The Sony Open in Hawaii is a professional golf tournament that has been held annually on the island of Oahu in Hawaii since 1965. It is one of the oldest events on the PGA Tour and has a rich history filled with memorable moments and notable winners.
The tournament was originally called the Hawaiian Open and was first held at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. It was founded by local businessman R.J. “Pops” Dickson and was sponsored by the Hawaii State Department of Business and Economic Development. The tournament was held in late December and attracted many top golfers from around the world, including Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player.
In 1972, the tournament was renamed the Sony Open in honor of its new sponsor, Sony Corporation. The tournament was also moved to the beginning of the calendar year, becoming one of the first events on the PGA Tour schedule.
Over the years, the Sony Open has seen many great players emerge victorious. Some of the most notable winners include Vijay Singh, Ernie Els, and David Toms, who have all won the tournament multiple times. Other notable winners include Tiger Woods, who won the tournament in 2000 and 2001, and Justin Thomas, who won in 2017 and 2018.
One of the most memorable moments in the history of the Sony Open occurred in 2003, when world number one Tiger Woods withdrew from the tournament due to a neck injury. This marked the first time in his professional career that Woods had withdrawn from a tournament.
Another memorable moment came in 2009, when Ryan Palmer shot a course record-tying 60 in the first round of the tournament. This was the lowest round in the history of the Sony Open and helped Palmer eventually finish in second place.
In recent years, the Sony Open has continued to be a popular stop on the PGA Tour. In 2020, the tournament was won by Cameron Smith, who beat out a strong field to claim his first PGA Tour victory.
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sony Open was able to take place in 2021 with a limited number of fans in attendance. The tournament was won by Kevin Na, who shot a final round 66 to claim his second PGA Tour victory.
As the Sony Open enters its second half-century, it remains one of the most respected and popular events on the PGA Tour. With its rich history and iconic location in the beautiful state of Hawaii, the Sony Open is sure to continue to be a highlight of the golfing calendar for years to come.
Past winners of the Sony Open in Hawaii:
2020: Cameron Smith
2019: Matt Kuchar
2018: Justin Thomas
2017: Justin Thomas
2016: Fabian Gomez
2015: Jimmy Walker
2014: Russell Henley
2013: Russell Henley
2012: Johnson Wagner
2011: Mark Wilson
2010: Ryan Palmer
2009: Zach Johnson
2008: Paul Goydos
2007: K.J. Choi
2006: David Toms
2005: Ernie Els
2004: Vijay Singh
2003: Vijay Singh
2002: Ernie Els
2001: Tiger Woods
2000: Tiger Woods
1999: Brad Faxon
1998: Brad Faxon
1997: Steve Stricker
1996: Brad Faxon
1995: Tom Kite
1994: Tom Kite
1993: Tom Kite
1992: Craig Stadler
1991: David Ishii
1990: Billy Mayfair
1989: Dave Barr
1988: John Cook
1987: Bobby Clampett
1986: Lanny Wadkins
1985: Hubert Green
1984: Calvin Peete
1983: Calvin Peete
1982: Calvin Peete
1981: Johnny Miller
1980: Tom Watson
1979: Tom Watson
1978: Tom Watson
1977: Tom Watson
1976: Tom Watson
1975: Tom Watson
1974: Tom Weiskopf
1973: Tom Weiskopf
1972: Frank Beard
1971: Don Bies
1970: Al Geiberger
1969: Don Massengale
1968: Dick Lotz
1967: Al Geiberger
1966: Billy Casper
1965: Al Balding
Sony Open in Hawaii Past Tournament Highlights
(2021) Cameron Smith
Cameron Smith is an Australian golfer, won his first PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Smith was able to hold off a charge from Zach Johnson and others to win by one stroke. He shot a final round 66, which included an eagle on the par-5 18th hole to secure the victory.
(2020) Cameron Champ
Cameron Champ is an American golfer, won his first PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Champ’s victory was notable for his distance off the tee, as he led the field in driving distance for the week. He shot a final round 67, which included an eagle on the par-5 18th hole to win by four strokes.
(2019) Matt Kuchar
Matt Kuchar is an American golfer, won his 9th PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Kuchar went into the final round with a one-stroke lead and played a solid round of golf to win by four strokes. He shot a final round 67 and made a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to seal the victory.
(2018) Patton Kizzire
Patton Kizzire is an American golfer, won his second PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Kizzire went into the final round tied for the lead and played a consistent round of golf to win by two strokes. He shot a final round 67 and made a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to seal the victory.
(2017) Justin Thomas
Justin Thomas is an American golfer, won his fifth PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Thomas went into the final round with a two-stroke lead and played a solid round of golf to win by four strokes. He shot a final round 66 and made a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to seal the victory. Thomas is considered one of the best golfers of his generation.
(2016) Fabian Gomez
Fabian Gomez is an Argentine golfer, won his first PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Gomez entered the final round tied for the lead with Brandt Snedeker and played a solid round of golf to win by one stroke. He shot a final round 67 and made a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to seal the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Gomez, who had previously struggled to win on the PGA Tour despite a number of close calls.
(2017) Justin Thomas
Justin Thomas is an American golfer, won his fifth PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Thomas went into the final round with a two-stroke lead and played a solid round of golf to win by four strokes. He shot a final round 66 and made a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to seal the victory. Thomas is considered one of the best golfers of his generation.
(2016) Fabian Gomez
Fabian Gomez is an Argentine golfer, won his first PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Gomez entered the final round tied for the lead and played a solid round of golf to win by one stroke. He shot a final round 67 and made a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to seal the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Gomez, who had previously struggled to win on the PGA Tour despite a number of close calls.
(2015) Jimmy Walker
Jimmy Walker is an American golfer, won his 6th PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Walker entered the final round tied for the lead and played a consistent round of golf to win by one stroke. He shot a final round 67, and made a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to seal the victory. This win came during a career year for Walker, who would go on to win two more events and claim the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup that season.
(2014) Russell Henley
Russell Henley is an American golfer, won his first PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Henley was able to hold off a charge from Tim Clark and others to win by one stroke. He shot a final round 68, which included an eagle on the par-5 18th hole to secure the victory. This was a special victory for Henley, who grew up in the state of Georgia and had never played at Waialae before, it was his first time in Hawaii.
(2013) Russell Henley
Russell Henley is an American golfer, won his second PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Henley came from behind on the final round and overtook the lead from Tim Clark. Henley played a strong final round and held on to win by two strokes. He shot a final round 67, which included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a continuation of a great start to his career and solidified him as a top player on the tour.
(2012) Johnson Wagner
Johnson Wagner is an American golfer, won his third PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Wagner entered the final round tied for the lead with Michael Thompson and played a solid round of golf to win by one stroke. He shot a final round 66, which included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Wagner, who had previously struggled to win on the PGA Tour despite a number of close calls.
(2011) Mark Wilson
Mark Wilson is an American golfer, won his fifth PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Wilson entered the final round tied for the lead with Tim Clark and played a consistent round of golf to win by one stroke. He shot a final round 67, and made a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to seal the victory. This win came during a career year for Wilson, who would go on to win one more event that season.
(2010) Ryan Palmer
Ryan Palmer is an American golfer, won his second PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Palmer was able to hold off a charge from Zach Johnson and others to win by one stroke. He shot a final round 66, which included an eagle on the par-5 18th hole to secure the victory. This was a special victory for Palmer, who had a strong following of fans in Hawaii and it was his first win in the state.
(2009) Zach Johnson
Zack Johnson is an American golfer, won his sixth PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Johnson entered the final round tied for the lead with Michael Bradley and played a solid round of golf to win by one stroke. He shot a final round 67, which included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Johnson, who had been a consistent performer on the PGA Tour for several years, but had struggled to win events despite a number of close calls. This win was also notable for the fact that it was Johnson’s first win in Hawaii and it came in a tournament where he had never finished higher than 11th place before. It was also his first win since the 2007 Masters.
(2008) K.J. Choi
K.J. Choi is a South Korean golfer, won his 8th PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Choi entered the final round tied for the lead with Rory Sabbatini and played a solid round of golf to win by two strokes. He shot a final round 67 and made a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Choi, as it was his first win in Hawaii and it was also the first time a South Korean golfer had won on the PGA Tour. This win was a great moment for the Asian golfing community and it helped to raise the profile of Asian golfers on the PGA Tour.
(2007) Paul Goydos
Paul Goydos is an American golfer, won his second PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Goydos entered the final round tied for the lead with Brett Wetterich and played a solid round of golf to win by one stroke. He shot a final round 67, which included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Goydos, who had been a consistent performer on the PGA Tour for several years, but had struggled to win events despite a number of close calls. Goydos’ victory at the Sony Open in Hawaii was his first on the PGA Tour in over 10 years, and it came in a tournament where he had never finished higher than 11th place before. It was a great moment for Goydos, who was already in his 40s and had to fight through many up and downs in his career. This win put him in the spotlight and helped him to establish himself as a player to watch on the tour.
(2006) David Toms
David Toms is an American golfer, won his 13th PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Toms entered the final round tied for the lead with Brett Quigley and played a solid round of golf to win by one stroke. He shot a final round 66, which included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Toms, who had already established himself as one of the best players on tour with his previous wins and consistent performances. This victory came in a tournament where Toms had never finished higher than 11th place before, but he was able to overcome that and secure the win. This win was also particularly notable as it was Toms’ first win of the season and it helped to kickstart a successful year for him on the tour.
(2005) Ernie Els
Ernie Els is a South African golfer, won his 14th PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Els entered the final round with a two-stroke lead over Vijay Singh and a few other players, and played a steady round of golf to win by three strokes. He shot a final round 67, which included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Els, who was already considered one of the best players in the world, with multiple major championships and a number of PGA Tour wins to his name. This victory came in a tournament where Els had never finished higher than 11th place before, but he was able to overcome that and secure the win. This win was also particularly notable as it was Els’ first win of the season and it helped to kickstart a successful year for him on the tour.
(2004) Vijay Singh
Vijay Singh is a Fijian golfer, won his 15th PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Singh entered the final round with a one-stroke lead over Craig Barlow and a few other players, and played a steady round of golf to win by two strokes. He shot a final round 69, which included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Singh, who was already considered one of the best players in the world, with multiple major championships and a number of PGA Tour wins to his name. This victory came in a tournament where Singh had a strong record, he had previously won the Sony Open in Hawaii in 2000 and had multiple top-10 finishes. This win was also particularly notable as it was Singh’s second win in a row, and it helped to solidify his position as one of the best players in the world.
(2003) Ernie Els
Ernie Els is a South African golfer, won his 13th PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Els entered the final round tied for the lead with Brad Faxon and Charles Howell III and played a solid round of golf to win by two strokes. He shot a final round 67, which included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Els, who was already considered one of the best players in the world, with multiple major championships and a number of PGA Tour wins to his name. This victory came in a tournament where Els had never finished higher than 11th place before, but he was able to overcome that and secure the win. This win was also particularly notable as it was Els’ second win of the season, and it helped to establish him as one of the top players on the tour at the time.
(2002) Brad Faxon
Brad Faxon is an American golfer, won his 8th PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Faxon entered the final round tied for the lead with Ernie Els and David Toms and played a solid round of golf to win by one stroke. He shot a final round 67, which included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Faxon, who was already considered one of the best putters on tour, and it was his second win at the Sony Open in Hawaii, having won the tournament before in 1995 and 1997. This victory came in a tournament where Faxon had a good record, and it was a testament to his consistency and the strength of his game. It also helped to establish him as one of the top players on the tour at the time and one of the best putters in the game.
(2001) Jim Furyk
Jim Furyk is an American golfer, won his 8th PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Furyk entered the final round tied for the lead with Brad Faxon and played a solid round of golf to win by one stroke. He shot a final round 67, which included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Furyk, who was already considered one of the best players in the world, with multiple major championships and a number of PGA Tour wins to his name. This victory came in a tournament where Furyk had never finished higher than 11th place before, but he was able to overcome that and secure the win. This win was also particularly notable as it was Furyk’s first win of the season, and it helped to establish him as one of the top players on the tour at the time.
(2000) Brad Faxon
Brad Faxon is an American golfer, won his 7th PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Faxon entered the final round tied for the lead with Jim Furyk and David Duval and played a solid round of golf to win by one stroke. He shot a final round 66, which included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Faxon, who was already considered one of the best putters on tour, and it was his third win at the Sony Open in Hawaii, having won the tournament before in 1995 and 1997.
This victory came in a tournament where Faxon had a good record, and it was a testament to his consistency and the strength of his game. It also helped to establish him as one of the top players on the tour at the time and one of the best putters in the game. This win was also particularly notable as it was Faxon’s first win in four years and it helped to re-established him as one of the top players on the tour.
(1999) Ernie Els
Ernie Els is a South African golfer, won his 12th PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Els entered the final round tied for the lead with David Duval and Brad Faxon and played a solid round of golf to win by two strokes. He shot a final round 67, which included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Els, who was already considered one of the best players in the world, with multiple major championships and a number of PGA Tour wins to his name. This victory came in a tournament where Els had never finished higher than 11th place before, but he was able to overcome that and secure the win. This win was also particularly notable as it was Els’ second win of the season and it helped to establish him as one of the top players on the tour at the time.
(1998) David Duval
David Duval is an American golfer, won his 7th PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Duval entered the final round tied for the lead with Brad Faxon and played a solid round of golf to win by one stroke. He shot a final round 67, which included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Duval, who was already considered one of the best players in the world, with multiple PGA Tour wins to his name. This victory came in a tournament where Duval had never finished higher than 11th place before, but he was able to overcome that and secure the win. This win was also particularly notable as it was Duval’s first win of the season and it helped to establish him as one of the top players on the tour at the time. It was also a sign of things to come for Duval as he would go on to have a very successful year and reach the top spot of the Official World Golf Ranking.
(1997) Brad Faxon
Brad Faxon is an American golfer, won his 6th PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Faxon entered the final round with a one-stroke lead over David Duval and played a solid round of golf to win by two strokes. He shot a final round 67, which included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Faxon, who was already considered one of the best putters on tour, and it was his second win at the Sony Open in Hawaii, having won the tournament before in 1995. This victory came in a tournament where Faxon had a good record, and it was a testament to his consistency and the strength of his game. It also helped to establish him as one of the top players on the tour at the time and one of the best putters in the game.
(1996) Brad Faxon
Brad Faxon is an American golfer, won his 5th PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Faxon entered the final round tied for the lead with Davis Love III and Vijay Singh and played a solid round of golf to win by one stroke. He shot a final round 66, which included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Faxon, who was already considered one of the best putters on tour. This was his first victory in Hawaii and it was a major win for him, showing that he was capable of winning on a different type of course. This victory came in a tournament where Faxon had never finished higher than 11th place before, but he was able to overcome that and secure the win. This win was also particularly notable as it was Faxon’s first win of the season and it helped to establish him as one of the top players on the tour at the time.
(1995) Jim Gallagher Jr.
Jim Gallagher Jr. is an American golfer, won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Gallagher Jr. entered the final round tied for the lead with Brad Faxon and David Ogrin and played a solid round of golf to win by two strokes. He shot a final round 66, which included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Gallagher Jr., who had been a consistent performer on the PGA Tour for several years, but had struggled to win events despite a number of close calls. This victory came in a tournament where Gallagher Jr. had never finished higher than 11th place before, but he was able to overcome that and secure the win. This win was also particularly notable as it was Gallagher Jr.’s first win of the season and it helped to establish him as one of the top players on the tour at the time.
(1994) Brad Faxon
Brad Faxon is an American golfer, won his 4th PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Faxon entered the final round tied for the lead with Jim Gallagher Jr. and David Ogrin and played a solid round of golf to win by one stroke. He shot a final round 67, which included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Faxon, who was already considered one of the best putters on tour. This was his first victory in Hawaii and it was a major win for him, showing that he was capable of winning on a different type of course. This victory came in a tournament where Faxon had never finished higher than 11th place before, but he was able to overcome that and secure the win. This win was also particularly notable as it was Faxon’s first win of the season and it helped to establish him as one of the top players on the tour at the time.
(1993) Davis Love III
Davis Love III is an American golfer, won his 5th PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Love III entered the final round tied for the lead with Brad Faxon and played a solid round of golf to win by one stroke. He shot a final round 67, which included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Love III, who had already established himself as a consistent performer on the PGA Tour, with multiple top-10 finishes and a number of wins under his belt. This win came in a tournament where Love III had never finished higher than 11th place before, but he was able to overcome that and secure the win. This win was also particularly notable as it was Love III’s first win of the season and it helped to establish him as one of the top players on the tour at the time. It was also the first of Love III’s two victories in the Sony Open in Hawaii.
(1992) David Ishii
David Ishii is a Hawaiian golfer, won his first PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Ishii entered the final round tied for the lead with Brad Faxon and played a solid round of golf to win by one stroke. He shot a final round 67, which included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Ishii, who had been a consistent performer on the PGA Tour for several years, but had struggled to win events despite a number of close calls. This victory came in a tournament where Ishii had never finished higher than 11th place before, but he was able to overcome that and secure the win. This win was also particularly notable as it was Ishii’s first win of the season and it helped to establish him as one of the top players on the tour at the time. It was also the first of his three wins on the PGA Tour.
(1991) Steve Pate
Steve Pate is an American golfer, won his first PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Pate entered the final round tied for the lead with Brad Faxon and David Ishii and played a solid round of golf to win by one stroke. He shot a final round 67, which included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Pate, who had been a consistent performer on the PGA Tour for several years, but had struggled to win events despite a number of close calls. This victory came in a tournament where Pate had never finished higher than 11th place before, but he was able to overcome that and secure the win. This win was also particularly notable as it was Pate’s first win of the season and it helped to establish him as one of the top players on the tour at the time. He would go on to win two more PGA Tour events in his career.
(1990) John Cook
John Cook is an American golfer, won his 4th PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Cook entered the final round with a one-stroke lead over Brad Faxon and David Ishii and played a steady round of golf to win by two strokes. He shot a final round 67, which included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole to secure the victory. This win was a significant milestone for Cook, who was already considered one of the top players on the PGA Tour. This victory came in a tournament where Cook had a good record, and it was a testament to his consistency and the strength of his game. It also helped to establish him as one of the top players on the tour at the time. This win was also particularly notable as it was Cook’s first win of the season and it helped to establish him as one of the top players on the tour at the time. Cook would go on to win two more PGA Tour events in his career.
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