THE PGA Tour hops across the water from Maui to the Big Island for the second tournament of the new year.
The Waialea Country Club is set between the Koolau mountain range and the Pacific Ocean and is the host for this year’s Sony Open.
The 7044-yard, par 70 course has been the only venue for the official Hawaiian PGA Tour tournament since 1965. Although the rough can be quite penal I think GIR will be the key stat here.
I said at the beginning of last year I would be backing Dustin Johnson in every Major until he won one. Well he’s done it, at last, and this year I’ll be doing the same with Hideki Matsuyama. I really think the young Japanese player is the one to watch in the Majors and will be following him regularly.
His form worldwide recently is nothing short of phenomenal. In the last four months worldwide he has notched four wins and two seconds. Last week his second to Justin Thomas confirmed he was continuing how he finished last year.
Waialea hasn’t been the happiest of places for him having just broken par twice in nine rounds. He has a GIR stat of 80.56% (5) and putts per round of 28 (21) so no reason he can’t do the business this time.
Paul Casey had a superb finish to last season with with two seconds and a fourth in the Fed-Ex play-offs and followed that with a T3 in the first tournament of the new season. He’s had a long lay-off with his last outing the WGC-HSBC Champions at the end of October but hopefully he’s not lost any form.
Casey seems to like the Waialea course, he hit a career low here (62) in the first round here in 2015. His GIR is 76.85% and putts per round of 28.75.
I wasn’t going to pick a third player but Keegan Bradley has pricked my interest. He had a horrendous year last year with 11 missed cuts and only two top-10 finishes.
However, in his last three outings this season I saw a marked improvement in his game and with GIR of 78.13% and putts per round of 29.56 a small bet might pay dividends.
Recommended Bets
2pts win Matsuyama (Ladbrokes, 8-1)
1.5pts ew Casey (Bet365, 28-1)
1pt ew Bradley (Coral, 66-1)
Ace Venturer
In December 2020 we sadly 
Enjoy it when Jan comes around as the nfl slows down but the golf season starts. Have to agree with ace on hidek matsuyama 2pts on him to win each major has to give a good shout. Sky bet do their free £5 bets each week and I like to pick antenna post bets to build up £50 in free bets on the golf. Can pay for the annual holiday and hidek will get my antenna post money this year.
Onto this week’s golf Jordan speight looked in amazing form on Sunday and if he produces a couple of rounds like that here he will be hard to beat but I am taking couple bigger prices
Jimmy walker 22/1 @ sky bet he also played well last week finishing in top 10 and his former here shows a couple of wins
Charles Howell 45/1 am sure I been writing this for few years now but ever since Steve stricker used to win at the same course every year and win hardly anywhere else I always look at past performances when picking golfers. Horses for courses well Charles has finished in top 10 5 times in 8 starts so he will be my ew bet at 45/1
I agree with Ace about Matsuyama – but which one will it be?
Could be the Masters.
He did well last couple of years from memory. Am thinking of committing every sky bet free £5 bet on him for each major will hopefully provide nice return. He will be good for few wins this year let’s hope it’s a major. Good luck this weekend ace I always drop off golf come September when nfl starts as don’t have the time or funds to bet on everything but you had a great year
not a good start last week for me JHONATTON VEGAS 2nd last! good to get the bad bet out the way eh?
agree with your tips ace this week in both tournaments, but I will be doing the double.
SONY OPEN HAWAII – HIDEKI MATSUYAMA
BMW SOUTH AFRICAN OPEN – BRANDON STONE
DOUBLE 116/1 W-HILL
interesting regarding hideki Matsuyama outwith the majors he could finish at least in the top
ten in every tournament this year??
don’t know if that bet is available, whats your thoughts guys or girls.
Won’t happen. It’s such a long season all players will have a bad round or two, miss the odd cut.
no such word as won’t or cant happen mr f lol
I agree about what could happen in a long season but would it be possible in a ew or a special bet
cheers
Looks like it’s Justin Thomas’s tournament to throw away. Two brilliant rounds gives him a five shot lead. With two of my selections missing the cut it’s left up to Hideki Matsuyama but he is TEN off the lead. He still has a chance of a place if some of you took him each way.
not to be this week again, might just pick a player called Justin from now on eh!
some great golf played again this week, its getting harder to pick that winner,
anyway I think these players who came from the challenge tour are ones to watch out for
what do you think ace.
cheers