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They really say, “Life comes at you fast.” I’ve never felt that statement more true after Collin Morikawa lost his massive lead on Sunday at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. When Morikawa started his round, he was an overwhelming -1500 favorite. By the time he hit the turn, he was as high as a -20000 favorite. After a mixture of untimely mistakes and an unearthly round from Jon Rahm, his title hopes diminished within the blink of an eye. While I feel bad for Morikawa, that is exactly how I wanted the golf season to start in 2023. We are in for a great season if every tournament can produce that same drama at the finish.
This week the PGA Tour makes the short trip from Maui to Honolulu for the Sony Open, an event won by Hideki Matsuaya last season. The 7,044-yard par-70 Waialae Country Club delivers spectacular events year in and year out. The course is short and puts a premium on driving accuracy, giving everyone in the field an equal opportunity to go low. It’s generally mid to long shots which end up winning this event. Before I saw the pricing, I knew two golfers were must plays.
Here is a look at the players I am betting this week:
Tom Hoge: +3000
Tom Hoge was an interesting play this week, given his recent success and familiarity with Waialae. He’s seen a mixed bag in terms of results here. He’s missed three cuts and has a T-12 and a solo third. Hoge’s game throughout the season has been up and down, but the fact remains that at a course that requires hitting fairways and greens in regulation, he’s a threat. Waialae reminds me of Pebble Beach, a course where Hoge picked up his lone PGA Tour win. He’s also third in my primary model. He’s hitting fairways at a 63% clip and greens in regulation at 68%. His putter is generally his strength and has been dynamite in his last five events.
There are some concerns about him traveling to California for the National Championship game and then returning to Hawaii for the Sony Open. I’m not overly concerned. It’s about a five-hour flight, which he took Sunday, and a five-hour flight back on Tuesday morning. If he can’t shake off his hangover by Wednesday for a practice round, I don’t believe he went to TCU.
Source: www.golfchannel.com
