{"id":16220,"date":"2026-01-12T06:54:25","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T06:54:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.betspertsgolf.com\/raw-forum\/?post_type=article&p=16220"},"modified":"2026-01-12T16:29:02","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T16:29:02","slug":"the-sony-open-at-waialae-country-club-2026-preview","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/api.betspertsgolf.com\/raw-forum\/article\/the-sony-open-at-waialae-country-club-2026-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"The Sony Open at Waialae Country Club – 2026 Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"

With The Sentry<\/em> absent from the 2026 schedule, the Sony Open at the venerable Waialae Country Club in Honolulu stands as the first official tournament of the PGA Tour season. Having rewarded shot-makers for more than six decades, champions such as Jack Nicklaus<\/a>, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino<\/a>, and Ben Crenshaw have all triumphed here, underscoring a course that continues to withstand the test of time. Hosting the Sony Open since 1965, Waialae is the third-oldest continuously used venue on Tour, trailing only Colonial Country Club and Pebble Beach Golf Links. Unfortunately, if new PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp has his way, that streak might be ending. Rolapp has openly discussed adding \u201csimplicity\u201d and \u201cscarcity\u201d to the schedule with rumors abounding that the 2027 PGA season might not begin until after the Super Bowl.<\/p>\r\n

Waialae CC is a classic par-70 layout that is distinguished by its narrow corridors, sharp doglegs, unpredictable Bermuda rough, and firm greens. It is a positional track that has effectively neutralized any advantages held by bombers off the tee. With the potential for trade winds to swirl, this week is about strategy, position, and accuracy on a tight and flat course. In the words of Kevin Kisner<\/a>, “I like that it’s a shot-maker’s golf course. It\u2019s a shorter, ball-striker\u2019s paradise. You’ve got to play to certain spots. I think it’s Point A to Point B and make some putts.” This is why we typically see the same type of player (shorter-hitting ball-striker with a quality short game) succeed here year after year.<\/p>\r\n

While not a complete birdie-fest, the average winning score over the past five tournaments has been -19, ranking as the ninth easiest annual course on the PGA Tour. It\u2019s a course where quality shots can lead to birdies on almost every hole. But if you are in the rough or out of position, scrambling for par can be a challenge. It is also the fifth-most predictive course on the schedule. Those who have a successful track record at Waialae tend to contend here on a yearly basis.<\/p>\r\n

The Field<\/h2>\r\n

\"\"<\/p>\r\n

With numerous tournament champions from 2025 not able to start their year at The Sentry<\/em> as planned, this will be one of the strongest Sony Open fields ever with seven of the top 17 and 26 of the top 60 in the Official World Golf Rankings in attendance. The main headliners include Russell Henley<\/a>, Ben Griffin<\/span>, J.J. Spaun<\/span>, Robert MacIntyre<\/span>, Keegan Bradley<\/span>, Collin Morikawa<\/span>, Hideki Matsuyama<\/a>, and Jordan Spieth<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It is also set to be a significant week for players who earned their PGA Tour cards via the DP World Tour in 2025, with seven of the 10 graduates teeing it up. Dan Brown secured his PGA Tour playing rights after Laurie Canter<\/span> joined LIV Golf at the end of December. The remaining DP World Tour graduates in the field are Haotong Li<\/span>, Keita Nakajima<\/span>, John Parry<\/span>, Kristoffer Reitan<\/span>, Adrien Saddier<\/span>, and Jordan Smith.<\/p>\r\n

Other notables in the field include Brian Harman<\/a>, Corey Conners<\/a>, Maverick McNealy<\/span>, Chris Gotterup<\/span>, Aaron Rai<\/span>, Si Woo Kim<\/span>, and last year’s Sony Open winner, Nick Taylor<\/span>.<\/span> One notable change to this year\u2019s tournament\u2014one that will unfortunately be seen throughout much of the PGA Tour schedule\u2014is a reduced field of just 120 players, down from the traditional 144.<\/p>\r\n

The purse is $9,100,000 with a winner’s share north of $1.5 million. FedEx Cup points earned will go toward the Aon Swing 5, the path to the next signature event, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.<\/p>\r\n

Waialae CC – Course History<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Completed in 1926 by legendary architect, Seth Raynor, the course, at what is now Waialae Country Club was first opened in 1927. Raynor was known for designing courses with exceptional routing that made players think their way around the property. It has many of the same characteristics as the classical “Golden Age” of golf courses. Almost every other hole faces a different direction, forcing players to shape their shots and account for the wind at all times.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Raynor’s mentor and friend was the legendary course designer Charles Blair Macdonald. Many of the courses Raynor designed were influenced by Macdonald’s thoughts and ideas. He also incorporated elements from Scottish links-style courses that forced golfers to be creative shot-makers and to think their way around the property.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Unfortunately, Raynor passed away from pneumonia in 1926 just after completing Waialae. Originally named “The Royal Hawaiian Hotel and Waialae Golf Course”, it was built by the Territorial Hotel Company as part of a promotional program to develop luxury travel trade to Hawaii. And much like resort courses today, it was meant to be used by anyone staying at the hotel. Then in 1930, a collection of players at the course decided to designate it as an exclusive club and the name was changed to Waialae Country Club.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

In the years after the Great Depression during the 1930s, business started to dramatically slow due to people not being able to afford to travel to vacation spots. When a fire destroyed portions of the clubhouse in 1941, it was decided that major renovations were needed. It was slow at first because parts of the course were used to aid the military during World War 2, but in the years after things started to progress. Amenities were added and certain holes were moved and redesigned in the early 1960s.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

By 1965, Waialae Country Club was ready to host a PGA Tour event. The first Hawaiian Open on the PGA Tour was held at the course in November 1965. Since then, a PGA Tour event has been held here every year except for 1970. Over time there have been numerous minor renovations to the course led by numerous architects including Robert Trent Jones, Desmond Muirhead, Rick Smith, and Tom Doak.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Finish Position and Strokes Gained History at Waialae CC (2016-2025)<\/h2>\r\n

This includes the average finish position and Strokes Gained per round since 2016 for each of the categories. Players are sorted by SG: Total. Waialae CC is the 5th most predictive annual course on Tour.<\/em><\/p>\r\n

\"\"\"\"<\/p>\r\n

\"\"\"\"\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Course Features<\/h2>\r\n

\"\"<\/p>\r\n

Waialae Country Club is a shorter par 70 track measuring 7,044 yards and is the 12th shortest course on Tour. Tucked away to the east of the sprawling city of Honolulu, the course only has a couple of holes bordering the ocean. A majority of the holes are hundreds of yards inland and are somewhat protected from the trade winds by the palm-tree-lined fairways.<\/p>\r\n

Waialae is a tight, flat, technical, coastal track that tends to favor shorter more accurate hitters who are creative both in their strategy and shot-making skills. While those types have had great success here, bigger hitters have the potential to cut across some of the doglegs and can shorten the course even further. Overall, however, the power game has mostly proven fruitless as bombers who cut corners and end up in the Bermuda rough will have to deal with “fliers” jumping out of the thick grass on approach. And this year’s version of the Sony Open will have longest rough in recent memory at 3.5″. Because the big hitters have a minimal advantage, Waialae does a great job of leveling the field.<\/p>\r\n

The routing of the layout is excellent. The course features one of the highest amounts of dogleg holes on Tour. Raynor designed it to not favor one ball-flight type over the other as there is an equal mix of holes that bend in both directions. The variety of tee-to-green routing forces players to think and plot their way around the course. There is, however, more “trouble” areas when missing to the left of the fairway. Individual players’ “Left Tendency” and “Right Tendency”\u00a0 off the tee were just added to the Rabbit Hole<\/a> and make for a great resource on a weekly basis.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\r\n

Depending on recent precipitation, Waialae tends to play fast and firm. While it does have tight tree-lined corridors, the fairways are the 10th widest on Tour at an average of 36.5 yards across. Nevertheless, because the course typically plays firm and the angles are so tight, hitting fairways is at a premium. Drives landing in the fairway and bouncing into the rough are a regular occurrence. As Charles Howell III<\/span> said a few years back, “It’s a course where you always have to play your angles and plan your misses.”<\/p>\r\n

Many of Waialae\u2019s 83 bunkers are thoughtfully positioned, demanding both strategy and precision, while water hazards come into play on four holes. By far the course\u2019s greatest defense is the wind, which can dramatically alter scoring conditions. The last truly wind-affected edition came in 2020, when Cameron Smith<\/span> captured the title at just 11-under par. When the coastal breezes lay down, however, Waialae becomes far more inviting, yielding plenty of birdies and ranking as the 10th-easiest course on the PGA Tour.<\/p>\r\n

Hole Analysis<\/h2>\r\n

\"\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The first eight holes are among the toughest opening stretches on Tour as only the 3rd and 7th holes average under par. Four of those eight holes have a bogey or worse rate of 20% or higher. Once players hit the par-5 9th hole it becomes smoother sailing as seven of the remaining 10 holes average under par.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

As is the case with most par 70 courses, there are two more par-4s and two fewer par-5s on which to score. This puts a premium on par-4 scoring as players do not have a full complement of scoring holes that typically come with par-5s. In fact, 11 of the holes are between the 400-480 yard range.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The two par-5s are the easiest par-5s on Tour with a scoring average of only 4.35 per hole and an enormous Birdie or Better rate of 64%. Each is also relatively short and can be reached in two shots, setting up potential eagle putts. In fact, over the last decade, the field has averaged 0.13 eagles per round which is one of the highest rates on Tour. Sitting at 506 and 551 yards respectively, it can not be emphasized how short and easy the par-5s are for everyone who can keep their ball in the short grass.<\/p>\r\n

Strokes Gained Analysis<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The \u201cCorrelation\u201d chart below shows how many Strokes Gained (SG) from each category (for the entire field) were correlated to a player\u2019s SG: Total. The higher the average, the more important that area is to success. I have also included the 5-year PGA Tour course average for each metric to allow for easy comparisons to the current event. Surprisingly, gaining with Driving Distance is still an advantage even at Waialae. SG: OTT and SG: Putting both see an increase in importance from a full-field perspective. But putting and approach are still the most important metrics at Waialae.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/p>\r\n

Analyzing the metrics from a different perspective, the “SG Average and Distribution by Finish Position” chart below looks at performance per round based on finishing position. The value percentage gives a strong indication across the board of which SG areas matter the most. As can be seen below, the last five winners along with those finishing in the top 25 of the Sony Open have been very successful both putting on the greens and on approach.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Off the Tee<\/h4>\r\n

With its tight driving corridors, eight doglegs and positional accuracy needed for quality approach shot angles, Waialae presents a challenge off the tee. As previously mentioned, the fairway width is wider than average, but the corridors are much narrower as the palm trees and other vegetation enclose on all sides. Another challenge is that oftentimes the wind is blowing the opposite of the dogleg shape which makes finding the fairway very difficult on those holes.<\/p>\r\n

The data reflects Waialae\u2019s emphasis on precision, with Driving Accuracy measuring three percent lower than the PGA Tour average. Because positioning off the tee is so critical, securing the proper angle into approach shots and avoiding the rough is far more important than sheer distance. Many players opt to club down, frequently hitting less than driver, which helps prevent Driving Accuracy from dipping even further. In fact, Waialae may feature more long irons off the tee than any other venue on Tour\u2014Justin Thomas<\/span> once noted that he hit almost exclusively 2-irons off the tee, yet still found himself with relatively short approaches into the greens.<\/p>\r\n

There are several reasons why Driving Distance registers slightly above average at Waialae. The fairways are typically quite firm, providing added rollout even for players hitting irons off the tee. In addition, as distance continues to increase across the Tour, more players with confidence in their driver\u2014often even on dogleg holes\u2014are willing to take on the risk to secure the proper angle into the green. When executed successfully, this strategy is rewarded with higher-lofted and closer approach shots into firm greens, creating more scoring opportunities.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/p>\r\n

Because Waialae favors accuracy over distance, it does a great job of leveling the field and allowing every type of player to compete this week. Whoever can shape their drive into the best target zones on the fairway from which to access some of the trickier pin positions on the greens will have a huge edge.<\/p>\r\n

With increases in distance over the years, more players have started to take aggressive lines from the tee, but there is danger with the ball running through the fairway and into the rough and having to hit an unpredictable 70-yard wedge that knuckles up to the green. The three-inch rough at Waialae (close to four inches by Sunday) is longer than it’s been in previous years and is long enough to make it difficult to control the spin. Golfers who have played here multiple times and understand where and when to lay up are going to have an advantage.<\/p>\r\n

One of the subtleties of Waialae is that because of the acute angles on so many of the holes, there is typically one side of the fairway (or rough) that is a better place to be positioned for the approach shot compared to the opposite side. As Russell Henley remarked, “You just have to pick what side of the fairway you want to miss. There’s usually one side out here that’s better than the other.\u201d Golfers who mostly play a fade or a draw can be affected by the strong crosswinds that will push the ball in the opposite direction. This is another reason why it benefits players to be able to hit all types of shots whenever the course or conditions call for it. \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Approach<\/h4>\r\n

\"\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

While the greens are very receptive with a GIR rate of 71%, Waialae will test the short to mid-iron performance of these golfers. Over 47% of all approach shots are hit from the 150-200 yard range\u201410% more than the Tour average. Wedges from 50-125 yards are hit 3% less of the time, while shots from 225+ are hit 11% less than average. There has been been a misconception about the green sizes here (and some holes do have tiny greens), but in actuality, at 7,100 square feet on average, they are the 8th-largest on the Tour.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

You will hear this many times throughout the year related to different courses, but Waialae is a true second-shot course. It is also a course where, because of the angles, it becomes target golf. On many holes, you are hitting Point A to be in the best position to hit the ball to Point B. The approach game is another area where strategy and shot-making come into play. Many hole locations are tucked into certain corners and challenging quadrants on the green requiring golfers to hit quality iron shots. Many of the greens have back-to-front sloping. Zach Johnson<\/a> said that one of the keys to success is keeping the course in front of you at all times, and then once on the green to keep the ball below the pin.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

While proximity to the hole from the fairway (28 feet) is much easier than the average, proximity from the rough (47 feet) is one of the most difficult on Tour. And with the unpredictable Bermuda rough listed at one half inch longer than last year (3.5″), finding the fairway takes on even stronger importance. \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Around the Green and Putting<\/h4>\r\n

\"\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The short game on and around the greens is very straightforward at Waialae. While chipping from the Bermuda rough is tougher than average, scrambling from both the short grass and bunkers are much easier than average. As many players have remarked, those who have grown up playing on Bermuda rough and on the grainy-style greens will have a distinct advantage. Adam Scott<\/a> spoke about how the need to scramble around the greens will affect everyone at some point. “I just don\u2019t think anyone can get it around this course consistently without scrambling. It is really tough to keep it in play all day and under holes and not be in this gnarly rough.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

As is the case when “target golf” comes into play, putting is very important to success at Waialae. Since 2021, golfers finishing in the top 10 have gained a whopping 46% of their strokes with their putter. While there are some undulations around pin placements, overall, these greens are some of the flattest and easiest to putt on Tour.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other than GIR putting average and one-putt %, every other statistic from 3-putt avoidance to each of the putting ranges is easier than normal. Raynor’s original green design was much more creative than what we see now, but much of that has been lost over time. Even those with experience on Bermuda turf have mentioned how the grain on these greens can be tough to read. After his victory in 2021, Kevin Na<\/a> emphasized this by saying, “The greens roll great, but the only difficult part is the grains are sometimes difficult to judge. We’ve had a couple putts this week where it looks like it’s going to do one thing and it doesn’t. If you can just read these greens well, you’re going to be really ahead of the field.”<\/p>\r\n

\"\" \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Most Important Stats For Success at Waialae Country Club<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

*In order of importance<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    \r\n
  • Course Region: Hawaii<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
  • Scoring Conditions: Easy<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
  • Course Length: Short\/Very Short<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
  • Course Type: Coastal\/Island<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
  • Field Size: Full Field<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
  • Par: 70<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
  • Greens Surface: Bermuda<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
  • Green Size: Large<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
  • Rough Surface: Bermuda<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
  • OTT Club Type: Mixed<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
  • Gain APP: Easy<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
  • Gain ARG: Very Easy<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

    Weather Forecast \u2013 Honolulu, Hawaii<\/h2>\r\n

    \"\"<\/p>\r\n

    \"\"<\/p>\r\n