Fantasy Golf Predictions – 2014 Sony Open

Fantasy Golf Predictions for the 2014 Sony Open January 9-12th, 2014

Tournament Preview

Our fantasy team had a great week last week picking the winner, runner up, and 3 T6 players totaling over $2.5 million in total purse winnings.  We’re looking to carry that success over as we island-hop our way over to Honolulu this week!

The Sony Open is the second and last stop in Hawaii before the PGA TOUR moves over to the west coast for 6 total tournaments played in California (4) and Arizona (2) (after which the TOUR will be moving east to Florida). Rookie Russell Henley will be in attendance this week to defend his title at Waialae Country Club, among a field of roughly 140 golfers, including most of the guys you saw last week at Kapalua.

The Course

Waialae Country Club measures 7,044 yards and plays as a par 70. This beautiful course opened its doors in 1927 to encourage tourism but the course itself is no picnic.  The first hole displays features found at the famed “Road Hole” of St. Andrews’ Old Course, making it one of the toughest opening holes on the PGA TOUR schedule. The Sony Open (previously The Hawaiian Open), has known no other home since debuting on the PGA TOUR schedule in 1965.

Photo by waialaecc.com

Weather forecast for the 2014 Sony Open in Honolulu, HI (from weather.com)

• Round 1: Friday (Jan 9) 81 degrees, 20% chance of rain, showers.
• Round 2: Saturday (Jan 10) 79 degrees, 20% chance of rain, scattered showers.
• Round 3: Sunday (Jan 11) 79 degrees, 10% chance of rain, showers.
• Round 4: Monday (Jan 12) 81 degrees, 30% chance of rain, scattered showers.

2013 Results

Young Russell Henley made the first start of his rookie season one for the books in 2013. With his trio of 63s and a Saturday 67, the young gun squashed the Sony Open scoring record by four shots. After sharing the lead with fellow rookie Scott Langley, Henley moved in front with an opening birdie and then went on a run with five closing birdies. There are only two players in PGA TOUR history that have scored lower over 72 holes – Tommy Armour III’s 254 at the Valero Texas Open and Steve Stricker’s 255 at the 2009 Bob Hope Classic.

Despite seven birdies in his last 11 holes, Tim Clark finished three strokes back.

A quick look back…

Monday Backspin: January 14, 2013

Amanda Balionis recaps Russell Henley’s victory and all the news from the 2013 Sony Open in Hawaii. . SUBSCRIBE to PGA TOUR now: http://pgat.us/vBxcZSh Welcome to the official YouTube channel of the PGA TOUR. Here you can find everything you need to stay up to date with the world’s foremost golf tour..

Notes

Charles Howell III has seven top-5 finishes at Waialae, but remains in quest of his first Sony Open victory. He’s been runner-up twice (2007, ’12) and tied for third two other visits in 2005 and 2013.

51 year old Vijay Singh makes his 16th appearance at Waialae where he won in 2005, ending Ernie Els’ quest for a three-peat. We don’t see Els or Singh hanging around in the top 5 this week, but keep a look out for some of the top names from last week to carry their momentum over from Kapalua last weekend.

One more area of note…the Sony Open will welcome 24 of the 25 graduates from last year’s Web.com Tour regular season.

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Our Top 5 (and Top 2 Sleeper) Picks/Odds to Win the 2014 Sony Open

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Top 5 Picks/Odds to Win the 2014 Sony Open

• Adam Scott (Golficity Odds 5/2):  This will be Scott’s last start before a long six-week break. He was the co-runner-up at Waialae in 2009 and is coming off a T6 at Kapalua last week. Scott wrapped up his 2013 year with two wins, one second and a third (all in Australia).  A contender last week, Adam is still quite, and we love his chances on this track.
• Zach Johnson (Golficity Odds 8/1): The 2009 champion of this event is fresh off his win at Kapalua just days ago. He has another top 30 in this event in 2010 where he finished T1 (in eight appearances), but he’s on fire as of late and could easily extend his hot hand over to Waialae.
• Jordan Spieth (Golficity Odds 10/1): This is Speith’s first appearance on this track, but we don’t think that will matter much.  The young sophomore is in the spotlight now (for good reason) and we think he’ll stay there this year.  Jordan is as calm and cool on the course as they come and his runner up finish to Zach Johnson last week in Kapalua was only a result of his poor putting.  If he works on that stroke over the next couple of days, we don’t see many people who will get in front of him.
• Matt Kuchar (Golficity Odds 15/1)):  Kuchar impressed us at Kapalua by hanging in the mix throughout the tournament.  The always consistent Kuch never really fell off, but just came up short of a few hotter players in the end with a T6. In 2013 he had four top-seven finishes and went T5 in last two starts at Waialae (2011, 2013) by averaging 66.50 in total for those eight rounds.
• Jason Dufner (Golficity Odds 22/1): Overall Duf has been inconsistent at Waialae (two top 20s in six appearances), but his game is great shape, evidenced by the fact that he was right in the mix at Kapalua before blowing up on the final stretch.  Duf could win a few tourneys this year, maybe even another major.

Sleeper Picks/Odds to Win the 2014 Sony Open

• Charles Howell III (Golficity Odds 28/1): If anyone knows this course its CH3.  With seven top-fives at Waialae (and a 12-for-12 cuts made record) he is second in all-time earnings at this event. Although Howell has never won it, we feel that he’s due for a win soon and he’s perhaps primed now more than ever with three top-seven finishes already in the 2013-14 season.
• Harris English (Golficity Odds 33/1): English is still one of the hottest players on TOUR. He recently finished with a respectable T11 at Kapalua where he tried to make a final push on the fourth day.  His 62 in the third round of last year’s Sony gave him share ninth place. He’s won 2 more times since then on TOUR and we don’t see it stopping there.

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Last Week’s Results:  Top 5 Picks/Odds to Win the 2014 Hyundai TOC

• Adam Scott (Golficity Odds 5/1):  T6
• Matt Kuchar (Golficity Odds 7/1):  T6
• Dustin Johnson (Golficity Odds 10/1): T6
• Jimmy Walker (Golficity Odds 17/1): T21
• Harris English (Golficity Odds 20/1):  T11

Last Week’s Results: Sleeper Picks/Odds to Win:

• Jordan Spieth (Golficity Odds 25/1): 2nd
• Zach Johnson (Golficity Odds 28/1):  WINNER

Have a prediction of your own to share?  Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

(Cover Photo Credit)