The Sony Open is played at Waialae Country Club, located about 20 minutes east of Oahu’s downtown of Waikiki. The course had the 6th lowest scoring average on tour last year, at 68.73 strokes per round. It was the second-lowest scoring average on par 5’s last season, behind only East Lake for the Tour Championship. Waialae only has 2 par 5’s on the course, but they are both ranked inside the top 3 of birdies made on a par 5 since 2003. The 9th hole ranks first in terms of birdies made on a par 5, with 6,087 being made since 2003. The 18th hole is not far behind at 3rd on the list with 5,040 made since 2003. All in all, Waialae is relatively easy compared to some of the tour’s other venues. However, hitting fairways is imperative; the strokes gained tee-to-green stat is typically an indicator of who wins this tournament.
Stats courtesy of PGA Tour ShotLink
Guys with Strong Tee-to-Green numbers
These stats I found on X via BetspertsGolf and are all based on past rounds at Waialae.
Hideki Matsuyama has an average of 1.56 strokes gained tee-to-green over 32 rounds.
Corey Conners has an average of 1.31 strokes gained tee-to-green over 26 rounds.
Jordan Spieth has an average of 1.43 strokes gained tee-to-green over 12 rounds and has missed the cut the last two times he has played in the Sony Open.
Collin Morikawa has averaged 1.52 strokes gained tee-to-green over 8 rounds and has not finished worse than 21st in his two Sony Open appearances.
Nick Taylor, the returning champion, has only averaged 0.45 strokes gained tee-to-green over his 2 completed rounds at Waialae, but has finished in the top 10 over the last 3 years at the Sony Open. Title defenses have not gone Taylor’s way, as his highest finish in a title defense was T-20 in the defense of his 2015 win at the Sanderson Farms Championship. Taylor is one of 4 players to have at least one win on tour over the last 3 years. Joining Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and fellow competitor this week, Keegan Bradley.
Also of note in his lone start at the Sony Open, Matthieu Pavon has posted 1.42 strokes gained tee-to-green to go along with a top-10 finish in 2024.
Hole Breakdown
Disclaimer: I’m not great at golf, but these are just some notes I made on the holes in terms of set-up as I walked the course over the last couple of days. Also, I started on the back-9, and my notes improved from there.
1- par 4 480 bunker on the right side, driving range on the left, the hole where Hiediki split the trees (figure out how to spell his name), bunker roughly 50 yards in front of the green, big bunker on the left, bunkers to the right of and behind the green, big bunker
2- par 4 423 water down most of the left side of the fairway, one bunker on the right, and one that guards the front right of the green couple of bunkers on the left, a bit of cushion between them and the green
3- par 4 422 water down the left side, and some spotty palm trees guard the right with water on the left and bunkers in front of and behind, most likely into the wind
4- par 3 204 fairly simple par 3 long 3-tiered green with 3 bunkers guarding each side, most likely with the wind
5- par 4 467 hole has 2 trenches as fairway defense that don’t seem to come into play bunkers on either side e of the green, and a palm tree growing out of the back left bunker
6- par 4 460 large bunker on the right side of the fairway, along with scattered palm trees, smaller bunker a little further down the left, big bunker on the front right of the green, most likely into the wind
7- par 3 176 three bunker guard the front of this hole, pretty large faces likely to have a helping wind, pot style bunker on the backside
8- par 4 454 likely into the wind collection of bunkers on the right side of the fairway bends left, but there is a large hanging tree on the left that will persuade players to hit towards the more open right side of the fairway. Longer bunker on the front right with another guarding the left front of the green
9- par 5 506 bunkers along the right side don’t seem like they will come into play. Based on distance long bunker on the left side can definitely come into play, driving range to the left, so the net could help a miss left. Two bunkers guard the front right and left of this wide green
10- par 4 tee shot should be safe from wind, approach opens up to the wind
11- par 3 into the ocean, wind is a big factor
12- par 4 bunkers down the left relatively unimpeding, playing away from the ocean wind still plays
13- par 4 477 most likely into the wind all week, headed back towards the ocean, big bunker on the right plays with it being a dogleg right
14- par 4 430 favors a draw. Dogleg left, large bunkers guard the front portion of the hole on the left and right
15- par 4 398 bends slightly left. Trees on the left-hand side should not impede once again, bunkers guard either side of the green
16- par 4 417 large bunkers line the turn, potentially limiting what players feel comfortable with off the tee in terms of distance. Another dog leg left, bunkers also guard this hole on both sides
17- par 3 green has a false front and bunkers guarding either side, big one on the left, 3 smaller on the right, one of the more undulating greens on the back 9
18- par 5 551 not sure how much they come into play based on distance, but bunkers guarding either side of the bend in this left-turning hole, green guarded by a bunker on the front left, fairly accessible
