Sony Open in Hawaii
 | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Established | 1965 |
| Course(s) | Waialae Country Club |
| Par | 70 |
| Length | 7,044 yards (6,441 m) |
| Organized by | Friends of Hawaii Charities |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Prize fund | $5,800,000 |
| Month played | January |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 256 Russell Henley (2013) |
| To par | −28 John Huston (1998) |
| Current champion | |
 Fabián Gómez | |
The Sony Open in Hawaii is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, and is part of the tour's FedEx Cup Series. It has been contested at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Hawaii since the event's modern-day inception as the Hawaiian Open in 1965. Starting in 1971, the tournament was held in either January or February. Currently, it is held in January and is the first full-field event of the calendar year. The front and back nines are switched for the PGA Tour event, finishing at the dogleg #9.[1]
The first lead sponsor was United Airlines in 1991, succeeded by current sponsor Sony in 1999. There have been five multiple winners of the tournament, all two-time champions: Hubert Green, Corey Pavin, Lanny Wadkins, Ernie Els, and Jimmy Walker. All but Walker have won major championships. The tournament is currently organized by Friends of Hawaii Charities.[2]
In addition to the usual PGA Tour eligibility criteria, the Sony Open may invite up to three professional golfers from emerging markets.[3]
Notable appearances
Isao Aoki
In 1983, Isao Aoki became Japan's first winner on the PGA Tour. He holed out a wedge shot for an eagle-3 on the 72nd hole to beat Jack Renner by a stroke.
Tadd Fujikawa
In the 2007 Sony Open, at the age of 16 years and 4 days, amateur Tadd Fujikawa become the second youngest player ever to make a 36-hole cut in an official PGA Tour event.[4] His achievement was highlighted by a 15-foot eagle putt on his 36th hole, Waialae's 551-yard par-5 18th. Incidentally, the 2006 PGA Tour Media Guide says that the youngest player ever to make a 36-hole cut in an official Tour event was Bob Panasik (15 years, 8 months and 20 days) at the 1957 Canadian Open.
Michelle Wie
The Sony Open gained attention for granting four consecutive sponsor invitations (PGA Tour Exemption #11) to teenage female golfer Michelle Wie, the first in 2004 when she was age 14. She missed the cut in all four appearances and did not receive one of the four available sponsor exemptions in 2008. One of the invitations went to Alex Ching, a 17-year-old former high school classmate of Wie.
Winners
Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
- Previous incarnations recognized by PGA Tour
| Year | Player | Country | Score | To par | 1st prize ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Cary Middlecoff |  United States | 274 | −10 | 2,000 |
| 1947 | E.J. "Dutch" Harrison | United States | 275 | −13 | 2,000 |
| 1929 | Craig Wood | United States | 289 | +1 | 1,600 |
| 1928 | Bill Mehlhorn | United States | 291 |
Multiple winners
Five men have won this tournament more than once through 2016.
- 2 wins
- Ernie Els: 2003, 2004
- Hubert Green: 1978, 1979
- Corey Pavin: 1986, 1987
- Lanny Wadkins: 1988, 1991
- Jimmy Walker: 2014, 2015
Records
- Tournament record: 256 (Russell Henley, 2013)
- 54-hole record: 194 (John Huston, 1998; Brad Faxon, 2001)
- 36-hole record: 128 (Davis Love III, 1994; John Huston, 1998; Paul Azinger, 2000; Brad Faxon, 2001; John Cook, 2002)
- 18-hole record: 60 (Davis Love III, 1994 - par was 72)
- Course record: 62 (John Cook, Charles Howell III, 2002; Stephen Allan, Frank Lickliter, 2004; Ernie Els, 2005; Tadd Fujikawa, 2009; Graham DeLaet, Fabián Gómez, Matt Kuchar, 2016)
References
- ↑ "Waialae Country Club – Course Tour". Retrieved January 9, 2013.
- ↑ Sony Open In Hawaii - Charity
- ↑ "2015–16 PGA Tour Player Handbook & Tournament Regulations" (PDF). October 5, 2015.
- ↑ "Finally The Teenager Makes a Cut". Golf Channel. Associated Press. January 12, 2007. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
External links
Coordinates: 21°16′19″N 157°46′30″W / 21.272°N 157.775°W