The PGA Tour is back for 2026, as we kick off the season in Hawaii for the Sony Open!
It’s been months since Tommy Fleetwood won the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club, and finally, some of the biggest stars in the sport are ready to tee off for the first event of the 2026 PGA Tour season. And after The Sentry was cancelled, this event in Hawaii is even more special than it was before.
American Ryder Cup stars Collin Morikawa, Keegan Bradley, J.J. Spaun, Russell Henley, and Ben Griffin will be among the top players in the field, on a course that will pose a very different challenge than recent years.
That’s according to Michael Kim, who gave a full breakdown of the Sony Open golf course ahead of the event.
Michael Kim reveals what will make the Sony Open course much more difficult this year
PGA Tour winner Kim has an incredible social media presence that gives great insight into the life of a professional golfer on the PGA Tour.
He gave a full breakdown of the Waialae Country Club after playing a practice round prior to the Sony Open.
Kim posted to X, “Some thoughts after my practice rounds here at Sony Open.
“-Rough is up. Much longer throughout the course than yrs past. But it’s not like you can’t advance it. It’s long but a little thin. A good mix I think.
Who do you think will win the Sony Open in Hawaii this week?
J.J. Spaun, Keegan Bradley and Jordan Spieth are involved in a strong field at Waialae
“-Greens are soft. There’s more rain coming tonight so I expect greens and fairways to be quite soft when most yrs it’s been firm.
“-It’s going to be WINDY all week. But it’s an east/NE wind it looks like. It’s the opposite of what I’ve usually played.
“-The wind will be very strong but it’s an easier direction at least. What made Waialae tough off the tee was that the wind was always going against the dogleg. Right to left dogleg, usually wind off the left and vice versa. With the east wind, it’s going to go with the dogleg more times than not. It’s going to be a great test this week.
“-Wish me luck! First off Thursday morning.”
That’s a pretty comprehensive breakdown from Kim, who tees off early alongside Peter Malnati and Keith Mitchell in the opening group. It sounds like the golf course has some teeth this week thanks to the wind!
Michael Kim’s Sony Open struggles
The Sony Open has not been an event in which Kim has had much success over the years. A series of missed cuts and middle-of-the-pack finishes have plagued his visits to Hawaii.
His career-best at the event is a T42 in 2024, but he followed that up with a missed cut last season.
A recurring theme for Kim at the Sony Open has been the difficulty of opening rounds. In 2025, a three-over-par 73 in the first round left him too far back to recover, despite a strong 65 on Friday.
Which four players do you choose?
Overall, Kim had a resurgent 2025 season, finishing T2 at the WM Phoenix Open and winning on the DP World Tour, so he’ll hope to build on that form with a strong showing to start 2026.
With the course playing differently from recent years, Kim might benefit from the conditions and go on a run. But if we have learned anything from his recent showings, a solid start is key.
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