Power Rankings: Sony Open in Hawaii

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Debate is waged annually over a relevant beginning of the PGA TOUR season. Officially, last week's Hyundai Tournament of Champions was the lid-lifter. Roughly 10-20 years ago, some argued that the Florida Swing was the target. However, for all intents and purposes to the majority of the membership, this week's Sony Open in Hawaii was the event circled as the starting block when the 2011 schedule was released in early December. And it's a doozy.

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Waialae Country Club hosts the first full-field, open event of the year. With 144 ready to go on Thursday, including 26 rookies (as of Monday afternoon), all systems are go. Now. End of discussion.

The flat track, which first started its run on TOUR in 1965, is historically defended by unrelenting winds along the ocean. It's a trend that will continue this week, as gusts are expected to approach 30 mph before the cut. Wet conditions all week will keep greens receptive, which is a welcome benefit given that Waialae ranked as the toughest course in fairways hit (47.17 percent) in all of 2010. It was also 11th-most difficult in putting. Therefore, ball-strikers and veterans that seemingly have an eye for the course should populate the final leaderboard.

Power Rankings: Sony Open in Hawaii

Rank Player   Comment Steve STRICKER Three top-four paydays in his last four starts at Waialae. Faded to a tie for fourth place at Kapalua after sharing the 54-hole lead. Ranked 30th on TOUR in 2010 in fairways hits, and 12th in putting. Jim FURYK The 1996 winner and reigning FedExCup champion returns to the Sony for the first time since 2008. He has five top 10s in this event. Coming off a T9 at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. Robert ALLENBY This busy bee -- six starts post-Fall Series -- fits the mold of what it takes to bring Waialae to its knees. His runner-up finish last year was his third top 10 at the event in his last five starts. Carl PETTERSSON Led the field at Kapalua en route to a surprising tie for fourth. Despite his below-average accuracy off the tee, he has three top 25s in his last six starts at Waialae, including a T5 a year ago. Charles HOWELL III One of the TOUR's worst in terms of driving accuracy is an incredible 9-for-9 at this event, with five top-fives. Sitting fifth on the tournament's all-time money list, he's highest among those that have never won. Tim CLARK Coming off a T17 at the Hyundai, which he closed with a bogey-free 68 on Sunday. Two top 25s in as many starts at the Sony. Ranked fourth in 2010 in accuracy off the tee, and 35th in putting. Ernie ELS Two-time Sony winner (2003, 2004) has five career top 10s here. Finished T12 last year. His disappointing T17 at the Hyundai featured a bogey-free 64 on Friday. And he won in his previous start (South African Open). K.J. CHOI The 2008 Sony champ has five top 15s here, including a run of four straight that ended in 2009. An improved game with his putter in 2010 led to a rebound from a poor 2009, and will serve him well again this week. Jonathan BYRD For an above-average ball-striker that was once one of the TOUR's best putters, his record here is atrocious -- zero top 20s in six appearances -- but he's won his last two starts and had just three bogeys all week at Kapalua. Spencer LEVIN Ended 2010 with consecutive career-best finishes (T4, JT Shriners; T3, Disney). Posted a T25 at last year's Sony, placing T3 in greens hit and swallowing just six bogeys (nothing worse) all week.