Sony Open Tips and Preview

The PGA Tour remains in Hawaii this week for the Sony Open from January 9 and Bettingpro.com.au picks out the best value bets.

We narrowly missed out with a winner to start the year last week when Patrick Reed lost out in a play-off to Justin Thomas in the Tournament of Champions, although the each-way selection still gave us a return.

The form from Kapalua Plantation Course, where the Tournament of Champions was held, is key when it comes to this week’s Sony Open Waiʻalae Country Club in Hawaii.

It is therefore no surprise to see the odds markets for the Sony Open headed by Thomas (winner) and Reed (runner-up) and also prominently featuring Collin Morikawa (7th), Matt Kuchar (14th), Joaquin Niemann (5th) and Corey Connors (19th).

Webb Simpson and Hideki Matsuyama, who sit on the third and fourth line of betting, did not play at Kapalua and that is enough to put anyone off them. When it comes to finding the Sony Open winner, you simply have to look back a week.

The last six winners of the Sony Open all played in the Tournament of Champions a week earlier. That’s a serious statistic that can’t be ignored and I want Reed on my side again. He was unlucky at Kapalua and he’s again a similar price and an each-way shout ($13 BetEasy).

At a much bigger price, Chez Reavie is of interest. The American never really got going in the Tournament of Champions and finished 27th in the small field having finished one-over par for the week.

That performance can act as the perfect preparation for the Sony Open as he comes into the tournament having had that first outing of the year, which as mentioned already is a significant factor in finding the winner.

Couple that with the fact Reavie was third in last year’s Sony Open having not teed it up the week before, and he looks overpriced at $56 with bet365. He was in decent form prior to the Christmas break and looks a real contender at Waiʻalae Country Club.