PGA Sony Open Best Bets Plus Top 15 Model Picks For DFS

The Sony Open in Hawaii, the first full-field event of 2024, promises an exciting week of golf at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. This year's tournament features a strong field, including defending champion Si Woo Kim, who secured a dramatic win last year with a birdie on the final hole. The course, a par 70 measuring 7,044 yards, is known for its susceptibility to wind, which can significantly impact play. Justin Thomas holds the 72-hole record with a staggering 27-under-par score, achieved in 2017.

Several notable players are making their return at this event. Gary Woodland is coming back after surgery to remove a brain lesion, and Will Zalatoris returns following back surgery in 2023. English players Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton, and Justin Rose are also in the field.

The course characteristics at Waialae favor players who perform well on Par 4's, especially those ranging from 400-450 yards. In recent years, winners have shown a strong performance on approach shots and have gained strokes in this aspect of the game. The course's fairways are relatively hard to hit, with only about 53% accuracy compared to the TOUR average of 62%. However, the rough isn't as penalizing, allowing players to still aim for greens in regulation despite missing the fairway.

Keep an eye on the young talent in the field, such as Akshay Bhatia and Ludvig Åberg, as the Sony Open has historically been a platform for emerging stars. The tournament also holds high stakes in terms of the FedExCup race and points towards the Aon Swing 5, adding an extra layer of excitement to the event.

The model focuses on the last 24 rounds of each golfer. We are also looking for golfers trending in the right direction.

For this weeks event the stats we are looking at

Eric Cole (Odds: 3000): Cole has been in excellent form recently, finishing tied for 14th at The Sentry to kick off 2024. His consistent performance in recent months, including multiple top-4 finishes, suggests he might be a solid pick for the Sony Open. The course at Waialae should be a good match for his game.

Ludvig Aberg (Odds: 1400): Despite a disappointing overall performance at The Sentry, where he finished tied for 47th, Aberg showed his potential with a strong final round of 10-under 63. His capability to score low, especially in the final rounds, could be an asset at the Sony Open.

Sahith Theegala (Odds: 2800): Theegala almost secured a win at The Sentry, missing out on a playoff by a narrow margin. His impressive final round and overall performance indicate he's in great form coming into the Sony Open, making him a strong contender.

To Win

The Top 15 model plays for DFS

1. Eric Cole

   • Salary: $9,700

   • Model Rank: 1

   • Recent Results: T14 (Sentry), T3 (The RSM Classic), T2 (ZOZO Championship), T3 (Shriners Children's Open), T35 (Sanderson Farms)

2. Ludvig Aberg

   • Salary: $10,500

   • Model Rank: 2

   • Recent Results: T47 (Sentry), 1 (The RSM Classic), T10 (World Wide Technology), T13 (Shriners Children's Open), T2 (Sanderson Farms)

3. Alex Noren

   • Salary: $7,900

   • Model Rank: 3

   • Recent Results: T23 (The RSM Classic), 2 (Butterfield Bermuda), T48 (ZOZO Championship), T3 (Shriners Children's Open), T43 (Sanderson Farms)

4. J.J. Spaun

   • Salary: $7,600

   • Model Rank: 4

   • Recent Results: T13 (The RSM Classic), T67 (World Wide Technology), T6 (ZOZO Championship), T46 (Shriners Children's Open), T11 (Fortinet)

5. Justin Rose

   • Salary: $8,200

   • Model Rank: 5

   • Recent Results: T40 (Sentry), T22 (BMW Championship), T20 (FedEx St. Jude), CUT (The Open), CUT (Genesis Scottish Open)

6. Sahith Theegala

   • Salary: $10,000

   • Model Rank: 6

   • Recent Results: 2 (Sentry), CUT (World Wide Technology), T19 (ZOZO Championship), 1 (Fortinet), T15 (BMW Championship)

7. J.T. Poston

   • Salary: $9,100

   • Model Rank: 7

   • Recent Results: T5 (Sentry), T44 (The RSM Classic), T3 (Shriners Children's Open), T22 (BMW Championship), T24 (FedEx St. Jude)

8. Will Zalatoris

   • Salary: $9,300

   • Model Rank: 8

   • Recent Results: W/D (Masters), 73 (THE PLAYERS), T53 (Arnold Palmer), 4 (Genesis), CUT (Farmers)

9. Keegan Bradley

   • Salary: $8,000

   • Model Rank: 9

   • Recent Results: T45 (Sentry), T19 (ZOZO Championship), T9 (TOUR Championship), T29 (BMW Championship), T43 (FedEx St. Jude)

10. Mark Hubbard

    • Salary: $7,000

    • Model Rank: 10

    • Recent Results: CUT (The RSM Classic), T20 (Butterfield Bermuda), CUT (World Wide Technology), T31 (ZOZO Championship), CUT (Shriners Children's Open)

11. Stephan Jaeger

    • Salary: $8,100

    • Model Rank: 11

    • Recent Results: T28 (The RSM Classic), T45 (World Wide Technology), T25 (Sanderson Farms), T45 (Fortinet), T20 (FedEx St. Jude)

12. Gary Woodland

    • Salary: $7,100

    • Model Rank: 12

    • Recent Results: T27 (Wyndham), CUT (3M Open), T55 (The Open), T25 (Genesis Scottish Open), T33 (Travelers)

13. Lucas Glover

    • Salary: $7,700

    • Model Rank: 13

    • Recent Results: T29 (Sentry), T45 (Butterfield Bermuda), T59 (World Wide Technology), T18 (TOUR Championship), T22 (BMW Championship)

14. Taylor Pendrith

    • Salary: $7,200

    • Model Rank: 14

    • Recent Results: CUT (The RSM Classic), T8 (Butterfield Bermuda), T15 (World Wide Technology), T3 (Shriners Children's Open), CUT (Fortinet)

15. Luke List

    • Salary: $7,600

    • Model Rank: 15

    • Recent Results: T22 (Sentry), T19 (The RSM Classic), T20 (Butterfield Bermuda), T45 (World Wide Technology), T18 (Shriners Children's Open)