Preview: Sony Open in Hawaii

The PGA Tour remains in Hawaii this week for the Sony Open. KJ Choi defends the title but he’ll face stiff competition from a strong field including Ernie Els and Davis Love III.

KJ Choi Sony Open
Fergus Bisset
By
published

Lowdown: The Hawaiian Open has been contested at Waialae CC since 1965 and the list of winners is impressive – Jack Nicklaus, Hale Irwin, Ernie Els and Vijay Singh have all lifted the trophy. Opened for play in 1927, the course has a long and distinguished history. The layout was originally by Seth Raynor and Charles Banks though Desmond Muirhead completed a redesign in 1990. KJ Choi returns to Honolulu to defend the title he won with something to spare in 2008. He’ll be joined by an impressive field including Ernie Els, Davis Love III and Luke Donald.

Venue: Waialae CC, Honolulu, Hawaii Date: January 15-18 Course stats: par 70, 7,060 yards Purse: $5,400,000 Winner: $972,000 Defending champion: KJ Choi (-14)

Betting: Sony Open betting guide

TV coverage: Thursday 15 – Live on Setanta Golf from 11.30pm Friday 16 – Live on Setanta Golf from 11.30pm Saturday 17 – Live on Setanta Golf from 11.30pm Sunday 18 – Live on Setanta Golf from 11.30pm

player watch: Davis Love III – He’s enjoying a return to form as confirmed by a second place at the Mercedes-Benz Championship last week. Ernie Els – “The Big Easy” won this event in consecutive seasons back in 2003 and 2004. He looks to be on the verge or re-entering the winner’s circle. David Toms – Another man on the comeback trail, he too is a past winner at Waialae. Could this be the week he re-finds the winning formula?

Key hole: 13th. The hole used to play as a par-5, but a redesigned forward tee means it can now be used as a supremely testing 475 yard par-4. A fairway bunker on the right has been reshaped to allow more room in the landing area for the drive. In the 2008 tournament this hole ranked as the toughest on course. Skills required: Solid all round game. Of all the courses played on the PGA Tour, Waialae generally ranks somewhere in the middle for difficulty. It’s not a brute but it’s also not a layout that can be taken apart. Expect to see a winning score around the -15 mark. The winner will play strategically from tee to green but will have to enjoy a good putting week on the course’s notoriously tricky, quick, greens.

Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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