144 of the best golfers in the world will make their way to Honolulu, Hawaii and the Waialae Country Club for the Sony Open in Hawaii this week. Justin Thomas opened the 2020 calendar year with an impressive performance in a win at Kapalua in the Sentry Tournament of Champions last week. Now he will look to build on that early success at a tournament that he won back in 2017. He\u2019s favored to win again but can Thomas make it back-to-back victories to open the New Year? Here is a closer look at what you need to know heading in to the Sony Open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thomas is the favorite to win an event for a second time when he tees up in Honolulu this week. However, he will face some tough competition in the form of a number of past champions of this tournament, including the 2019 winner Matt Kuchar. Patton Kizzire, Fabian Gomez and two-time winner Jimmy Walker are among the other notable past Sony Open champions set to compete again in Hawaii this week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Waialae Country Club course will not challenge golfers off the tee. A number of short hitters have thrived at this course in the past and it won\u2019t be a surprise if that continues here this time around. Water will be in play on just three holes. However, even with the windy conditions the top contenders should have no problem finding their way to the greens. What will really matter is what happens when they do with their putters. Strong Putting numbers as well as Greens In Regulation statistics should be the biggest keys to success in Honolulu this week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Matsuyama ranks among the sports betting favorites to win this event outright behind Thomas, Patrick Reed and Webb Simpson. The oddsmakers are banking on him rebounding from his late fade in the final round here a year ago. However, we will take the opportunity to go in the opposite direction and bank on Matsuyama struggling to find his form this week \u2013 at least to the degree that would allow him to contend for the outright victory. Instead, we will bet against him with Howell as the smart pick in a head-to-head matchup. A perennial contender at this tournament, Howell has posted 10 top-10 finishes at the Sony Open and has never missed the cut in his 18 appearances here. While he might not beat out the big guns like Thomas, Reed or Simpson for the outright win, Howell should be able to do enough to record a better finish than Matsuyama as a strong value pick this week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
–Seven of the previous eight Sony Open winners have played the week before at the Tournament of Champions<\/p>\n\n\n\n
–Each of the past eight Sony Open winners recorded at least one victory the previous year<\/p>\n\n\n\n
– -A number of past winners have placed either 1st or 2nd at this event or the St. Jude Classic in the past<\/p>\n\n\n\n
–Results from the Tournament of Champions are worth consideration due to similar conditions including strong winds<\/p>\n\n\n\n
–2018 winner Patton Kizzire is an excellent sleeper value pick to repeat with another Sony Open victory this year at +12500 odds<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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