It was so good to have PGA Tour golf back last week.
Cameron Smith outlasted a loaded leaderboard, including World No. 1 Jon Rahm, to capture his second win in Hawaii (Sony Open 2020).
This week, the boys are still in Hawaii for the Sony Open for the first full-field event of the new calendar year. Kevin Na took home the trophy last season and is once again in the field coming off a T-13 performance last week in Maui.
Smith has opened as the betting favorite at +1000. Bryson DeChambeau, who was originally in the field, has withdrawn from the event due to a wrist injury.
Course
Waialae Country Club
Par 70
7,044 yards
Seth Raynor design, Tom Doak restoration (2017)
Bermuda greens
Weather
| Day | Conditions | Percent chance of rain | Wind & Direction |
| Tuesday | Partly Cloudy | 2 percent | 15 MPH (NNE) |
| Wednesday | Partly Cloudy | 10 percent | 8 MPH (ENE) |
| Thursday | Mostly Sunny | 13 percent | 9 MPH (NE) |
| Friday | Partly Cloudy | 11 percent | 6 MPH (W) |
| Saturday | Sunny | 6 percent | 8 MPH (NE) |
| Sunday | Sunny | 10 percent | 10 MPH (ENE) |
Key stats
SG: Putting: Na was the first winner of the Sony since 2014 to not rank inside the top six in SG: Putting for the week. Have to roll the rock around this track.
SG: Approach: Five of the last six winners at Waialae have ranked inside the top 10 in SG: APP, with Smith being the lone outlier (ranked 53rd).
Data Golf information
Course Fit (compares golf courses based on the degree to which different golfer attributes — such as driving distance — to predict who performs well at each course – DataGolf): 1. LaCantera GC, 2. Harbour Town Golf Links, 3. TPC Sugarloaf
Percent chance to win (based on course history, fit, trending, etc.): 1. Cameron Smith (8.2 percent), 2. Sungjae Im (5.2 percent), 3. Webb Simpson (4.2 percent)
Betting odds
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds a full list.
| Player | Odds |
| Cameron Smith | (+1000) |
| Webb Simpson | (+1500) |
| Sungjae Im | (+1500) |
| Marc Leishman | (+2000) |
| Hideki Matsuyama | (+2000) |
| Corey Conners | (+2000) |
| Kevin Na | (+3000) |
| Russell Henley | (+3000) |
| Abraham Ancer | (+3000) |
| Talor Gooch | (+3000) |
Betting card for the Sony Open
Last week’s results (Sentry Tournament of Champions)
Jordan Spieth – Top 10: Miss
Xander Schauffele – Top 5: Miss
Justin Thomas – Top 5: Hit, +155
Sungjae Im – Top 10: Hit, +140
+.95 units for the week
Corey Conners – Top 20 (+130)
Corey Conners prepares to putt on the first hole during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge on March 07, 2021, in Orlando, Florida. (Photo: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
It’s hard to believe we can get this guy for plus odds for a top 20, so we have to take it. Conners has played well here recently with a T-12 in 2020, and a T-3 in 2019.
He hasn’t played much this season with his last appearance coming at the RSM Classic in November. However, Data Golf has Conners ranked fifth in their CH index (average strokes-gained at the course). It’s a comfy fit for the Canadian, expect him to play well.
Charles Howell III – Top 20 (+220)
Charles Howell III hits his tee shot on the 2nd hole during the first round of The Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Photo: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports)
There’s not much to say for this pick, let’s just take a look at this tweet from Justin Ray.
Charles Howell III career at the Sony Open
20 starts
20 made cuts
10 top 10s
$3M earned
59 rounds in the 60s
190-under-par— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) January 11, 2022
Howell has three straight top 20s in Honolulu.
Kevin Kisner – Top 20 (+162)
Justin Thomas, an Alabama alum, makes Kevin Kisner, a Georgia alum, make good on his bet to wear an Alabama jersey after the Tide beat the Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff National Championship during the 2018 Sony Open at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo: Cal Sport Media via AP Images)
You’re going to tell me Georgia’s national championship win isn’t going to affect Kiz in the best way possible this week? Dude’s on cloud 9 and will be buzzing on and off the course. And, his approach play seemed to be back last week in Maui.
He struggled mightily last season with the blades, but his T-8 performance at the TOC is quite literally the best he could have done at that golf course, as he doesn’t have the length to keep up at the monster that is the Plantation Course.
He’s finished T-4 here twice in recent memory (2017, 2020), and loves Bermuda greens. Let’s ride with the Bulldog.
Russell Henley – Top 20 (+162)
Russell Henley of the United States lines up a putt on the 17th green during the third round of the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba on El Camaleon golf course on November 06, 2021, in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Henley is a past champion of this event, winning all the way back in 2013. His results since have been a mixed bag, however, he does have three top 20s since 2015.
With the soft conditions expected at Waialae, Henley’s driving accuracy will be even more important as he’s found the short grass 69.93 percent of the time this season (17th on Tour). He also ranks fourth in Strokes Gained: Approach on Tour.