Golf Glance: Hawaiian vibes for start of PGA Tour season

Field Level Media|published: Tue 13th January, 19:51 2026

January 12, 2025; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; J.J. Spaun hits his tee shot on the second hole during the final round of the Sony Open golf tournament at Waialae Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The PGA Tour tees off its 2026 FedEx Cup schedule in Hawaii on Thursday, while the DP World Tour begins its International Swing with Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood highlighting the field in Dubai.

PGA TOUR

THIS WEEK: Sony Open in Hawaii, Honolulu, Jan. 15-18

Course: Waialae Country Club (Par 70, 7,044 Yards)

Purse: $9.1M (Winner: $1.638M)

Defending Champion: Nick Taylor

FedEx Cup Champion: Tommy Fleetwood

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Thursday-Sunday, 7-10 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)

Streaming: Thursday-Friday, Noon-10 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday, 12:15-10 p.m. (ESPN+)

X: @SonyOpenHawaii

NOTES: Traditionally the second half of the "Hawaiian Swing," this year's Sony Open serves as the season-opening FedEx Cup event with The Sentry cancelled due to drought conditions that impacted the Plantation Course at Kapalua. ... A tour stop since the 1960, the future of the event is in question with Sony's contract as the title sponsor expiring after this year. ... The field includes 20 of the top 60 players in the Official World Golf Ranking, and 22 of the 24 new PGA Tour members in 2026. ... This is the first event of the Aon Swing 5. The top five players not otherwise exempt after the Sony Open, The American Express, the Farmers Insurance Open and the WM Phoenix Open will qualify for the first two signature events of the year at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Genesis Invitational. ... Taylor is seeking to become the first player to successfully defend at Waialae since Jimmy Walker in 2014-15. He chipped in for eagle to force a playoff against Nico Echavarria last year. ... Jordan Spieth returns to the Sony Open for the first time since 2023. ... Justin Thomas holds the tournament scoring record of 253 set in 2017, when he opened the event with a 59.

BEST BETS: Russell Henley (+1100 at DraftKings) is the top-ranked player in the field at No. 5. He has won at Waialae, although it came back in 2013. ... Hideki Matsuyama (+1700) has enjoyed success in Hawaii, including winning The Sentry last year and the Sony Open in 2022. He also won his most recent event at the Hero World Challenge last month. ... Ben Griffin (+1700) won his most recent tour event at the World Wide Technology Championship and is a career-best eighth in the world. ... J.J. Spaun (+1800) opens the year ranked sixth in the world. He is coming off a T4 in the Bahamas and tied for third here last year. ... Collin Morikawa (+2000) returns for the first time since a T7 in 2021. His father, Blaine, is a Japanese-American from Hawaii.

Last Tournament: The RSM Classic (Sami Valimaki)

Next Tournament: The American Express, La Quinta, Calif., Jan. 22-25

DP WORLD TOUR

THIS WEEK: Dubai Invitational, Jan. 15-18

Course: Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Dubai (Par 71, 7,059 Yards)

Purse: $2.75M

Defending Champion: Tommy Fleetwood (2024)

Race to Dubai Leader: Jayden Schaper

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Thursday-Sunday: 12:30-5:30 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)

X: @DPWorldTour

NOTES: The biennial event is the start of the DP World Tour's International Swing and includes 60 professionals and 60 amateurs. The first three days of competition will be in a pro-am format. ... The field includes World No. 2 Rory McIlroy and No. 3 Fleetwood, who is also a Dubai resident. Fleetwood beat McIlroy by a shot two years ago when the Northern Irishman found the water on the 72nd hole. ... Schaper, who claimed his maiden DP World Tour title at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in December, is seeking to join Nick Faldo and Seve Ballesteros as the only players to win three consecutive events since the tour's inception in 1972. Both of Schaper's wins have come in playoffs, and followed a T2 at the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

Last Tournament: AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open (Schaper)

Next Tournament: Hero Dubai Desert Classic, Jan. 22-25

LPGA TOUR

THIS WEEK: OFF.

Race to the CME Globe Champion: Jeeno Thitikul

Last Tournament: CME Group Tour Championship (Thitikul)

Next Tournament: Tournament of Champions, Orlando, Fla., Jan. 29-Feb. 1

LIV GOLF LEAGUE

THIS WEEK: OFF.

Season Winners: Individual: Jon Rahm; Team: Legion XIII

Last Tournament: Team Championship (Legion XIII)

Next Tournament: LIV Golf Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 5-7