Home/Golf

via Getty

via Getty

In Honolulu, Hawaii, the historic Waialae Country Club is hosting the full-field tournament in 2025. 2022 Sony Open champion Hideki Matsuyama leads this year’s lineup at Waialae after his historic win at The Sentry Tournament this past week. But with the first day’s play over, it is surprising to see that he sits at T41 on the leaderboard after having shot 1 under. On the top are five golfers, Harry Hall, Adam Schenk, Eric Cole, Denny McCarthy, and Paul Peterson with 5 under par.

This year’s Sony Open in Hawaii is the first of three regular-season events for players to earn significant FedEx Cup points via the Aon Swing 5. A purse of $8.7 million is at stake. Let’s start to discover the player groupings and tee times for the tournament’s second day. 

TimeTeePlayers
12:10 PM

EST

1C.T. Pan

Justin Lower

Vince Whaley

12:10 PM

EST

10Nate Lashley

David Lipsky

Mac Meissner

12:20 PM

EST

1Sam Ryder

Harry Higgs

Greyson Sigg

12:20 PM

EST

10K.H. Lee

Joel Dahmen

Ben Martin

12:30 PM

EST

1Brendon Todd

Aaron Baddeley

Chan Kim

12:30 PM

EST

10Ben Kohles

Will Gordon

Chandler Phillips

12:40 PM

EST

1Rafael Campos

Lucas Glover

Gary Woodland

12:40 PM

EST

10Maverick McNealy

Matt McCarty

Billy Horschel

12:50 PM

EST

1Patton Kizzire

Davis Thompson

Cam Davis

12:50 PM

EST

10Hideki Matsuyama

Sahith Theegala

Russell Henley

1:00 PM

EST

1Emiliano Grillo

Matt Kuchar

Zach Johnson

1:00 PM

EST

10Nick Taylor

Sepp Straka

Corey Conners

1:10 PM

EST

1Lee Hodges

Kurt Kitayama

Adam Svensson

1:10 PM

EST

10Brice Garnett

Jake Knapp

Tom Hoge

1:20 PM

EST

1Chad Ramey

Ryan Palmer

Matti Schmid

1:20 PM

EST

10Michael Kim

Ben Silverman

Joe Highsmith

1:30 PM

EST

1Frankie Capan III

Aldrich Potgieter

Luke Clanton

(a)

1:30 PM

EST

10Taylor Montgomery

Takumi Kanaya

Jesper Svensson

1:40 PM

EST

1Kevin Roy

Kevin Velo

RJ Manke

1:40 PM

EST

10Tim Widing

Kaito Onishi

Yuta Sugiura

1:50 PM

EST

1Trevor Cone

Ricky Castillo

Gavin Cohen

1:50 PM

EST

10William Mouw

Cristobal Del Solar

Tyler Loree

(a)

2:00 PM

EST

1Noah Goodwin

Steven Fisk

Kensei Hirata

2:00 PM

EST

10Isaiah Salinda

John Pak

Mao Matsuyama

(a)

4:50 PM

EST

1Harris English

Keith Mitchell

Adam Hadwin

4:50 PM

EST

10Henrik Norlander

Rico Hoey

David Skinns

5:00 PM

EST

1James Hahn

Andrew Novak

Sam Stevens

5:00 PM

EST

10Andrew Putnam

Doug Ghim

Carson Young

5:10 PM

EST

1Kevin Streelman

Patrick Rodgers

Mark Hubbard

5:10 PM

EST

10Thomas Detry

Ben Griffin

Patrick Fishburn

5:20 PM

EST

1Austin Eckroat

Nick Dunlap

Robert MacIntyre

5:20 PM

EST

10Taylor Moore

Mackenzie Hughes

Webb Simpson

5:30 PM

EST

1Keegan Bradley

Tom Kim

Brian Harman

5:30 PM

EST

10Harry Hall

Seamus Power

Brandt Snedeker

5:40 PM

EST

1Taylor Pendrith

Chris Kirk

Byeong Hun An

5:40 PM

EST

10Stephan Jaeger

Luke List

Adam Schenk

5:50 PM

EST

1Nico Echavarria

J.T. Poston

Si Woo Kim

5:50 PM

EST

10Chris Gotterup

Peter Malnati

Camilo Villegas

6:00 PM

EST

1Bud Cauley

Eric Cole

Jacob Bridgeman

6:00 PM

EST

10Erik van Rooyen

Vincent Norrman

Nick Hardy

6:10 PM

EST

1Charley Hoffman

Denny McCarthy

Alex Smalley

6:10 PM

EST

10J.J. Spaun

Daniel Berger

Ryo Hisatsune

6:20 PM

EST

1Max McGreevy

Quade Cummins

Thomas Rosenmueller

6:20 PM

EST

10Brian Campbell

Taylor Dickson

Jeremy Paul

6:30 PM

EST

1Alejandro Tosti

Braden Thornberry

Mason Andersen

6:30 PM

EST

10Michael Thorbjornsen

Rikuya Hoshino

Jackson Suber

6:40 PM

EST

1Ryan Gerard

Danny Walker

Kelly Welsh

6:40 PM

EST

10Kris Ventura

Paul Peterson

Ben Polland

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

With their respective PGA Tour debuts this week at the Sony Open, rising Japanese players Rikuya Hoshino, Kaito Onish, and Takumi Kanaya will show that there are multiple paths to the most coveted golf destination.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

The Japanese trio’s PGA Tour debut at the Sony Open in Hawaii 2025

In 2024, Hoshino, 28, traveled across the globe, participating in at least fifteen distinct nations to earn a spot on the Tour after making it in the top 10 Order of Merit on the DP World (European) Tour. Meanwhile, Kanaya, 26, primarily competed on the Japan Golf Tour, occasionally traveling to the United States to attend Qualifying School, where he battled to a solo third place in the extremely fierce Final Stage for his playing rights.

Onishi, a 26-year-old star at The University of Southern California, utilized the Korn Ferry Tour platform in the United States. According to the PGA Tour, he earned his card for the very first time in his developing career after finishing in the top 30 of the season rankings list. “As a Japanese player, to have two other new players join the PGA Tour at the same time makes me very happy. Seeing them as my rivals too will become an extra motivation to not only me, but to all of us, and will be a good thing,” stated Hoshino, who placed ninth on the DP World Tour eligibility rating the previous year.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

The three rookies’ current objective is to continue competing in 2026, but they also hope to succeed so they can join their legendary countryman Hideki Matsuyama in the select winner’s circle. “For the last couple of years, I’ve been competing on the DP World Tour and learned a lot there. Of course, to win on the PGA Tour is the goal,” Hoshino added. “But most importantly, I just want to make sure I play consistently throughout the entire season and make sure I extend my status.”

What’s your perspective on:

Will the Japanese trio make a splash at the Sony Open and challenge the veterans?

Have an interesting take?

Fans are eager to see how the Japanese Trio performs on the course as the season progresses. Are you also thrilled? Leave a comment with your thoughts.

Have something to say?

Let the world know your perspective.

Challenge Your Sports Knowledge!

Solve the puzzle and prove your knowledge of iconic players, terms, and moments.

Play Now!
0
  Debate

Debate

Will the Japanese trio make a splash at the Sony Open and challenge the veterans?