2017 Sony Open preview and predictions: What to watch for at Waialae

The PGA Tour’s first full-field competition of 2017 will tee off Thursday at the event that has traditionally signaled the start of a new golf season -- the Sony Open in Hawaii.

One of the Tour’s longer running events, every edition of Hawaii’s Open has been held at Waialae Country Club since 1965. The golf course predates Hawaii’s statehood by some 30 or more years -- and that’s something players will notice in the style of play the course favors. The small 1920s-like green complexes & narrow fairways remind of old country clubs sprinkled throughout the eastern United States.

Translation: For better or worse, this ain’t Kapalua.

Here’s a few things to watch this week heading into the second event of 2017.

Here’s an insane stat: Over the course of his last six events, there’s only one player in the world that’s beaten Hideki Matsuyama in a golf tournament. That player? Justin Thomas.

The 24-year-old from Japan & 23-year-old from Louisville have taken the golf world by storm since the start of the 2016-17 wraparound season. Matsuyama has four worldwide wins & two runner-up finishes in his last six starts. Thomas won both events where Matsuyama finished second, including last week at the Tournament of Champions at Kapalua.

Waialae can be fickle, and the course doesn’t necessarily play to the strengths of two players that shine brightest from tee-to-green. But good golf is good golf, and that translates. There’s no reason to think they won’t be in contention this week.

THAT SAID:

No one’s going to call Waialae a bomber’s track -- it’s not a golf course you’re going to overpower. That might be a reason Jordan Spieth stands to pick up his second win in six weeks at the Sony.

Thanks to some schedule demands that have him heading to Japan & Korea next week for the launch of his Under Armour shoe, Spieth’s back in the field at the Sony for the first time since his rookie season. Things seem to be clicking for the former world No. 1. His wedge game back got back on track at Kapalua after a layoff during his late-November win at the Aussie Open, and he’s been quietly performing well in Matsuyama & Thomas’ shadows since.

A January win would be a quick way to signal his return to form after what too many have called a “down” 2016. He’s probably your favorite this week.

Five players in history have ever made PGA Tour cuts as 16-year-olds. Spieth & Thomas represent two on that list. Ty Tryon & Matteo Mannesero are the others.

But the fifth? Tadd Fujikawa. Well before Spieth & Thomas, the 5’1” Hawaiian was golf’s kid phenom in the mid-2000s. He qualified for the US Open in 2006 as a 15-year-old, before making the cut at the Sony — his home event — in 2006. Fujikawa’s career hasn’t gone exactly as planned after spending years on mini-tours, but he’s back in the field this week 12 years after his big splash. If he can have a special week, it’ll be life-changing for the once cult phenomenon.

As much as the favorites look great, good luck picking a winner here. This is a large field tourney in January — and often the first event after a long layoff for most players. It’s insanely hard to predict who’s in and out of form after long holiday & winter breaks, and it’s hard to prognosticate about an event when that’s the case for the wide swath of players in a 156-man field.

Winner: Jordan Spieth. His strong finish at the ToC speaks well of his chances here. Why not start 2017 by quieting the doubters?

Place: Jimmy Walker. He’s won here twice in the last three seasons. If you’re going to pick some one, might as well be James.

Show: The field. You’re almost certain to have some name casual fans won’t recognize in contention to win this week. Who that’s gonna be? Draw a name out of a hat.