Sony Open: Golf One and Done Picks Strategy (2026)

Sony Open One and Done picks for 2026 with pool strategy, odds, future value, and pick popularity to help you start the season strong.

by Jason Lisk - Jan 14, 2026

ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 24: Russell Henley (USA) (left) and Keegan Bradley (USA) (right) shakes hands after finishing their final round of the PGA Tour Championship, August 24, 2025 at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia.

Russell Henley and Keegan Bradley are among the favorites at the Sony Open. (Photo: John Adams/Icon Sportswire)

The 2026 PGA Tour officially gets underway this week at the Sony Open in Hawaii, which means Sony Open Golf One and Done picks are now on the board. The usual kickoff event, the Sentry Tournament of Champions, was canceled this year due to drought and water issues on Maui. As a result, many One and Done pools start their season here at the Sony Open.

It’s probably a stronger field because of that dynamic, as plenty of golfers are eager to get their season started. We have four golfers currently ranked in our Top 10 in the field, along with some notable names who have won majors, like Hideki Matsuyama and Collin Morikawa.

As a result, there is no shortage of reasonable picks to open the season.

Sony Open One and Done Picks Strategy: Purse Info

The Sony Open has a total prize purse of $9,100,000, with $1,566,000 going to first place.

This purse ranks in the bottom half of non-Signature events in 2026, so you want to balance taking a golfer with a shot at winning with managing your future value usage in this one.

If you want to see where this tournament’s purse ranks in your specific PGA One and Done pool, you can set up your pool entry in our Golf One and Done Picks product.

Sony Open Overview for One and Done Pools

This analysis serves as a complement to the data provided in our product, which provides customized weekly pick grades that consider factors like:

The total number of picks you need to make this season
The specific tournaments included in your pool
The golfers you’ve already picked so far (once the season is underway)

Here are some notable highlights for the 2026 Sony Open field:

Strong field, but not loaded. 120 golfers are in the field this year, with about half of the players who finished in the Top 50 last year in the FedEx Cup Playoff standings participating.
Four golfers with past success. The four highest-ranked golfers in our Strokes Gained rankings in this field are Ben Griffin, Robert MacIntyre, Russell Henley, and J.J. Spaun.
Past winners. Other notable past champions (in addition to Henley) include Nick Taylor (2025), Si Woo Kim (2023), and Hideki Matsuyama (2022). Note that Russell Henley tied for the lead, then lost in an extra-hole playoff in 2022. Nico Echavarria suffered the same fate in 2025, losing to Taylor in a playoff.

Sony Open One and Done Picks Video

Jason Lisk and Stephen Andress break down everything you need to know to make the best Sony Open One and Done picks for your pool, including who to use now vs who to save for bigger purse weeks later. They’ll also hit the key contenders, smart pivots, and a few longer shots that can help you separate if your pool is big.

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Sony Open One and Done Picks Advice

Below, we’ll break down the top Sony Open One and Done picks by looking at tournament odds, future value rankings, pick popularity, and the strategy behind when to use each golfer.

Top 10 in Win Odds