Sony Open Kicks Off PGA TOUR Season with Full-Field Competition

The 2025 PGA TOUR season officially shifts into high gear this week as the Sony Open in Hawaii tees off at Waialae Country Club in Kahala. The tournament marks the first full-field event of the season, featuring 144 golfers competing for an $8.7 million purse, with the winner taking home $1.566 million.

Unlike last week’s no-cut Sentry tournament in Kapalua, the Sony Open introduces a 36-hole cut, adding pressure for players to perform consistently. Defending champion Grayson Murray, who clinched victory in a dramatic playoff last year, returns to the course where he secured his second PGA TOUR title. Murray’s performance in 2024, marked by precision off the tee and clutch putting, sets a high bar for this year’s competitors.

Waialae Country Club, a par-70 course stretching 7,044 yards, remains unchanged from previous years. Players will face 3½-inch rough and Bermudagrass greens rolling at 12 feet on the Stimpmeter. Weather conditions, including trade winds and passing rain showers, are expected to challenge the field, particularly as winds intensify by Sunday’s final round.

This year’s Sony Open also highlights a shift in trends. Historically, winners at Waialae often competed at The Sentry the previous week. However, the last two champions, including Murray, did not follow this pattern. This change coincides with the expansion of The Sentry’s field to include the top 50 FedExCup finishers from the previous season, many of whom are non-winners.

Among the notable participants is Hideki Matsuyama, the 2025 Sentry champion, who set a PGA TOUR record with a 35-under score at Kapalua. Matsuyama, who last won at Waialae in 2022, leads a group of 35 golfers making the short trip from Maui to Oahu. The tournament also serves as the PGA TOUR debut for several rookies, including DP World Tour graduates and Korn Ferry Tour standouts.

Local talent is also in the spotlight, with Hawaii teens and PGA TOUR pros like Chan Kim, a Kaimuki High School graduate, competing. Ricky Castillo, a TOUR rookie with family ties to Kauai, and Seabury Hall senior Tyler Loree, 17, are among the young players vying for a strong start to their professional careers.

The Sony Open winner will secure a spot in all remaining Signature Events of the season and lead the first Aon Swing 5 standings. Additionally, top performers at Waialae will earn entry into next week’s American Express tournament at PGA WEST.

With tens of thousands of spectators expected and live coverage from Waialae Country Club, the Sony Open promises to deliver thrilling competition and showcase the next generation of golf talent.