Groups we're watching: Sony

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All times eastern

Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh and Kenny Perry
Tee time: 12:40 p.m. ET
Total TOUR wins: 53
Why you should watch: You mean aside from the fact that they've combined for 53 TOUR victories? Furyk and Singh represent one-fourth of our Expert Picks for the tournament -- and with good reason. Furyk has made 11 of 12 cuts here, including a victory in 1996.

Singh finished T12 last week at Kapalua amid questions about what was wrong. Will his putter come around? If so, it could be a rough week for the rest of the field.

Perry, meanwhile, is coming off a 2007 season that saw him card nine top-25 finishes and 18 cuts made in 24 events.

Ron Whittaker, Justin Bolli, Cody Freeman
Tee time: 1:30 p.m. ET
Total TOUR wins: 0
Why you should watch: There are a total of 24 Nationwide Tour graduates and four PGA TOUR rookies in the field this week at the Sony Open in Hawaii. This group crystalizes that new breed.

Whittaker and Bolli enter this tournament after getting promotions from the Nationwide Tour. Whittaker finished 11th on the Nationwide Tour money list in 2007 after posting 11 top-25 finishes in 27 events, including a win at the Chattanooga Classic presented by Black Creek in October. Bolli was eighth on the Nationwide Tour money list last year. He won the Northeast Pennsylvania Classic in August.

Freeman, for those not in the know, is a lefty from Grove, Okla. He fired a remarkable nine-birdie 64 in round 5 to move into position to secure his card. He played the final four holes in two-under to finish at 17 under.

Tim Wilkinson, Scott Sterling, Tadd Fujikawa
Tee time: 2 p.m. ET
Total TOUR wins: 0
Why you should watch: Fujikawa could be worth the price of admission alone. Don't believe us? Ask anyone who saw his eagle on No. 18 in the second round of last year's Sony Open in Hawaii to make the cut. The effort made him the second-youngest player in 50 years to make a PGA TOUR cut and went on to tie for 20th place. Had he been a pro at the time, he would have had a payday of approximately $50,000. He officially turned pro on July 12, 2007.

Sterling comes to Waialae after graduating from the Nationwide Tour. On his 121st Nationwide Tour start, he won the Jacob's Creek Open Championship. The veteran finished the year strongly with two top-25s in his last three starts. On the PGA TOUR, he played in the 2006 FedEx St. Jude Classic. He finished tied for 38th.

Wilkinson got his TOUR card after finishing 14th at q-school. has also played on the Australasian Tour and won the 2000 New Zealand Amateur Championship. He made only two bogeys in the final two rounds to secure his PGA TOUR card. He rallied after opening with a 73 at Crooked Cat in round 1 and took revenge on the course with a pair of 68s later in the week.

Steve Stricker, Mark Wilson and Fred Funk
Tee time: 5:10 p.m. ET
Total TOUR wins: 13
Why you should watch: Stricker is the hottest player on TOUR not named Tiger Woods. He shot an incredible 9-under-par 64 at Kapalua on Sunday, knocking in a 12-foot birdie on the final hole to get into an unlikely playoff with Daniel Chopra. Funk, meanwhile, is continuing his march twoard $2 million in earnings on both the Champions Tour and PGA TOUR.

Speaking of playoffs, Wilson won The Honda Classic early last season in a playoff. After that, he put together a season that netted him a 27th-place finish in the inaugural FedExCup standings.