabbatini by five.

• David Toms is looking to become the first player since Ernie Els (2004-05) to defend his title at the Sony Open in Hawaii.

• Back-to-Back Sony Open in Hawaii Champions: Hubert Green, 1978-79; Corey Pavin, 1986-87; Ernie Els, 2004-05.

• Two-time Sony Open in Hawaii Champions: Hubert Green, 1978-79; Corey Pavin, 1986-87; Ernie Els, 2004-05; Lanny Wadkins, 1988, 1991.

• The last time a player shot an over-par round at the Sony Open in Hawaii and went on to win was in 1987, when Corey Pavin followed his 7-under 65 in the first round with a second-round, 3-over 75. Pavin recovered on the weekend to shoot 66-64 and then defeat Craig Stadler in a playoff. No player in the history of the tournament?all played at Waialae Country Club?has ever shot two over-par rounds and still won. Interestingly, the four players who did shoot overpar rounds and won all captured their titles in playoffs. Here are the winners who have escaped with victory despite shooting an over-par round: Gay Brewer (1965, 74 in Rd. 1); Dudley Wysong (1967, 73 in Rd. 4); Grier Jones (1972, 73 in Rd. 2); Corey Pavin (1987, 75 in Rd. 2).