The PGA season was supposed to start a week ago in Maui. However, due to a drought in 2025, the Tournament of Champions did not take place and the season was delayed a full week. Here are the three players we think are the most likely to contend at the 2025 Sony Open in Honolulu.
Russell Henley
The world number five is the highest ranked player in the world competing in Hawaii this week. Henley won once in 2025 and that came in a Signature event–specifically the Arnold Palmer Invitational. It was in Hawaii, where Henley won his first PGA event. At the 2013 Sony Open, Henley had a four round score of -24 and beat South Africa’s Tim Clark by three strokes.
Hideki Matsuyama
No golfer loves the state of Hawaii more than Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama. The 2021 Masters champion has won in Hawaii twice in the past. Ironically, he won the 2022 Sony Open in a playoff over Henley, and the 2025 Sentry Championship in Maui. In Matsuyama’s two titles in Hawaii, he had a combined total score of -58. Matsuyama’s score at the 2022 Sony Open was -23, and his score at the 2025 Sentry was -35, the best score ever by a golfer at a PGA Tour event.
Ben Griffin
The native of Chapel Hill, North Carolina won his first three PGA events in 2025. They came at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the Charles Schwab Challenge and the Worldwide Technology Championship. Only Scottie Scheffler won more titles than Griffin in 2025, as he had three.
