The PGA Tour season is officially underway, and while the Sony Open in Hawaii might offer postcard views and island vibes, the competition at Waialae Country Club was anything but laid-back. With a 120-man field and a cut line that once again landed at 1-under par - for the 10th straight year - players knew they’d need more than just a few birdies to secure a weekend tee time.
And for some, the grind paid off.
Clutch Performances Under Pressure
Hideki Matsuyama, a past champion at the Sony, showed exactly why he's one of the Tour's most composed closers. He rolled in a 29-foot birdie at the eighth - his 17th hole of the day - then calmly two-putted for birdie at the last to post an even-par 70 and sneak in at 1-under. It wasn’t flashy, but it was gritty - the kind of round that keeps you in the hunt when your A-game isn’t quite there.
Billy Horschel and Johnny Keefer also stepped up when it mattered. Both drained 13-foot birdie putts - Horschel at the 18th, Keefer at the ninth - to punch their tickets to the weekend.
Webb Simpson, a model of consistency at Waialae, made a 6-footer on his final hole to make the cut for the 15th time in 16 starts here. And Russell Henley?
He chipped in at 17 to move to 1-under, then birdied the last for good measure. That’s how you close.
Theegala, Bauchou, and Mouw: Drama on the Cut Line
Sahith Theegala’s second round started like a nightmare - three straight bogeys out of the gate after opening with a 73. At 6-over and seemingly out of it, he flipped the switch.
Eight birdies over his final 15 holes turned what looked like a missed cut into a 66 and a spot in the weekend field. His short game came alive, especially with a deft chip to tap-in range on 18.
“I definitely felt the nerves down the stretch,” Theegala said. “It’s so windy out there, the small putts are scary.
But it was good to get the nerves going again. It’s been a while.”
Then came Zach Bauchou, making his first start as a full-time Tour member. Four shots off the cut line with five holes to play?
No problem. He birdied four of those five, including a 57-footer at 15, a tap-in at 17, and a 2-footer to seal the deal.
Talk about a statement.
And while many were grinding for birdies, William Mouw took a different route - an eagle on the final hole. He buried a 10-footer and gave a fist pump that said it all. That eagle was the difference between packing his bags and playing the weekend.
Big Names, Rough Starts
But not everyone made it through.
Keegan Bradley, the 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup captain and a past Sony runner-up, was right on the edge for most of Friday.
But a double bogey at the par-3 seventh derailed his round. Despite ranking fourth in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, his putter didn’t cooperate, and his scrambling left room for improvement.
He shot 68-72 and missed the cut by one.
Collin Morikawa, back at the Sony for the first time since 2021, couldn’t overcome a rocky Thursday that included six bogeys. He missed an 8-foot birdie putt on 18 that would’ve extended his stay. Despite ranking second in proximity, he struggled mightily around the greens - converting just 4-of-10 scrambling chances - and finished 110th in SG: Putting.
Austin Eckroat saw his streak of four straight made cuts come to an end. A brutal stretch of four bogeys in five holes early in his second round set him back.
He missed a 7-foot birdie at the last and posted an even-par total. His putting was inconsistent - top-15 on Thursday, but plummeted to 102nd on Friday.
Chris Kirk, a two-time Sony runner-up, couldn’t find his rhythm. He didn’t card a birdie until his 12th hole on Friday and only managed two total. With just three successful scrambles in nine attempts, he never gave himself much of a chance.
Luke Clanton, still adjusting to life on Tour, switched caddies this week in search of a spark. It didn’t help.
He missed his third straight cut and ranked 114th in SG: Putting. The flat stick has been a recurring issue.
Gary Woodland, who made his emotional return from brain surgery at this event two years ago, was even through 30 holes but unraveled at the par-3 fourth with a triple bogey after struggling out of the bunker. Still, he ended on a positive note by draining a 16-foot eagle putt to close out his round.
Michael Brennan, the young winner from Utah, never quite found his footing. A rough start on Thursday and a cold putter - he lost nearly four strokes to the field on the greens - led to his first missed cut since earning full-time status.
Tony Finau returned to the Sony for the first time since 2018, but Waialae didn’t treat him kindly. A triple bogey on Thursday at the 12th hole set the tone.
He hit just 19 of 36 greens and finished dead last in SG: Approach. He’ll be heading back to the range with the irons.
Nico Echavarria, who nearly won this event last year, couldn’t replicate the magic. His putter went ice cold - 33 and 34 putts over two rounds - and he ranked 117th in SG: Putting. He’ll look to regroup after a 75-72 showing.
The Sony Open is often seen as a gentle reintroduction to the grind of the PGA Tour, but make no mistake - it demands sharp form and mental toughness. For those who made the cut, it’s a chance to build early momentum. For those heading home, it’s a reminder that even in paradise, there’s no coasting on the PGA Tour.