Sony Open in Hawaii: Power ranking the top ten at Waialae

Justin Thomas finished on the bottom half of the leaderboard last week at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, but don’t let that dissuade you from rolling with JT. In case you felt compelled to worry about his game, he fired off a six-under-par 67 on Sunday to sharpen his sword for the Sony.

The 24-year-old American can’t compete the Hawaii slam like he did in 2017, but he can be a repeat champ at Waialae. Thomas tied for sixth here in his debut in 2015, missed in 2016 and won by seven en route to setting the PGA Tour 72-hole scoring record at 253 (27-under).

Thomas knows how to fairways-and-greens this course to death.

"“I love this course. A few years ago, I played my rookie year, I said that I love it. It’s just a course that I like when it’s firm fairways. Fairways are a premium. You’ve got to shape it to kind of match the fairways. It’s a lot of grinding,” Thomas said in his post-tournament presser as transcribed by ASAP Sports."

Thomas famously carded a 59 in round one and led wire-to-wire while also setting the PGA Tour’s low 36-hole mark (123) and tying the 54-hole (188) mark.

It will be interesting to see how having Jim “Bones” Mackay on the bag will affect Thomas. Mackay, Phil Mickelson’s former caddy turned NBC/Golf Channel on-course reporter, is filling in for Jimmy Johnson, who has plantar fasciitis.

The Sony was not a regular stop on Phil’s schedule by any means, so Bones may not have a bevy of knowledge to fall back on.

“It’s funny I was with Jordan (Spieth) and Bones the other day and Jordan asked him the last time he caddied there and he said ’92 so it was before either of us were born,” Thomas was quoted by the PGA Tour. I’d say the course has changed a little bit since then.”