Featured Groups: Sony Open in Hawaii

The first full-field event in 2017 takes place this week at the Sony Open in Hawaii. The 7,044-yard par-70 Waialae Country Club has hosted the event since 1965, making it the third-longest host course on the PGA TOUR. A total of 144 players are in the field, including several – such as Justin Rose and Zach Johnson — who are making their 2016-17 season debuts. In the last four years, the winning score has been 20 under or higher, so expect lots of birdies at Waialae. PGA TOUR Radio will provide coverage starting at 5 p.m. ET each round. Golf Channel’s coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET for the first three rounds, and 6 p.m. for Sunday’s final round. Here’s a look at the featured groups for the first two rounds (current FedExCup ranking in parentheses): Fabian Gomez (77), Jimmy Walker (78), Justin Rose (N/A). Gomez is the defending champ, while Walker won back-to-back titles in the previous two years. Rose is making his TOUR season debut this week; since winning the gold medal at the Rio Olympics, he’s yet to produce a top-20 finish in five worldwide starts. Tee times: 5:30 p.m. ET off No. 1 on Thursday; 12:50 p.m. ET off No. 10 on Friday. Hideki Matsuyama (1), Pat Perez (3), Zach Johnson (N/A). Matsuyama, the FedExCup leader, has been on a roll, finishing either first or second in his last six world starts. But Waialae has not been kind to him in his four starts (three MCs and a T-78). On the flip side, Johnson has not had a top-10 finish in his last nine starts has won at Waialae (in 2009). Perez has four top-10 finishes at Waialae in 15 career starts. Tee times: 5:40 p.m. ET off No. 1 on Thursday; 1:00 p.m. ET off No. 10 on Friday. Justin Thomas (2), Daniel Berger (11), Jordan Spieth (39). It’s another reunion of 2011 PGA TOUR rookies, with Thomas fresh off his SBS Tournament of Champions win, his second of the season. Spieth finished T-3 at Kapalua while Berger was T-14. For Spieth, this is his second start in this event; he missed the cut three years ago. Tee times: 1:00 p.m. ET off No. 10 on Thursday; 5:40 p.m. ET off No. 1 on Friday. Bill Haas (24), Brandt Snedeker (T-92), Jason Dufner (119). Of the three, Snedeker has the hottest hand – he won the Fiji International in October, one of just four Americans in the field that week. Haas has just one top 10 in his last eight starts; Dufner has one top 10 in his last nine. Tee times: 12:50 p.m. ET off No. 10 on Thursday; 5:30 p.m. ET off No. 11 on Friday.

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