We’re kicking off the 2026 calendar year in paradise at the Sony Open, and I’ve got everything you need to know about Waialae Country Club. This week separates the precision players from the bombers, and if you’re not ready to dial in your approach game on Bermuda greens, you’re toast.
Waialae Country Club offers one of the Tour’s most unique tests. This isn’t a bomber’s paradise where you can overpower a golf course – it’s a precision player’s dream where positioning, approach play, and elite putting win over four days. The Seth Raynor design has stood the test of time for nearly 100 years, and it continues to separate ball-strikers from mashers.
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With wind as the ultimate wildcard and playoff history suggesting tight finishes, this tournament offers strategic betting opportunities if you understand course fit. Don’t chase big names – chase the right skill sets for this specific venue. Russell Henley’s course mastery makes him the deserving favorite, but value exists throughout the board if you’re looking at guys with proven Waialae success or elite metrics in the key statistical categories.
- Tournament Dates: January 15-18, 2026
- Defending Champion: Nick Taylor (16-under, playoff)
- Course Records: Justin Thomas, 27-under (2017) / Modern: Hideki Matsuyama, 23-under (2022)
- Betting Favorite: Russell Henley +1100
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2026 Sony Open at Waialae Country Club
Here’s the deal – Waialae is a par 70 measuring 7,044 yards, making it the 12th shortest course on the PGA Tour. Only three courses on Tour play under 7,000 yards, so we’re talking about a layout that completely neutralizes the distance advantage modern equipment provides.
The setup breaks down like this: four par 3s ranging from 176 to 204 yards, a dozen par 4s (most falling in the 400-450 yard range), and two reachable par 5s at 506 and 551 yards. If you’re not capitalizing on those par 5s, you’re dead in the water. Hole 9 closes the front nine at 506 yards, and Hole 18 wraps the tournament at 551 – both eagle opportunities that separate contenders from the pack.
The greens are massive – averaging 7,100 square feet, which ranks among the largest on Tour. That sounds inviting until you realize the Seth Raynor design features make them treacherous to navigate. Getting up and down around this course is brutal because of those green complexes. We’re talking Bermudagrass putting surfaces that demand elite lag putting skills.
Hole 17 is the signature – a 194-yard par 3 with a classic Redan-style green featuring a massive left bunker and three hidden deep bunkers guarding the right side. This thing played to a 3.03 stroke average last year, the 7th hardest hole on the course. Par is a great score here, especially on Sunday.
Without wind, Waialae turns into an absolute birdie-fest track meet. With wind? Forget about it – scoring plummets, and you’re grinding for every par. That’s the wildcard this week.
Here are some popular PGA props at Underdog Fantasy:
Sony Open Course Preview
Distance doesn’t win you this tournament. Precision does. Here’s what separates winners from guys missing the cut:
Par 4 Scoring (400-450 Yards) – This is the key. With 12 par 4s and most in this range, you’d better be elite with your mid-iron approach shots. We’re not talking about bombing 320 off the tee – we’re talking about positioning your drive and sticking a 7-iron to 15 feet. Players who excel at par 4 scoring in this yardage range crush at Waialae.
Par 5 Scoring – Both par 5s are gettable. You can’t win this tournament without converting birdies (and eagles) on Holes 9 and 18 consistently. If you’re laying up both times, you’re playing defense, and that doesn’t work here.
Approach Play (100-175 Yards) – Short-to-mid iron precision is everything. These massive greens have multiple tiers and subtle breaks, so just hitting the green isn’t enough. You need to be in the right quadrant to have legitimate birdie looks.
Putting on Bermuda – The greens are huge, which means lag putting becomes critical. Three-putting from 40 feet is a real danger, and guys who can’t control speed on Bermuda grass struggle all week. Making putts inside 15 feet is non-negotiable.
Positional Golf – This narrow, tree-lined layout doesn’t forgive wayward drives. You’ve got to position off the tee to set up optimal approach angles. Accuracy off the tee matters way more than pure distance.
Par 3 Performance (175-200 Yards) – Two of the four par 3s (Holes 7 and 17) fall in this range, and both played over par last year. Mid-iron accuracy on par 3s creates massive separation.
Sony Open Winners: Course History
The Sony Open has been absolutely wild the last decade. Check out recent champions:
- 2025: Nick Taylor won at 16-under (264) in a two-hole playoff over Nico Echavarria. Taylor chipped in for eagle on 18 in regulation to force extras, then outlasted Echavarria when the Colombian three-putted the second playoff hole. It was Taylor’s third straight Tour victory in a playoff.
- 2024: Grayson Murray at 17-under in playoff
- 2023: Si Woo Kim at 18-under, won by one stroke
- 2022: Hideki Matsuyama at 23-under in playoff – this is the modern tournament record. Matsuyama made up a five-shot deficit on the back nine to catch Russell Henley, then eagled the first playoff hole for the win.
- 2021: Kevin Na at 21-under, won by one
- 2020: Cameron Smith at 11-under in playoff (wind-affected week)
- 2019: Matt Kuchar at 22-under, won by four
- 2018: Patton Kizzire at 17-under in playoff
- 2017: Justin Thomas at 27-under, won by three – this is the all-time tournament record
- 2013: Russell Henley at 24-under in his PGA Tour debut, won by three strokes over Tim Clark. A 7-under final round of 63 earned him the title and a spot at the Masters.
Five of the last nine Sony Opens went to a playoff. This course produces tight finishes where guys are bunched at the top. Winning scores vary wildly from 11-under to 27-under, depending entirely on wind conditions. When it’s calm, we’re talking birdie-fest territory. When the wind blows, 16-under wins.
Sony Open 2026 Field
We’ve got over 100 players teeing it up this week.
Hideki Matsuyama owns the modern tournament record at 23-under from his 2022 win. He defeated Russell Henley with an eagle on the first playoff hole after mounting a comeback on the back nine.
Russell Henley made his PGA Tour debut at the 2013 Sony Open and won immediately with a 24-under score (256), breaking the previous Sony Open scoring record by four shots. That remains the second-lowest 72-hole score in PGA Tour history. Henley’s precision iron game and ability at Waialae give him elite course fit credentials.
Si Woo Kim won in 2023 at 18-under but missed the cut in his 2025 title defense. Kim’s aggressive style fits Waialae when he’s on, but consistency has been his issue.
Nick Taylor is the defending champ after that wild playoff win last year. Taylor’s got a knack for rising in big moments – his third straight Tour victory came in a playoff at the Sony Open.
J.J. Spaun and Stephan Jaeger both finished T3 last year at 15-under, showing they can contend at this venue.
Nico Echavarria was the playoff runner-up last year, losing to Taylor in the second playoff hole.
Notable names in the field: Collin Morikawa, Jordan Spieth, Keegan Bradley, Corey Conners, Sahith Theegala, Tony Finau, Brian Harman, and Adam Scott all bring star power to Honolulu this week.
Sony Open Odds
Here’s where the betting markets are pricing the top contenders:
FAVORITES (Sub-20/1):
- Russell Henley +1100 – The betting favorite, and for good reason. Elite course history, including his 2013 debut win here, plus he’s got the precision ball-striking game that Waialae demands.
- Hideki Matsuyama +1700 – Course record holder (23-under, 2022) who knows how to score at this venue. His recent form and elite metrics make this number interesting.
- J.J. Spaun +1700 – T3 finish last year at 15-under shows he can contend here. Same odds as Matsuyama feels like market inefficiency.
- Ben Griffin +1900 – Strong statistical profile for this course fit.
- Collin Morikawa +1900 – World-class ball-striker with precision iron game, but limited Waialae history.
CONTENDERS (20/1-40/1):
- Si Woo Kim +2000 – 2023 champion here, though he missed the cut last year defending. Boom-or-bust guy.
- Robert MacIntyre +2000 – Solid ball-striker who could surprise.
- Keegan Bradley +2500 – Veteran with playoff experience.
- Corey Conners +2500 – Elite ball-striker, fits the course profile perfectly.
- Maverick McNealy +3000 – Consistent player with upside.
- Aaron Rai +3300 – Intriguing value at this number.
- Jordan Spieth +3500 – Big name with putting skills on Bermuda, but hasn’t shown recent form to justify.
- Nico Echavarria +3500 – Playoff runner-up last year, clearly comfortable at Waialae.
- Nick Taylor +4000 – Defending champion at 40/1? That’s wild. The market is fading his repeat chances, but Taylor’s proven clutch in playoffs.
- Kurt Kitayama +4000 – Solid player with upside.
- Harry Hall +4000 – Elite par 3 scoring metrics (175-200 yards) last 24 rounds.
- Adam Scott +4000 – Veteran savvy with Bermuda putting experience.
VALUE TERRITORY (45/1-100/1):
- Chris Kirk +4500 – Led par 4 scoring (400-450 yards) last 24 rounds, which is THE key stat at Waialae.
- Matt McCarty +4500 – Another par 4 scoring leader statistically.
- Billy Horschel +7000 – Missed cut last year (+1), but veteran experience at this venue.
- Sahith Theegala +7000 – Talented player who could break through.
- Jake Knapp +7500 – Market may be undervaluing upside.
- Webb Simpson +7500 – Veteran with Bermuda putting skills.
- Takumi Kanaya +8000 – Led par 4 scoring stats, fits course profile.
- Tom Kim +10000 – Young talent with major upside.
- Tony Finau +10000 – Big name at 100/1 feels like market fade on his course fit.
- Mark Hubbard +10000 – Par 4 scoring leader statistically.
LONGSHOTS (125/1+):
- Luke Clanton +12500 – Amateur with upside.
- Patton Kizzire +15000 – 2018 Sony Open winner in playoff. Missed cut last year (-1), but proven success here.
- Peter Malnati +60000 – Solid par 3 scoring (175-200 yards) last 24 rounds. Massive longshot with specific skill fit.
Sony Open Betting Guide
Russell Henley at +1100 is the clear betting favorite, and it’s justified. His 2013 debut win here, multiple strong finishes at Waialae, and elite precision ball-striking make him the guy to beat. The course fits his game like a glove.
Hideki Matsuyama at +1700 offers value compared to Henley. Matsuyama owns the modern course record (23-under) and has proven he can go nuclear at this venue. His ball-striking metrics are elite.
J.J. Spaun at +1700 catches my eye – same odds as Matsuyama despite Spaun being a less accomplished player overall. But that T3 finish last year (15-under) shows he knows how to score at Waialae.
Corey Conners at +2500 might be the sweet spot between course fit and value. Elite ball-striker with precision iron game.
Nick Taylor at +4000 feels mispriced. The defending champ who won in a playoff, has proven clutch in big moments, and knows the course… at 40/1? The market is heavily fading his repeat chances.
Chris Kirk and Matt McCarty at +4500 both led par 4 scoring (400-450 yards) over the last 24 rounds, which is literally the most important stat for Waialae success.
Market inefficiencies exist because this is a 120-player field (not a signature event). The betting markets may misprice course specialists versus big names who don’t fit the venue profile.
Playoff potential is real – five of the last nine went extras. That creates variance for outright winner bets. First Round Leader and Top 5/10 markets might offer better risk-adjusted value if you’re looking to diversify.
Course history matters tremendously. Players with multiple starts at Waialae have significant advantages in understanding green reads, wind patterns, and positional strategy. Henley (11 starts), Matsuyama (proven winner), and Patton Kizzire (2018 winner at +15000) all carry that edge.
Good luck!
