2021 Sony Open in Hawaii Broadcast Window & Pre-Tournament
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
2021 Sony Open in Hawaii Broadcast Window & Pre-Tournament Notes 6 Six consecutive top-20 finishes at the Sony Open in Hawaii, tied most of any player since 2013. Webb Simpson has the longest active streak of top-20 finishes at the Sony Open in Hawaii entering 2021 (6). 28’ 3” Since the start of last season, Collin Morikawa has the second-best Proximity to the hole average on approaches from 175-200 yards (min 100 attempts). Morikawa averages 28’ 3” in proximity to the hole on these approaches since the start of the 2019-20 PGA TOUR season. 188 Marc Leishman has made 188 total birdies at the Sony Open in Hawaii, second most of any player at this event since 2009 and his most in an event on TOUR. 294 Hideki Matsuyama has spent 294 weeks inside top-125 of FedExCup standings, tied-most since 2013-14 PGA TOUR season 93.75% Sergio Garcia made birdie or better on 15 of 16 par 5s last week en route to a T11 finish at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Sergio’s 93.75% birdie or better percentage on par 5s is the best of any player this season. 5 Joaquin Niemann lost in a playoff last week at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Since 2000, five of the seven players who have lost in a playoff the week before at the Sentry TOC have finished sixth or better at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Jimmy Walker (2015) won the Sony Open in Hawaii after losing to Patrick Reed at the Sentry TOC. 5 Cameron Smith was the fifth Australian to win a PGA TOUR event in Hawaii since 1969 8 Sungjae Im has shot under par in each of his last eight consecutive Second Rounds, marking the second time in Sungjae Im’s PGA TOUR career with a streak of eight (or more) consecutive rounds under par in Round Two. 17 Carlos Ortiz is 17 strokes better in his last two Sony Open in Hawaii starts (-9) compared to his first two starts at this event (+8) 5 Harris English is the fifth player this season to end a winless drought on the PGA TOUR of more than six years (7 years, 1 month, 24 days) 66.87 In his last 23 rounds, Matt Kuchar has a 66.87 stroke average at the Sony Open in Hawaii, 3.17 strokes better than his 70.04 stroke average in his first 23 rounds at this event. Kuchar is 73 total strokes better in his last 23 rounds (-72) than in his first 23 rounds at the Sony Open in Hawaii (+1). 93.06% Adam Scott hit a field leading 93.06% of his greens in regulation en route to his T21 finish at last week’s Sentry Tournament of Champions, marking his career-best Greens in Regulation percentage in an PGA TOUR event. 2021 Sony Open in Hawaii Broadcast Window & Pre-Tournament Notes FedExCup Storylines 10 Since 2007, 10 of the 14 Sony Open in Hawaii champions have qualified for the TOUR Championship, finishing inside the top 30 in the final FedExCup standings in the year winning the Sony Open. 1,281 Since 2009, no player has earned more FedExCup season points at the Sony Open in Hawaii than Jimmy Walker. Walker has earned 1,281 FEC points in this timeframe including two victories in 2014 & 2015. +208 Hudson Swafford has improved 208 positions in the FedExCup standings from this point last season. Swafford entered the 2020 Sony Open in Hawaii 226th in FedExCup standings and is currently 18th in the standings. 11 Total players who can move to No. 1 in the FedExCup with a win this week 42 / 17 42 of the current top 70 of the FedExCup standings are in the field this week and 17 of the top-30. FedExCup Finishes Most FedExCup Points Earned Sony Open Champions Since 2007 Sony Open Since 2009 Year FEC Finish Total Cameron Smith 2020 24th Jimmy Walker 1,281 Matt Kuchar 2019 16th Charles Howell III 983 th Patton Kizzire 2018 30 Matt Kuchar 965 Justin Thomas 2017 WIN Zach Johnson 905 Fabián Gómez 2016 40th Ryan Palmer 809 Jimmy Walker 2015 16th Tim Clark 729 Jimmy Walker 2014 7th Justin Thomas 685 Russell Henley 2013 44th Webb Simpson 645 Johnson Wagner 2012 36th Russell Henley 623 Mark Wilson 2011 22nd Marc Leishman 613 Ryan Palmer 2010 23rd Cameron Smith 607 Zach Johnson 2009 6th K.J. Choi 2008 10th Paul Goydos 2007 59th Players Who Can Move to #1 in FedExCup Biggest Improvement in FedExCup Standings With a Win This Week Entering Sony Open in Hawaii Last 2 Seasons Rank Entering Week Last Season This Season +/- Harris English 2nd Hudson Swafford 226th 18th 208 Stewart Cink 7th Mackenzie Hughes 209th 36th 173 Carlos Ortiz 8th Martin Laird 177th 14th 163 Jason Kokrak 10th Sergio Garcia 172nd 11th 161 Sergio Garcia 11th Sam Burns 209th 56th 153 Joaquin Niemann 13th Russell Henley 173rd 30th 143 Robert Streb 15th Cameron Smith 16th Sungjae Im 17th Hudson Swafford 18th Brian Gay 19th 2021 Sony Open in Hawaii Broadcast Window & Pre-Tournament Notes Course & Hole Stats Waialae CC 34 Only Sedgefield CC (44) has more rounds of 62 or better than Waialae CC in the ShotLink era (34) 17 Waialae CC has ranked inside the top 15 in toughest fairways to hit in 17 of the last 18 season on TOUR. 65.53% Last season, the field hit 65.53% of the fairways at this course, marking the highest Driving Accuracy PCT at Waialae CC in the last 29 years 5th Fifth shortest Driving Distance (All Drives) average of any course last season (279.5) 37.33% The 18th hole at Waialae CC is the toughest fairway to hit on TOUR in the ShotLink era (Holes with min 3,100 attempts). Players find the fairway on the 18th hole 37.33% of the time since 2003. 2021 Sony Open in Hawaii Broadcast Window & Pre-Tournament Notes Courses with the Most Rounds of 62 or Better PGA TOUR Since 2003 # of Rds Sedgefield Country Club 44 Waialae CC 34 TPC Summerlin 34 TPC River Highlands 31 The Old White TPC 25 LaCantera GC (Resort) 25 Waialae CC Driving Accuracy Ranks PGA TOUR Since 2003 Best Driving Accuracy PCT Season Rank PCT Waialae CC Since 1992 Last Season 32nd 65.53 PCT 2018-19 13th Toughest 56.27 2020 65.53 2017-18 14th Toughest 54.80 2000 61.22 2001 58.32 2016-17 14th Toughest 56.03 2003 58.26 2015-16 12th Toughest 55.14 2002 57.49 2014-15 7th Toughest 52.34 2013-14 3rd Toughest 49.35 Shortest Driving Distance (All Drives) 2013 2nd Toughest 48.03 PGA TOUR Last Season 2012 2nd Toughest 46.61 Distance 2011 12th Toughest 56.28 Pebble Beach Golf Links 272.9 2010 Toughest 47.17 Harbour Town GL 274.3 2009 7th Toughest 52.42 Sea Island Resort (Seaside) 274.4 2008 3rd Toughest 50.78 PGA National (Champion) 277.2 2007 2nd Toughest 47.76 Waialae CC 279.5 2006 Toughest 43.66 2005 8th Toughest 54.34 2004 7th Toughest 53.87 2003 12th Toughest 58.26 Most Seasons Ranked Inside Top 15 in Toughest Driving Holes Driving Accuracy PGA TOUR Since 2003 PGA TOUR Since 2003 # of Seasons Hole PCT Torrey Pines (North) 18 Waialae CC 18th 37.33 Torrey Pines GC (South) 17 TPC Boston 4th 37.73 Waialae Country Club 17 Firestone CC (South) 9th 38.37 Riviera Country Club 16 TPC Four Seasons Resort 1st 40.13 East Lake Golf Club 16 Quail Hollow Club 5th 41.61 Firestone CC (South) 15 *Min 3,100 Attempts 2021 Sony Open in Hawaii Broadcast Window & Pre-Tournament Notes Past Champion Stats Sony Open in Hawaii 7 Seven of the last nine Sony Open in Hawaii champions have ranked inside the top 10 in Strokes Gained: Approach-the-Green. 8 Since 2012, eight of the last nine Sony Open in Hawaii champions ranked inside the top 20 in Proximity to the Hole en route to victory at Waialae CC. 6 Six of the last nine Sony Open in Hawaii champions have hit 40 or more approach shots inside 30 feet. 11 Since 2010, every winner of the Sony Open in Hawaii has ranked inside the top-10 in SG: Putting, with Russell Henley’s 2013 performance the best of any winner at this event in this time frame. The Sony Open in Hawaii has the most winners ranked inside the top 10 in SG: Putting than any event on the PGA TOUR in this stretch. 3 Cameron Smith was the third player to lead in Strokes Gained: Putting en route to victory at the Sony Open in Hawaii since 2004 (Russell Henley/2013 & Jimmy Walker/2015). 3.18 Since 2010, the average Strokes Gained: Putting rank of Sony Open in Hawaii winners, lowest of any PGA TOUR event in this time frame (Min 3 seasons). 7 Seven of the last nine Sony Open in Hawaii champions have played the back 9 in 10-under par or better en route to victory. 2 Two of the last three winners of the Sony Open in Hawaii ranked inside the top-25 in Approaches from 175-200 yards. 2021 Sony Open in Hawaii Broadcast Window & Pre-Tournament Notes Strokes Gained: Approach-the-Green Proximity to the Hole Ranks Approach Shots Inside 30’ Sony Open Champions Since 2012 Sony Open Champions Since 2012 Sony Open Champions Since 2012 Rank Avg Rank Shots < 30’ 2020 Cameron Smith 53rd -0.210 2020 Cameron Smith 18th 2020 Cameron Smith 31 2019 Matt Kuchar 7th +1.375 2019 Matt Kuchar 8th 2019 Matt Kuchar 40 2018 Patton Kizzire 3rd +1.715 2018 Patton Kizzire 4th 2018 Patton Kizzire 44 2017 Justin Thomas 4th +1.536 2017 Justin Thomas 6th 2017 Justin Thomas 46 2016 Fabián Gómez 2nd +1.694 2016 Fabián Gómez 6th 2016 Fabián Gómez 46 2015 Jimmy Walker 7th +1.228 2015 Jimmy Walker 12th 2015 Jimmy Walker 45 2014 Jimmy Walker 21st +0.626 2014 Jimmy Walker 50th 2014 Jimmy Walker 39 2013 Russell Henley 5th +1.399 2013 Russell Henley 13th 2013 Russell Henley 46 2012 Johnson Wagner 3rd +1.558 2012 Johnson Wagner 13th 2012 Johnson Wagner 39 Approaches from 175-200 Yards Last 3 Sony Open in Hawaii Champions Rank Avg 2020 Cameron Smith 21st 33' 5" 2019 Matt Kuchar 28th 34' 8" 2018 Patton Kizzire 4th 22' 10" Strokes Gained: Putting Most Winners Ranked Inside Top 10 in SG: Putting Sony Open Champions Since 2010 PGA TOUR Since 2010 Rank Average # of Winners 2020 Cameron Smith 1st +2.058 Sony Open in Hawaii 11 2019 Matt Kuchar 3rd +1.760