2024 Sony Open in Hawaii: Top 10 power rankings at Waialae
OWGR: 27th. 2022-23 FedEx Cup: T-14th. Russell Henley. Sony Open Power Rank 4. 4
If the Sony Open in Hawaii isn’t one of Russell Henley’s favorite PGA Tour stops, it should be.
Not only did he win in his tournament debut in 2013, but he’s made seven of ten cuts at Waialae with a runner-up finish mixed in in 2022.
The former Georgia Bulldog posted 63-63-67-63 to win by three over Tim Clark. His 24-under 256 was the lowest winning score in tournament history until Justin Thomas posted 253 (-27) in 2017.
He has four top-20s at the Sony, with T-17th (72-64-67-67) in 2015, T-13th (64-67-68-68) in 2017, and solo second (62-63-67-65) in 2022. Henley took T-32nd (67-69-67-68) last year.
He came out hot out of the gates in 2022, taking a three-shot lead into the weekend. He was up by two after Saturday over Hideki Matsuyama.
Of course, Matsuyama heated up on Sunday to tie Henley in regulation and make eagle on the par-5 18th in the first playoff hole.
Posting 23-under like Henley did is usually enough to get it done. It beat third place by four shots.
He ranked second in the field in strokes gained approach (6.646) and even had the hot putting week (3rd SG, 5.886), but a poor short game week cost him.
Henley is more of a horse-for-course pick for the Sony. He did not play well last week at The Sentry, carding 69-72-72-68 to take T-52nd at The Sentry.
That snapped his streak of five consecutive top-13 finishes to close 2023.
The 34-year-old finished 25th last season on the PGA Tour in SG: Total (.8820. He was 17th in SG: Tee-to-Green (1.003) and 18th in SG: Approach (.556).
Henley led in driving accuracy (72.57%). He’s not a long hitter, but that’s not a requisite this week in Oahu.