Eating Ws

Fresh off opening night in the TGL, where The Bay Golf Club absolutely embarrassed New York Golf Club... it's difficult to write about a lower-level tour like the PGA. But here we go:

The season is off to a decent, albeit anticlimactic start. Hideki Matsuyama set a PGA TOUR record with -35 at Kapalua, because par doesn't matter and the ball goes too far. It was nice to see prime-time golf... but the championship was never in doubt on Sunday.

The par-4 17th already plays as the longest in TOUR history at 550+ yards. Next year they'll turn another par 5 into a par 4... since everyone was approaching with 8-irons. Sadly this is nothing more than vacation golf for the pros that qualify.

While Hideki was a popular pick, only one entry had both him and runner-up Collin Morikawa.

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This week we remain in Hawaii for the Sony Open — the first event filled with the mules on your team. Hideki is the only player ranked in the top 10, and will be a heavy betting favorite (don't fall for it).

Unless the wind is blowing, winning scores will be around -20. But unlike most stops on TOUR, driving distance and putting really aren't a factor. Recent restoration work by Tom Doak puts a huge emphasis on around-the-green skill. This will bring in a wider swath of potential winners, so it's a tough tournament to predict.

But have you seen the giant W?

Good luck!