Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions – Sony Open in Hawaii

Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions for the Sony Open in Hawaii

Sony Open in Hawaii Fantasy Preview

What a way to start the new year!

The Tournament of Champions is how the PGA TOUR now ushers in its calendar year, and while normally a low-scoring shootout in beautiful Hawaii, last week’s edition was a showcase of top-quality golf.

Justin Thomas and Xander Schauffele had been battling for supremacy throughout the week, and these young studs were joined on Sunday at the top of the leaderboard by Patrick Reed, whose irrepressible round of 66 took Kapalua apart.

Captain America joined the aforementioned duo in a playoff, and after three extra time holes it was Thomas who ultimately prevailed despite making an absolute mess of the 72nd hole when he really should have won in regulation.

He’s now the winning-most player in his 20s on the PGA TOUR, and you suspect there will be many more to come in the future.

Given that Thomas has won the Sony Open in the past, he might just have cause to believe his trophy cabinet will grow in size this week when the Tour rolls around for the second week of it Hawaiian jaunt.

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Last Week’s Fantasy Results

Another week, ANOTHER WIN! 

That’s right folks, with JT steering the ship, we have now successfully picked 5 winners in the first 11 events in the 2019-2020 season. We’re also sitting nicely with a 75% made-cut ratio and we’re on a roll to have our best season yet, and its only JANUARY!

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In case you missed it, here’s what we had to say about Justin Thomas leading into last week’s Sentry TOC:

A Hawaii specialist who has barely been out of form in the past year, Justin Thomas is an auto lock this week.

He’s won twice in recent months at the BMW Championship and the CJ Cup, and recorded a number of top-10s in and around them. And while we’re not going to put too much stock into the Presidents Cup, JT played some outstanding golf in the USA’s victory there.

A former winner of this event and the Sony Open, Thomas clearly loves life in Hawaii and he’s more than capable of shooting stratospherically low numbers – crucial to success this week.

Let’s keep the momentum rolling into the Sony!

The Sony Open in Hawaii Field

Given the high-quality field that teed up at the Tournament of Champions last week, it’s a surprise more of those combatants haven’t made the hop, skip and jump across to Honolulu for the Sony Open.

But there will be a few who will double up on the island, including Thomas, Reed and defending champion Matt Kuchar.

The likes of Joaquin Niemann and young phenom Collin Morikawa will also take to the Waialae track, while Webb Simpson, Hideki Matsuyama and Marc Leishman will make their first starts of 2020.

One player going under the radar will be Jordan Spieth, while another to mark your card on might just be Shugo Imahira, who has won twice and finished in the top-three on a trio of other occasions in his last nine starts on the Japanese Golf Tour.

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This Week’s Course Preview

A PGA TOUR regular for the past 55 years, Waialae is the classic Hawaiian test of technique.

A Par 70 layout featuring just two Par 5s, this Seth Raynor design features some thick tree lines and sumptuous visuals for the players to enjoy.

The key word is enjoyment, because there is minimal rough to fear and only three holes feature a water hazard of some kind.

The major defense is the wind, when it whistles through the trees that is, although the Bermuda greens are small in size and well protected by sand.

So, there are few issues off the tee and thus approaching as close as possible to the pin is key at Waialae – and, of course, a hot putter at a layout where we expect the winning score to tickle the -20 mark despite the lively weather forecast.

In 2017, Thomas joined the 59 club here in an astonishing winning effort.

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Weather Forecast for Honolulu, HI

The early forecast is shaping up for a rather interesting week!

Starting on Thursday, the predictions are for thick cloud and an extraordinary wind that could top the 25 mph mark.

We can analyze Friday-Sunday as one because the forecast is uniform across the three days: rain showers will give away to occasional sunny spells, with temperatures in the region of 78°F.

The wind will thankfully die out somewhat through the weekend, according to the early forecast, although Friday could still be a bit spicy.

Last Year’s Results for the Sony Open in Hawaii

Matt Kuchar proved the importance of that winning feeling when in contention here 12 months ago.

He had won the Mayakoba Classic just two months before, and so boasted a huge advantage over the other players in the mix at Waialae – the likes of Andrew Putnam, Corey Conners and Hudson Swafford are not prolific champions by any means.

Kooch bogeyed three of his first five holes on the Sunday, but that winner’s mentality came to the fore following that shaky start when he played the back nine in -5 to leapfrog the pack and clinch his second win in weeks to well and truly end his trophy drought.

Putnam chased hard but could not convert, while back in T3 Conners, Swafford, Marc Leishman and Chez Reavie were left to ponder what might have been.

Matt Kuchar Highlights | Round 4 | Sony Open 2019

In the final round of the 2019 Sony Open in Hawaii, Matt Kuchar carded a 4-under 66 as he separated himself from the field down the stretch, winning for the second time this season with a score of 22-under par.

Where to Play Fantasy Golf for Sony Open in Hawaii this Week

A new year is now well and truly underway, and the DFS sites have upped their game accordingly. There’s a fantastic slate available suitable for players of all budgets and preferences!

• PGA $300k Drive the Green: The top 20% of players will all enjoy a decent profit on their $5 stake here, but you don’t want to hear about that: you want to hear about the sweet $100k prize available to the champion!
• PGA $200k Club Twirl: If you want to try and win some big bucks this week then here’s a contest where you could land the jackpot prize of $50k – and you’re only up against 5,300 fellow players battling it out for the privilege.

This Week’s Fantasy Notes for the Sony Open in Hawaii

That brutal weather forecast will have the great, the good and the otherwise in this Sony Open field running for cover.

Only the strongest will prosper, and while the going is generally on the easy side in Honolulu it could well turn into something of a grind this week – the winner will have earned their spoils.

The rain may help to soften proceedings, depending on how much precipitation falls, but the wind will lash through the trees and make life incredibly difficult.

Lots of these small Bermuda greens will be missed, and in the end this year’s Sony Open may descend into something of a chip and putt shootout.

Players with a low ball flight have to be favored, but that’s not the only way to skin the cat in the wind and the conditions suggest a wide open affair in Hawaii.

As mentioned, course form is usually an excellent guide at Waialae and so that is worth keeping an eye on, but it’s not as if the course cannot be tamed by those on debut or who haven’t made many trips to this neck of the woods.

Building a profile of a winner this week is difficult given the unpredictable weather, but those in form who are comfortable scrambling around in the wind and rain are certainly favored.

Our Top 5 (and Top 2 Sleeper) Fantasy Picks and Odds to Win the Sony Open in Hawaii

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Fantasy Golf Predictions This Season (2019-2020)

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