The First Look: Sony Open in Hawaii January 10, 2021
Cameron Smith's winning highlights from the Sony Open Cameron Smith returns to defend last season’s Sony Open in Hawaii victory, while past THE PLAYERS champion Webb Simpson and 10 of the top-25 golfers in the world tee it up at Waialae Country Club. In its longtime spot on the schedule, the Sony Open marks the first full-field event of the calendar year. FIELD NOTES: Collin Morikawa looks to build off his two victories in 2020, including his first major championship, with his second Hawaii start in a row. Morikawa finished T21 at least year’s Sony Open after holding the first-round lead… Thirty-two of the 42 golfers who teed it up at the Sentry Tournament of Champions will make the jump over to the Sony Open and complete in both events of the Hawaii swing… Sponsor exemptions include major winners Y.E. Yang and Mike Weir, along with Ryo Ishikawa and Takumi Kanaya, who turned pro last year after reaching No. 1 in the world amateur rankings. Kanaya recently won on the Japan Tour and is already ranked 120th in the world… Five of the top 10 golfers in the FedExCup standings (as of the weekend at the Sentry Tournament of Champions) will be teeing it up at the Sony Open, the highest-ranked being Viktor Hovland at No. 3… Simpson was just one shot out of a playoff between Smith and Brendan Steele a year ago. Steele, who started Sunday with a three-shot lead, returns to try to earn the title that eluded him, while Simpson is on the hunt for his eighth PGA TOUR title.