The 2026 PGA Tour is back, and things get underway in Hawaii with the Sony Open.
It has been a long stretch since Tommy Fleetwood closed out the 2025 season by winning the Tour Championship at East Lake, and fans have been waiting for action to return ever since. With The Sentry now cancelled, this tournament has taken on even more importance as it gets things started in January.
The field includes American Ryder Cup players Collin Morikawa, Keegan Bradley, J.J. Spaun, Russell Henley, and Ben Griffin – all familiar faces ready to kick off the year.
And according to Michael Kim’s recent breakdown of the course layout ahead of the event, those stars will be up against a fresh challenge compared to previous editions.
Michael Kim explains what will make the 2026 Sony Open course more challenging this year
Kim, who is not just known for his play but also his engaging presence on social media, gave fans a detailed look at what to expect from the Waialae Country Club layout this year.
After getting in a practice round, he took to X to share his thoughts.
“Some thoughts after my practice rounds here at Sony Open,” he wrote.
“Rough is up. Much longer throughout the course than yrs past. But it’s not like you can’t advance it. It’s long but a little thin. A good mix I think.
He continued: “Greens are soft. There’s more rain coming tonight so I expect greens and fairways to be quite soft when most yrs it’s been firm.”
“It’s going to be WINDY all week. But it’s an east/NE wind it looks like. It’s the opposite of what I’ve usually played.
“The wind will be very strong but it’s an easier direction at least. What made Waialae tough off the tee was that the wind was always going against the dogleg. Right to left dogleg, usually wind off the left and vice versa. With the east wind, it’s going to go with the dogleg more times than not. It’s going to be a great test this week.
“Wish me luck! First off Thursday morning.”
The 32-year-old offered a thorough analysis, emphasizing the challenging conditions this week due to the wind. He is scheduled in the opening group, teeing off early with Peter Malnati and Keith Mitchell.
Why the Sony Open has not been kind to Michael Kim
Kim has not had much luck at the Sony Open in previous years. He has missed a few cuts and his best finish was a T42 back in 2024.
He did post a top 50 on one occasion, but followed it up with another missed cut the following season.
Slow starts have often set him back, too. In 2025, he opened with a three-over-par 73 before bouncing back with a Friday 65 that still was not enough to make the weekend.
Despite those struggles, Kim had a solid 2025 overall, finishing T2 at the WM Phoenix Open and picking up a win on the DP World Tour. He will be looking to carry that momentum into 2026 and get off to a better start this year.
This week, with the course expected to play differently than it has in recent years, there is hope that Kim might find conditions more suited to his game. But as past results suggest, getting out of the blocks quickly could be crucial for him.
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