2025 PGA Picks: Sony Open Expert Betting Predictions and Odds
The first PGA Tour event of 2025, the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Maui, is in the books. Japan's Hideki Matsuyama broke the PGA Tour record for the lowest score in a 72-hole tournament with his tremendous 35 under-par performance at Kapalua.
He broke Cameron Smith’s record of -34. Granted, that was just three years ago on the same course. Before that, however, we need to go back to 2001 to see the next best score, when the legendary Ernie Els shot 31 under. This was also at Kapalua.
Since the Tour is already in Hawaii, why not enjoy the weather and give the folks snowed in around the world something to look forward to?
Tragically, last year's Sony Open winner, Grayson Murray, won't be defending the trophy he won with a walk-off playoff putt. The Raleigh native was seemingly on top of the world. He had just punched a ticket to The Masters in Augusta with the victory.
That's when the unthinkable happened. The 30-year-old millionaire athlete with a dime on his arm, who was built more like an MLB player than a golfer, took his own life. He had a history with alcohol, as many of us have to some degree. However, he had recently gotten sober, evidenced by the vast improvement in his performance.
He said this in late 2023, not long before his final win and subsequent suicide just three months later. "78 days ago, I had my last drink. I was 648th in the world. Flash forward, and I'm 156th in the world."
Murray had been demoted to the Korn Ferry Tour, and his 2024 Sony Open win was his first tournament back on the PGA Tour. I don't think anyone saw this coming.
I lost a 13-year-old student to suicide, which is yet another example of how sometimes we never know until it's too late. Call, don't text, as many of your loved ones as possible. Be an eager ear. Tell them they're essential and needed in many lives, especially this time of year.
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Sony Open Winner Betting Odds
Hideki Matsuyama: +900
Corey Conners: +1400
Tom Kim: +2000
Russell Henley: +2000
Maverick McNealy: +2500
Keegan Bradley: +2500
Byeong Hun An: +2800
Robert MacIntyre: +2800
Si Woo Kim: +3000
Taylor Pendrith: +3500
Austin Eckroat: +3500
Sepp Straka: +4500
Chris Kirk: +5000
Nick Taylor: +9000
Waialae Country Club: Course Characteristics
Waialae Country Club has undergone an interesting transformation over the past several years. It was a tight course with narrow fairways, and since they opened it up, the difficulty ranking has steadily climbed from 45th of 51 in 2021 to the 27th most challenging course on the PGA Tour last year.
This is due to a couple of factors, one being false confidence and the other being coastal winds. Calm conditions with a potential for rain showers are expected this weekend, but that can change quickly.
Sony Open Betting Picks
Hideki Matsuyama: +900
You generally don't want to bet a golfer coming off of a win because back-to-back victories are rare, and you're always buying high. Rules have exceptions and Matsuyama is a former winner here.
Other golfers have started the year with two wins in Hawaii, and the way the Japanese star finished 2024, I'll throw his name onto the betting card this week.
Corey Conners: +1400
As long as the recent resignation news coming out of Canada doesn't bother one of the Tour's top maple leaves, Corey Conners, I like the 33rd-ranked golfer in the world to show out. He has four top 12s in his previous five starts here and great recent form with finishes of 5th and 6th in his last two tournaments.
Tom Kim: +2000
Don't sleep on Tom Kim this year, guys. The future is beaming for the young man from Seoul. Already with three PGA Tour wins at the ripe age of 22, Kim is primed for another big season.
There's a chance for a sophomoric slump, but the guy already had 2nd and 8th-place finishes in Majors last year.
Keegan Bradley: +2500
I saved the best for last. Maybe Keegan Bradley isn't as accomplished as Matsuyama, and he doesn't have the pure talent that Kim does. However, Bradley took a ton of pride as the Ryder Cup Captain, and he's in no hurry to relinquish this role.
Bradley was the one who lost out in the playoff to Murray last year. We dig Vermontian to continue his hot streak of 1st, 21st, 5th, and 15th at the Sony Open.
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