The PGA Tour stays in Hawai’i and expands the field for the Sony Open in Hawai’i, which gets underway on Thursday, January 9, at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. For the first time in a few months we’ll have a full field of 144 golfers with the cut rule in place, and 23 players make the trek to Oahu from Maui after competing in last week’s Sentry Tournament of Champions. Justin Thomas swept the Hawai’i Swing in 2017 and can do it again after toppling the field last week in a playoff. J.T. opened as the betting favorite at online sportsbooks and is featured in several matchups. A larger field means more betting opportunities and there are plenty. Visit BookMaker.eu for a complete list of matchup betting odds when you’re ready to place a wager.
Sony Open in Hawai'i Matchup Odds at BookMaker.eu
Russell Henley -101 vs. Scott Piercy -129
Ryan Palmer -122 vs. Emiliano Grillo -108
Carlos Ortiz -103 vs. Russell Knox -127
Alexander Noren +115 vs. Brandt Snedeker -145
Justin Thomas -191 vs. Patrick Reed +151
Hideki Matsuyama -125 vs. Collin Morikawa -105
Brian Stuard -111 vs. Andrew Putnam -119
Brian Harman +105 vs. Sebastian Munoz -135
Corey Conners -126 vs. Marc Leishman -104
Patrick Reed -135 vs. Webb Simpson +105
Brendon Todd +103 vs. JT Poston -133
Justin Thomas -161 vs. Webb Simpson +128
Hideki Matsuyama -154 vs. Matt Kuchar +123
Vaughn Taylor -123 vs. Lanto Griffin -107
Kevin Na +112 vs. Daniel Berger -142
Keegan Bradley -122 vs. Zach Johnson -108
Collin Morikawa -140 vs. Matt Kuchar +110
Cameron Smith +103 vs. Chez Reavie -133
Need to Know
For those who played last week, the Waialae Country Club layout is much different than at Kapalua. At 7,044 yards, the course is short by Tour standards and will require players to club down. By contrast, the Plantation Course played at over 7,500 yards. The shorter yardage puts an emphasis on placement rather than distance, though it is an advantage to have played at the TOC with 15 of the previous 21 Sony Open champs having competed the week prior. Water comes into play on a few holes, but for the most part it’s a manageable course for pros with five of the past seven winners scoring -20 or better. And like last week, wind will certainly be a factor, though the forecast right now calls for calmer conditions. The year started off slowly in my matchups with losers in three of four picks. I did have a big plus-odds win in Xander Schauffele, who upset Jon Rahn at +158 on the betting line. And I probably won’t fade Patrick Cantlay anytime soon. However, he’s not teeing it up this week.
Sony Open in Hawai’i Matchup Picks
Matt Kuchar +123 vs. Hideki Matsuyama
After banging on the door with four straight top-10s, Kuchar broke the damn thing down last year on his way to victory. His form has been inconsistent since, but the results at Waialae are hard to overlook. Besides, we’ve watched Matsuyama struggle here in the past and there’s no indication of that changing this week. This track simply gives Matsuyama fits and I’ll take the defending champ at plus-odds in this matchup.
Webb Simpson +105 vs. Patrick Reed
It was surprising that Simpson sat out last year’s tournament considering the success he’s had. He’s made all nine cuts and finished among the top-20 in each of his last five visits. Simpson stated a reason for his success: “I’m comfortable here. I love playing this golf course.” Simpson has a difficult matchup with Reed, who snuck his way into a playoff last week with a strong short game. But outside influences will take a toll, so Simpson is my pick.
Collin Morikawa -105 vs. Hideki Matsuyama
I went against Patrick Cantlay in two matchups last week and he made me pay for that decision. I can’t do that this week with Cantlay not in the lineup, but another player popped up on the wrong side in a few matchups. As explained above, Matsuyama has had difficulties at Waialae and Morikawa has been as consistent as they come. And Morikawa has ties to the island so his game should be suited for the layout. He was T7 in his Kapalua debut and I expect similar things this week.
Brandt Snedeker -145 vs. Alexander Noren
Snedeker has a way of thriving in difficult conditions and he – along with the rest of the field – is likely to face a stiff breeze a majority of the time. It’s been a while since we’ve seen him on a course, but that doesn’t mean his game has faded. His history at Waialae is another reason why I’m leaning toward him in this matchup. He lost in a playoff in 2016 and placed among the top-20 last year, giving me confidence in his ability to triumph over Noren.
Brian Stuard -111 vs. Andrew Putnam
Another player with a solid history at Waialae, Stuard comes in after playing solidly in the fall. He’s made six of seven cuts here with four top-10s and a nifty scoring average of 67.23. He opened the current season with four finishes among the top-23, including a T10 last time out at the RSM Classic. His fondness for the islands makes him stand out in this matchup.
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