The first full field PGA Tour event takes place this week with the Sony Open in Hawaii and a number of top PGA Tour stars head to the island looking to maintain or better their position in the FedEx Cup rankings.
There are some big tournaments to come in the next few weeks so everyone involved here will be looking for a good finish to either qualify for those or to get themselves in decent form for them.
Recent Winners
2016 – Fabian Gomez
2015 – Jimmy Walker
2014 – Jimmy Walker
2013 – Russell Henley
2012 – Johnson Wagner
2011 – Mark Wilson
2010 – Ryan Palmer
2009 – Zach Johnson
2008 – KJ Choi
2007 – Paul Goydos
The Course
Waialae Country Club is the stunning venue for this tournament once again. The course is a par 70 which stretches to 7,044 yards so it isn’t a long test for most to begin their year with. Three of the holes have undergone some changes so it is slightly different to last year.
There is only one defence for this course and that is with the wind. We are on an island still this week so those competent when the wind blows always get precedent in our picks. Finding the greens in regulation is a big thing here too but the course is fairly mundane off the tee which gives the longer hitters the potential to grip it and rip it.
The Field
Given how early in the year it is you would have to say this is a pretty decent field that has been assembled. Last week’s tournament being in Hawaii too has undoubtedly helped but we have both the defending champion Fabian Gomez and the champion of last week Justin Thomas here.
Jordan Spieth heads the field in terms of the world rankings but Hideki Matsuyama is here too and he isn’t far behind. Former winner Jimmy Walker and the Olympic champion Justin Rose also add quality to this field.
Market Leaders
Jordan Spieth is the ever shortening favourite to win the tournament this week. He is a general 6/1 shot although he did miss the cut on his debut here. He finished strongly last week though and is the man to beat.
Hideki Matsuyama begins the week as a 9/1 poke. The Tournament of Champions runner up has won four of his last six tournaments with the other two seeing him finish second to Justin Thomas. If he was American he’d be talked about as the new Tiger Woods. He shouldn’t be underestimated even at a single figure price.
Justin Thomas is a 16/1 third favourite to land the title this week but he has to buck a trend which doesn’t suit Kapalua winners. That said he has won twice in the last three months now so he has plenty of momentum behind him and can’t be completely ruled out.
Jimmy Walker will be looking for a hattrick of Sony titles and he is 22/1 to win the event again. The USPGA champion loves it around here and can’t be ruled out either. It is 30/1 bar that quartet in what should be a strong betting heat.
Main Bets
I’m going to take three main bets in the tournament this week. The first is on a man who simply has to win a PGA Tour event this season given how close he has been over the last 18 months or so and there is no reason why that can’t be here. That man is Paul Casey.
Casey has been banging the door down for the last season and this could well be the week it opens for him. The Englishman shot a 62 in the opening round here two years ago and he is in much better form now. His all-round game looks in good nick and I think he is a leading player this week.
Pat Perez arrives to this tournament in the form of his life. He won in Mexico earlier in the season and ran hot last week to finish in third position so there is clearly something about the breezy conditions that he likes. With that in mind and the fact that he has eight top 20s in the 13 cuts he has made here I’m happy to take Perez here.
The other main bet is on Chris Kirk who has started the season really well. He has three top 10s on the season already and has a couple of top five finishes around here. He was nowhere last year but his game was in the doldrums then. It clearly isn’t now and with his tee to green proficiency and the quality of his short stick I don’t think Kirk will be far away here either.
Outsiders
I’ll take a couple of shots in the dark over the week too. Soren Kjeldsen has never been one to shy away when the wind blows and given that there are very few genuine chances for him to contend on the PGA Tour this season given his lack of length I expect him to give this one a good go. Conditions should really suit the Dane so I’m prepared to chance him at 100/1.
Johnson Wagner is 150/1 to regain the title. He is a very streaky player but we often see him come back to form on courses he has played well on in the past. This is clearly one such courses. Wagner has already finished third in the Safeway Open this season which highlights what he is capable of and I’ll give him a go at an attractive price.
Tips
Back P.Casey to win Sony Open (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 34.00 with BetVictor (1/4 1-5)
Back him here:
Back C.Kirk to win Sony Open (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 51.00 with Betfred (1/4 1-5)
Back him here:
Back P.Perez to win Sony Open (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 41.00 with Coral (1/4 1-5)
Back him here:
Back S.Kjeldsen to win Sony Open (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 101.00 with Paddy Power (1/5 1-7)
Back J.Wagner to win Sony Open (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 151.00 with Paddy Power (1/5 1-7)
Back them here:
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