Sony Open Betting Guide (PGA)
The first event of the PGA Tour 2021 calendar year saw an exciting finish in Kapalua, Hawaii. Harris English (33/1) defeated Joaquin Niemann in a playoff after finishing the week at 25-under-par. English was coming off of an excellent year where he put up six top-10 finishes. This was the 31-year-old’s third career PGA Tour win.
We now move on to the Sony Open in Hawaii, which will mark the first full-field event of 2021. A group of 144 golfers will be featured in Honolulu, with some very strong talent in the mix. 21 of the top-50 ranked golfers will make the trip.
Webb Simpson (+1300), Collin Morikawa (+1500), Daniel Berger (+1800), and last week’s winner, Harris English (+1500), headline the field. Waialae Country Club has long played host to this event, where we have seen a variety of differently skilled golfers hoist the trophy. It is definitely a week to take a few shots at longshots down the board.
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Previous Winners
- 2020: Cameron Smith (-11)
- 2019: Matt Kuchar (-22)
- 2018: Patton Kizzire (-17)
- 2017: Justin Thomas (-27)
- 2016: Fabian Gomez (-20)
Course Preview
- Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Hawaii
- Par 70
- 7,044 yards-long
- Bermuda Fairways/Greens
- Tight, technical track
- Scoring conditions vary due to the coastal winds
- Second shot golf course
Relevant Betting Stats
- Par 5 Scoring
- Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermuda)
- Strokes Gained: Approach
- Birdie-or-better
Outright Betting Picks
Webb Simpson (+1300 on BETMGM)
Simpson is an automatic bet at a short, Bermuda course. In his last five times out at the Sony Open, he finishes of third, fourth, and 13th (twice). He is coming off of a T17 finish a the Sentry Tournament of Champions, where Simpson finished fifth in strokes gained: approach. This course suits his game much better, as it is much shorter, and he won’t lose as many strokes off the tee.
Sungjae Im (+2000 on BETMGM)
The talented Korean kicked off his 2021 year with a solid T5 showing last week. He finished at 21-under-par and could have very well won the event if not for a cold putter. Im led the entire field in strokes gained: tee-to-green, gaining an impressive 9.52 strokes on the competition. The 22-year-old has two consecutive top-25 finishes at this event.
Longshot Betting Picks
Zach Johnson (+4100 on BetMGM)
Johnson had a very solid finish to 2020. He made his final eight cuts and mixed in three top-10s. The 22-year Tour veteran has found his game of late and goes to a course that should set up very well for him. His strong putting and accuracy off the tee should help him compete in Hawaii. Johnson is a former winner of the event (2009).
Brian Gay (+12600 on BetMGM)
Sticking the mold of shorter, accurate hitters who have a strong putter, Gay is someone worth backing at a good number. The Bermuda Championship winner of 2020 proved he still has plenty left in the tank. His course history is tremendous, with five top-15 finishes here. In my rolling stats, Gay ranks top-10 in driving accuracy, scrambling, and putting.
Other Betting Picks
Kevin Kisner Top-10 (+375 on BETMGM)
Consistently one of the best putters on Bermuda, Kisner enjoys playing at Waialae Country Club. Over the last five times out at this event, he has two fourth-place finishes and a fifth. He is trending very nicely as well, with five top-10s in the last six months.
Hudson Swafford Top-5 (+3400 on BETMGM)
These odds are very inviting considering Swafford’s course history and recent form. Swafford has three top-15 finishes in his last five times out at this event, including a third-place finish here in 2019. The 33-year-old won the Corales Championship in September of 2020 and played well in Hawaii last week (T35).
Matchup Plays
- Cameron Smith over Sergio Garica (+165 on BetMGM)
- Sungjae Im over Hideki Matsuyama (+170 on BetMGM)
- Adam Scott over Billy Horschel (+190 on BetMGM)
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Nic Turner is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Nic, check out his archive and follow him @sportzbandit.