Who has made it to the Waiʻalae Country Club for the Sony Open 2025? The opening tournament of the 2025 season of the PGA Tour concluded a few hours ago. Fans saw Hideki Matsuyama secure a record-breaking victory at The Sentry with a score of 35-under par 257.

Now that it’s done and dusted, it’s time to move on to the 2nd event of the season, the 2025 Sony Open. Top golfers will stay in Hawaii as they travel from Maui to Honolulu at the Waiʻalae Country Club. They will be joined by other top players who have already qualified for the tournament.

However, there are still some spots open for invites this weekend. They will go to the winners of the ongoing Monday Qualifiers for the Sony Open. So who are the top candidates to win their place in the PGA Tour event beginning on January 9, 2025?

Cameron Kuchar

Have you heard that name before? Cameron Kuchar is the son of the 9-time PGA Tour winner; Matt Kuchar. Yes, he’s the same man who won the 2019 Sony Open in Hawaii. Still an active player on the Tour, Kuchar will be eager to welcome his son into the big leagues. Still only 18 years of age, Cameron Kuchar cruised through the pre-qualifiers a few hours ago. But this is not the first time the golf community has seen him play. Back in 2023, Kuchar had accompanied his father at the PNC Championship. While they didn’t win the tournament, their 1st round performance of 15-under par put them in pole position on the first day of the event. It will be interesting to see if Cameron Kuchar can display something similar in the Sony Open if he makes it through the qualifiers.

Kevin Streelman

Fans of the PGA Tour may be quite familiar with this veteran golfer. Having made his debut in 2001, Kevin Streelman gained fame in the golf community thanks to his exciting performances from 2013 to 2014. During this period, he had 7 top-10 finishes, which included 2 victories and 1 runner-up. During both his wins at the 2013 Tampa Bay Championship and the 2014 Travelers Championship, he went up against some greats like Sergio Garcia, Jim Furyk, and Cameron Kuchar’s father, Matt Kuchar as well. Trying to make a comeback into the main scene, Streelman is definitely a favorite to qualify in the next few hours and appear at the Waiʻalae Country Club on January 9, 2025.

Raul Pereda

Raul Pereda is a Korn Ferry Tour player who just broke into the PGA Tour in 2024. In his first full season in the Tour, Pereda managed to qualify for the 24 events. However, he only managed to make the cut 3 times with his best performance coming at the 2024 Puerto Rico Open with a T42 finish. However, all was not bad for the 28-year-old as he still managed to gain a victory throughout the season. The Mexican maverick won the first title of his career, the Bajio Open in 2024. Now that Pereda has his first season behind him, he will be eager to improve his performance and maybe even grab his first victory in the PGA Tour in 2025. He will definitely be a man to look out for at the Sony Open if he makes it through.

Jeff Maggert

At 60 years of age, Jeff Maggert had been there and done that on multiple occasions. He has won 3 times in the PGA Tour and also has 6 victories in the PGA Tour Champions to his name. Still hungry for victory, the man from Columbia is rising up the leaderboard at the Monday Qualifiers to secure his place at the 2025 Sony Open. The 2019 U.S. Senior Open Championship winner will be looking to end his losing streak in 2025 and add another PGA Tour title to his trophy cabinet.

Y.E. Yang

Yang Yong-eun is the man who faced the Tiger and came out on top in 2009. It was one of the most memorable years for Yang thanks to his splendid performance at the PGA Championship. Facing the unbeatable Tiger Woods, the South Korean did the unthinkable and won the title that year. That was his only major victory, but he definitely left a mark on the golf fans and the GOAT himself. After a brief stint in the PGA Tour Champions, the 52-year-old is giving the PGA Tour another shot at the Monday Qualifiers. All we can say is, Scottie Scheffler, beware, because Y.E. Yang may have the formula to slay the drama slayer.

These are the most notable players participating in the qualification round for the Sony Open right now. With the likes of the world no. 1 and Rory McIlroy missing out, this will be the best opportunity for either of them to qualify for the weekend and go in with the intent to attain glory.

Who do you think will make an impact in the 2025 Sony Open? Share your views in the comments section.