Horses for Courses: Sony Open in Hawaii

For the second week in a row the TOUR eases in to the 2022 portion of the season as the scene shifts from the winner's only event last week on Maui to the first field event this week Honolulu.

Imagine returning to work after the holidays but the boss says the new office is in Hawaii.

Yeah, I'm jealous too!

Waialae Country Club serves as the third-oldest host course on TOUR following only Colonial and Pebble Beach so course history is in play in a major way again this week.

Missing fairways will happen as Waialae has some of the most difficult on TOUR to navigate. Large Bermuda greens averaging 7,100 square feet will provide ample recovery targets and won't run hotter than 11 feet on the Stimpmeter. As Rob Bolton has noted, the rough is approaching three inches this week and that will add to the difficulty of controlling recovery shots.

After the undulations and elevation changes of almost 7,600 feet last week, Waialae runs flat against the coast and only stretches 7,044 yards. The Par-70 provides 83 bunkers and waters on five holes and has churned out winning scores of 20-under or better in six of the last nine editions. If the weather is on point, low scores will be required again this week and that's normal. Only Sedgefield (Wyndham) has conceded more rounds of 62 or better in recent memory.

Justin Thomas posted 59 in Round 1 on his way to a record-setting 27-under winning total in 2017. Since then Matt Kuchar signed for 22-under while defending champion Kevin Na racked up 21-under in 2021. Russell Henley won on debut in 2013 by posting 24-under, the record at the time, without ever seeing the course and is the only first-time winner here. Only Thomas and Ernie Els have won both Hawaii events in the same season.

The field of 144 will include 21 players who knocked the rust off at the Plantation Course at Kapalua and that's important. Of the last 23 winners at Waialae, 16 jump-started their seasons at the winner's only event, including seven of the last eight. Cameron Smith won the 2021 event here and was victorious last week on Maui. Thomas, who is not entered this week, and Henley stand out as they are the only 20-something champs in the recent past suggesting that the experienced players can get a jump on their younger counterparts this week.

The first full field event will compete for a purse of $7.5 million with the winner taking home $1.35 million plus adding 500 FedExCup points.

Recent Event Winners Stats

Recent Winners

2021 - Kevin Na (-21, 259)

72nd hole birdie secured his fifth victory on TOUR in his 424th start at age 37. ... First win comes in his 14th start at Waialae. ... Lift, clean and replace in Round 4. ... 61 in Round 3 was tied for the best round of the week. ... Needed only 108 putts. ... Played the back 9 in 14-under. ... Trailed by 5 after 18 and 36 holes. ... Played the final group but was two back after 61. ... Circled 24 birdies and 1 eagle against five bogeys. ... Became sixth winner in last seven to rank inside the top seven in Strokes-Gained: Approach the Green. ... Only winner in the last seven to rank outside T4 in Par-4 Scoring (T6). ... Seventh consecutive winner T6 or better in Birdie-or-Better Conversion Percentage. ... Did not have a top 10 in his previous 12 starts on TOUR.... T38 Sentry the week before.

Notables in the field this week:

Chris Kirk (T2) missed the playoff by a shot with five bogeys and a TRIPLE. ... Marc Leishman (T4) T3 GIR and his worst score was 66. ... Webb Simpson (T4) signed for his third straight T4 or better. ... Brendan Steele (T4) led after 54 holes for the second consecutive edition plus posted 61 in Round 3. ... Billy Horschel (T7) didn't make a bogey until No. 16 on Saturday, his only one of the week. ... 2018 winner Patton Kizzire (T7) opened and closed with 64. ... 2013 champ Russell Henley (T11) picked up his next-best payday since his victory. ... 2020 champion Cameron Smith (T62) could not join Jimmy Walker as winners to defend the title. ... Peter Malnati (T14) and Jason Kokrak (T56) led after 18 holes with 62. ... Round 3 averaged 66.66 and was the easiest round on TOUR since 2003. ... 73 players made the cut and there were only 12 rounds posted above par. ... Harry Higgs (T32) was the only player in the top 40 to sign for an over par round. ... Cut was 4-under. ... 49 bogey free rounds. ... 55 of 73 players to make the cut were 10-under or better. ... Only six events played easier on the season (67.975).

2020 - Cameron Smith (11-under, 269)

Made par on the first playoff hole to win his first individual title on TOUR in his 116th start. ... Won in his fifth start at Sony. ... Previously won with Jonas Blixt at the Zurich Classic. ... Made birdie on the 72nd hole to force a playoff. ... Highest winning score since 2005 as the wind and rain were major factors. ... Began the final round three shots back in the final group. ... Just one back of the 36 hole lead after trailing by five shots after 18. ... Led the field in SG: Putting and co-led with 21 Birdies. ... Only winner in the last seven to not rank in the top seven of SG: TTG (53rd). ... T10 Australian PGA previous event. ... T18 was his best finish in four previous starts.

Notables in the field this week:

Brendan Steele (P2) had a three shot lead in the final group Sunday with Smith after 64 in Round 3, tied lowest round of the week. ... Webb Simpson (3rd) was 3-over thru six holes but T1 with 21 birdies. ... Kevin Kisner (T4) picked up his third top five in five years and posted 64. ... Graeme McDowell (T4) noted wind player closed with 64 in just his second start. ... 2010 winner Texan Ryan Palmer (T4) didn't mind a bit of breeze either. ... Aussie Cam Davis (T9) shared the 36 hole lead with Steele on 6-under. ... Henrik Norlander (T9) picked up his first top 10 in four starts. ... Defending champion Matt Kuchar (69-73) MC. ... Lift, clean and replace all four rounds. ... Just 12 bogey free rounds for the week and zero on Saturday. ... Only three players 10-under or better. ... Cut was 1-over 141. ... Scoring average 70.513.

2019 - Matt Kuchar (22-under, 258)

Won by four to pick up his ninth TOUR win in 430th start at age 40. ... First win at Sony in 14th attempt. ... 100th Top 10 payday on TOUR. ... Led by two entering the final round on 18-under. ... Opened 63-63 to lead by one after 36 holes. ... Led the field in Ball-Striking and GIR. ... 24 birdies (T1) and 1 eagle against just four bogeys. ... Won Mayakoba in November becoming the third winner of that event to win Sony since 2011 (Kizzire 2018, Wagner 2011). ... Sixth consecutive T13 or better at the time at Sony. ... Won at Mayakoba, T23 Australian Open in his previous two starts.

Notables in the field this week:

Andrew Putnam (2nd) played in the final group after opening with 62 and playing 54 holes 16-under. ... Corey Conners (T3) closed 64-64 and also circled 24 birdies. ... Marc Leishman (T3) also posted two rounds of 64. ... Chez Reavie (T3) second top 10 in three visits; 61 in 2017. ... Hudson Swafford (T3) third top 10 in his first six starts. ... Charles Howell III (T8) has never MC or won this event and is the all-time money leader. ... Brian Stuard (T8) was picks up third top 10 in seven starts. ... Sung Kang (T10) closed 65-64 for his only MADE CUT in seven career starts to this day. ... Defending champ Patton Kizzire (T13) posted all four rounds in the red. ... Adam Svensson (T43) fired 61, lowest round of the week, to lead after 18. ... Stewart Cink (T20) posted 62 in Round 2. ... Cut 2-under 138. ... Only four rounds in the top 32 OVER par. ... Top 28 players 10-under or better. ... 29 bogey free rounds. ... 68.920 scoring average.

Key stat leaders

Top golfers in each statistic on the 2020-2021 PGA TOUR are listed only if they are scheduled to compete this week.

Horses for Courses: Sony Open in Hawaii