DEFENDING CHAMPION: Hideki Matsuyama was five strokes adrift of leader Russell Henley with nine holes to play before charging to the top of the leaderboard with a back nine 31 and ultimately tying with the American at 23 under.

In the play-off on the par-5 18th, Matsuyama (pictured) hit on one of the best approach shots of 2022, nailing a 3-wood from 276 yards to finish just two feet from the flag and set-up a winning eagle putt. The 2021 Masters Champion posted a pair of 63s over the weekend in claiming his eighth PGA Tour title, which ties him with K.J. Choi for the most wins on the U.S circuit by an Asian-born player.

COURSE: Waialae Country Club opened for play in 1927 and was designed by the great Seth Raynor. The course, which will play to 6,441 metres (par-70) this week, is nestled between the Koolau mountain range and the Pacific Ocean. Waialae has hosted this event since its inception in 1965 and the layout's nines are reversed for the tournament.

Most of Raynor’s original course has been lost over the past 96 years but the appointment of renowned course architect Tom Doak a few years ago has seen a move towards restoring some of Raynor’s work.

An aerial view of the oceanside Waialae Country Club course. PHOTO: Getty Images.

One of the key restoration holes was the par-3 17th hole, which Raynor created using North Berwick’s famous Redan hole as inspiration and features a large bunker left and a series of four deep, hidden bunkers guarding the right of the green. In the past two years, it is one of the few holes at Waialae to average over par for the Tour field (3.005 in 2022, 3.03 in 2021).

PRIZEMONEY: US$7,900,000.

PLAYERS TO WATCH …

While 19 of the 39 players who teed up in the Tournament of Champions at Kapalua last week are in the field this week, there are no top-10 world ranked players among them.

The highest-ranked player in the field at Waialae will be World No.14 Jordan Spieth, who makes his first Sony appearance since 2019 when he missed the cut despite shooting a second round 66 to get into red figures.

But his previous results in this event are more indicative of how he should perform here, given his world class short game is such a good fit with the smaller, sometimes quirky, green complexes of Waialae. His eight rounds across 2017-2018 came at an average of 66.25, including a superb final round seven under 63 in 2017 to grab outright third behind his good mate, Justin Thomas.

Jordan Spieth rolls in a birdie putt during the Tournament of Champions last week. PHOTO: Getty Images.

Spieth showed glimpses of quality in his T13 at Kapalua last week, particularly during the first two rounds (67-66), which put him in the mix heading into the weekend. It wouldn’t surprise to see Spieth in the hunt when the whips start cracking on Sunday afternoon, and if there is to be a playoff he could be among the contenders.

As could last year’s runner-up Russell Henley. Henley was seemingly cruising to his fourth PGA Tour win after a sizzling six under 29 on his front nine, but his putter went stone cold over the inward half as he notched up par-after-par as eventual champion Matsuyama mowed him down. Henley, the 2013 Sony Open Champion, had a 10-foot birdie try on the 72nd hole for his second win in the event but couldn’t convert.

This course obviously suits Henley’s eye and he will certainly be a factor again this week.

72-HOLE RECORD: Justin Thomas shot 27-under-par 253 in 2017 to set a PGA Tour scoring record, defeating Justin Rose by seven shots. American John Huston won by the same margin when he reached 28-under-par 260 to defeat Tom Watson in 1998.

PAST AUSSIE WINNERS: Cameron Smith (2020), Brett Ogle (1994) and Bruce Crampton (1969).

AUSTRALIANS IN THE FIELD: Aaron Baddeley, Cameron Davis, Harrison Endycott, and Adam Scott.

TV TIMES*
Round 1: Friday (Fox Sports 505 LIVE 6am – 11am feature groups. 11am – 2:30pm)
Round 2: Saturday (Fox Sports 505 LIVE 6am – 11am feature groups. 11am – 2:30pm)
Round 3: Sunday (Fox Sports 505 LIVE 11am – 2:30pm)
Round 4: Monday (Fox Sports 505 LIVE 10am – 2pm)
*AEDT, check local guides