 | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Honolulu,Hawaii, U.S. |
| Established | 1965 |
| Course(s) | Waialae Country Club |
| Par | 70 |
| Length | 7,044 yards (6,441 m) |
| Organized by | Friends of Hawaii Charities |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Prize fund | US$8,700,000 |
| Month played | January |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 253[a]Justin Thomas (2017) |
| To par | −28John Huston (1998) |
| Current champion | |
 Nick Taylor | |
| Location map | |
  Waialae Country Club Location inHawaii | |
TheSony Open in Hawaii is a professionalgolf tournament on thePGA Tour, and is part of the tour'sFedEx Cup Series. It has been contested at theWaialae Country Club inHonolulu,Hawaii, since the event's modern-day inception as theHawaiian Open in November1965.[2]
In addition to the usual PGA Tour eligibility criteria, the Sony Open may invite up to three professional golfers from emerging markets.[3]
Originally a mid-autumn event for its first five editions, it was skipped in1970 as it moved to its winter slot in early February1971.[4] Currently, it is held in mid-January and is the first full-field event of the calendar year, following theTournament of Champions onMaui. The front and back nines of Waialae are switched for the PGA Tour event, finishing at the dogleg ninth hole.[5]
The first lead sponsor wasUnited Airlines in1991, succeeded by current sponsorSony in1999. There have been five multiple winners of the tournament, all two-time champions:Hubert Green,Corey Pavin,Lanny Wadkins,Ernie Els, andJimmy Walker. All have wonmajor championships. The tournament is currently organized by Friends of Hawaii Charities.[6]
In1983, forty-year-oldIsao Aoki becameJapan's first winner on the PGA Tour. He holed out a wedge shot for an eagle-3 on the 72nd hole to beatJack Renner by a stroke.[7][8]
In 1998,John Huston broke the then PGA Tour scoring record to par. He shot 28 under par, beatingBen Hogan's record originally set in 1945.[9]
The Sony Open gained attention for granting four consecutive sponsor invitations (PGA Tour Exemption #11) toMichelle Wie, the first in2004 when she was age 14.[10] She missed the cut in all four appearances,[11] and did not receive one of the four available sponsor exemptions in 2008. One of the invitations went to Alex Ching, a 17-year-old former high school classmate of Wie.
In 2007, amateurTadd Fujikawa become the second youngest player ever (16 years, 4 days) to make a 36-hole cut in an officialPGA Tour event.[11][12] His achievement was highlighted by a 15-foot (4.6 m) eagle putt on his 36th hole, Waialae's 551-yard par-5 18th. Incidentally, the PGA Tour's 2006 media guide shows that the youngest player ever to make a 36-hole cut in an official Tour event wasBob Panasik (15 years, 8 months, and 20 days) in 1957 at theCanadian Open,[13] 31⁄2 months younger than Fujikawa.
Preparations for the 2018 Sony Open were briefly disrupted by afalse emergency alert stating that aballistic missile had been launched towardHawaii. Staff members reportedly attempted to take shelter in the players' locker room, the media center was ordered to evacuate, and several players posted messages on social media about the erroneous alert, which was sent to all smartphones in the state.[14] The alert was ultimately determined to have been sent in error.[15] Before the final round, Golf Channel cameramen also staged a walkout.[16]
| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up | Purse ($) | Winner's share ($) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony Open in Hawaii | ||||||||
| 2025 | Nick Taylor | 264 | −16 | Playoff |  Nico Echavarría | 8,700,000 | 1,566,000 | |
| 2024 |  Grayson Murray | 263 | −17 | Playoff |  An Byeong-hunKeegan Bradley | 8,300,000 | 1,494,000 | |
| 2023 | Kim Si-woo | 262 | −18 | 1 stroke | Hayden Buckley | 7,900,000 | 1,422,000 | |
| 2022 |  Hideki Matsuyama | 257 | −23 | Playoff | Russell Henley | 7,500,000 | 1,350,000 | |
| 2021 | Kevin Na | 259 | −21 | 1 stroke | Chris Kirk Joaquín Niemann | 6,600,000 | 1,188,000 | |
| 2020 |  Cameron Smith | 269 | −11 | Playoff | Brendan Steele | 6,600,000 | 1,188,000 | |
| 2019 | Matt Kuchar | 258 | −22 | 4 strokes | Andrew Putnam | 6,400,000 | 1,152,000 | |
| 2018 | Patton Kizzire | 263 | −17 | Playoff | James Hahn | 6,200,000 | 1,116,000 | |
| 2017 | Justin Thomas | 253 | −27 | 7 strokes |  Justin Rose | 6,000,000 | 1,080,000 | |
| 2016 |  Fabián Gómez | 260 | −20 | Playoff | Brandt Snedeker | 5,800,000 | 1,044,000 | |
| 2015 | Jimmy Walker (2) | 257 | −23 | 9 strokes | Scott Piercy | 5,600,000 | 1,008,000 | |
| 2014 | Jimmy Walker | 263 | −17 | 1 stroke | Chris Kirk | 5,600,000 | 1,008,000 | |
| 2013 | Russell Henley | 256 | −24 | 3 strokes |  Tim Clark | 5,600,000 | 1,008,000 | |
| 2012 | Johnson Wagner | 267 | −13 | 2 strokes | Harrison FrazarCharles Howell IIISean O'Hair Carl Pettersson | 5,500,000 | 990,000 | |
| 2011 | Mark Wilson | 264 | −16 | 2 strokes | Tim ClarkSteve Marino | 5,500,000 | 990,000 | |
| 2010 | Ryan Palmer | 265 | −15 | 1 stroke | Robert Allenby | 5,500,000 | 990,000 | |
| 2009 | Zach Johnson | 265 | −15 | 2 strokes | Adam ScottDavid Toms | 5,400,000 | 972,000 | |
| 2008 |  K. J. Choi | 266 | −14 | 3 strokes | Rory Sabbatini | 5,300,000 | 954,000 | |
| 2007 | Paul Goydos | 266 | −14 | 1 stroke | Luke DonaldCharles Howell III | 5,200,000 | 936,000 | |
| 2006 | David Toms | 261 | −19 | 5 strokes | Chad CampbellRory Sabbatini | 5,100,000 | 918,000 | |
| 2005 |  Vijay Singh | 269 | −11 | 1 stroke | Ernie Els | 4,800,000 | 864,000 | |
| 2004 | Ernie Els (2) | 262 | −18 | Playoff | Harrison Frazar | 4,800,000 | 864,000 | |
| 2003 | Ernie Els | 264 | −16 | Playoff | Aaron Baddeley | 4,500,000 | 810,000 | |
| 2002 | Jerry Kelly | 266 | −14 | 1 stroke | John Cook | 4,000,000 | 720,000 | |
| 2001 | Brad Faxon | 260 | −20 | 4 strokes | Tom Lehman | 4,000,000 | 720,000 | |
| 2000 | Paul Azinger | 261 | −19 | 7 strokes | Stuart Appleby | 2,900,000 | 522,000 | |
| 1999 | Jeff Sluman | 271 | −9 | 2 strokes | Davis Love IIIJeff MaggertLen MattiaceChris PerryTommy Tolles | 2,600,000 | 468,000 | |
| United Airlines Hawaiian Open | ||||||||
| 1998 | John Huston | 260 | −28 | 7 strokes | Tom Watson | 1,800,000 | 324,000 | |
| 1997 | Paul Stankowski | 271 | −17 | Playoff | Jim FurykMike Reid | 1,200,000 | 216,000 | |
| 1996 | Jim Furyk | 277 | −11 | Playoff | Brad Faxon | 1,200,000 | 216,000 | |
| 1995 | John Morse | 269 | −19 | 3 strokes | Tom LehmanDuffy Waldorf | 1,200,000 | 216,000 | |
| 1994 | Brett Ogle | 269 | −19 | 1 stroke | Davis Love III | 1,200,000 | 216,000 | |
| 1993 | Howard Twitty | 269 | −19 | 4 strokes | Joey Sindelar | 1,200,000 | 216,000 | |
| 1992 | John Cook | 265 | −23 | 2 strokes | Paul Azinger | 1,200,000 | 216,000 | |
| United Hawaiian Open | ||||||||
| 1991 | Lanny Wadkins (2) | 270 | −18 | 4 strokes | John Cook | 1,100,000 | 198,000 | |
| Hawaiian Open | ||||||||
| 1990 | David Ishii | 279 | −9 | 1 stroke | Paul Azinger | 1,000,000 | 180,000 | |
| 1989 | Gene Sauers | 197[b] | −19 | 1 stroke | David Ogrin | 750,000 | 135,000 | |
| 1988 | Lanny Wadkins | 271 | −17 | 1 stroke | Richard Zokol | 600,000 | 108,000 | |
| 1987 | Corey Pavin (2) | 270 | −18 | Playoff | Craig Stadler | 600,000 | 108,000 | |
| 1986 | Corey Pavin | 272 | −16 | 2 strokes | Paul Azinger | 500,000 | 90,000 | |
| 1985 | Mark O'Meara | 267 | −21 | 1 stroke | Craig Stadler | 500,000 | 90,000 | |
| 1984 | Jack Renner | 271 | −17 | Playoff | Wayne Levi | 500,000 | 90,000 | |
| 1983 |  Isao Aoki | 268 | −20 | 1 stroke | Jack Renner | 325,000 | 58,500 | |
| 1982 | Wayne Levi | 277 | −11 | 1 stroke | Scott Simpson | 325,000 | 58,500 | |
| 1981 | Hale Irwin | 265 | −23 | 6 strokes | Don January | 325,000 | 58,500 | |
| 1980 | Andy Bean | 266 | −22 | 3 strokes | Lee Trevino | 325,000 | 58,500 | |
| 1979 | Hubert Green (2) | 267 | −21 | 3 strokes | Fuzzy Zoeller | 300,000 | 54,000 | |
| 1978 | Hubert Green | 274 | −14 | Playoff | Billy Kratzert | 250,000 | 50,000 | |
| 1977 | Bruce Lietzke | 273 | −15 | 3 strokes | Don JanuaryTakashi Murakami | 240,000 | 48,000 | |
| 1976 | Ben Crenshaw | 270 | −18 | 4 strokes | Hale IrwinLarry Nelson | 230,000 | 46,000 | |
| 1975 | Gary Groh | 274 | −14 | 1 stroke | Al Geiberger | 220,000 | 44,000 | |
| 1974 | Jack Nicklaus | 271 | −17 | 3 strokes | Eddie Pearce | 220,000 | 44,000 | |
| 1973 | John Schlee | 273 | −15 | 2 strokes | Orville Moody | 200,000 | 40,000 | |
| 1972 | Grier Jones | 274 | −14 | Playoff | Bob Murphy | 200,000 | 40,000 | |
| 1971 | Tom Shaw | 273 | −15 | 1 stroke | Miller Barber | 200,000 | 40,000 | |
| 1970: No tournament | ||||||||
| 1969 | Bruce Crampton | 274 | −14 | 4 strokes | Jack Nicklaus | 125,000 | 25,000 | |
| 1968 | Lee Trevino | 272 | −16 | 2 strokes | George Archer | 125,000 | 25,000 | |
| 1967 | Dudley Wysong | 284 | −4 | Playoff | Billy Casper | 100,000 | 20,000 | |
| 1966 | Ted Makalena | 271 | −17 | 3 strokes | Billy CasperGay Brewer | 42,500 | 8,500 | |
| 1965 | Gay Brewer | 281 | −7 | Playoff | Bob Goalby | 45,000 | 9,000 | |
Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
| Year | Player | Score | To par | Winner's share ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 |  Cary Middlecoff | 274 | −10 | 2,000 |
| 1947 | Dutch Harrison | 275 | −13 | 2,000 |
| 1929 | Craig Wood | 289 | +1 | 1,600 |
| 1928 | Bill Mehlhorn | 291 |
21°16′19″N157°46′30″W / 21.272°N 157.775°W /21.272; -157.775