Golf Tips: Our experts' best bets for the Sony Open and Team Cup

• Steve backs Hideki to hit the heights in Hawaii

• Dave says Eckroat can build on previous strong showings at 40/141.00

• Echavaria is well worth chancing at 109/1110.00

• Back Tommy for top points scorer at Team Cup

• Best bets, stats and more for both of this week's events

Sony Open tips and predictions

The Punter: Three Off the Tee at Waialae

Steve Rawlings: "Last year's winner, Grayson Murray, ranked 14^th for Driving Accuracy and when Matt Kuchar won here five years ago, ranking fourth for DA, it was interesting to hear how important he thought it was to be straight off the tee when comparing this course to El Camaleón in Mexico (more on that below). Kuchard said: 'Both courses are very tight, very demanding driving golf courses. That would probably be the biggest similarity...'

"I'm more than happy to take a small chance on last week's winner, Hideki Matsuyama, who won this event three years ago. Both Ernie Els and Justin Thomas have won at Waialae a week after winning The Sentry and Matsuyama has a habit of holding his form.

"He's only once before won back-to-back tournaments, back in 2016, but he looks a very fair price given he's won three of his last 18 events and they he played so brilliantly last week. This is far from a strong renewal, and I was happy to take a double-figure price."

Each-way picks from 22/1 to 45/1

Dave Tindall: "Austin Eckroat has had two previous starts at the Sony and he showed up well in both. He was 12th on debut in 2023 and the halfway leader last year (65-66) before sliding way down the field from ninth after 54 holes to 42nd. But he's won twice since then - the most recent just three starts ago - so is a completely different proposition.

"The weather forecast could be in his favour too as the winds are set to pick up throughout the week. That shouldn't be a problem for a man who grew up and still resides in Oklahoma.

"Speaking about Waialae last year when topping the 36-hole leaderboard, Eckroat noted: 'I think this golf course suits a drawer and I draw the golf ball. I played here well last year and was looking forward to coming back, which is huge.'"

Find Me a 100 Winner: Three longshots chanced up to 329/1

Steve Rawlings: "Columbia's Nico Echavaria finished tied for 30^th in what was his first outing in six weeks, so there's a chance he could have been rusty as prior to that he was in sparkling form. Echavarria was a very impressive winner of the ZOZO Championship at the end of October and he led the World Wide Technology Championship with a round to go next time out before going on to finish sixth.

"In his final start of 2024, after a slightly disappointing 29^th in Bermuda, the 30-year-old was a fast-finishing runner-up to Maverick McNealy in the RSM Classic in his final start. And that's an event that correlates nicely with this one.

"His first PGA Tour victory was at the Puerto Rico Open in 2023 at another coastal track and he shot two rounds of 65 around Waialae Country Club to climb from tied 59^th to 12^th when debuting here in 2023. The Colombian finished only 66^th here last year but he opened with three rounds of 68 and he was badly out of form at the time so I'm happy to forgive that."

First-Round Leader Tips: Picks at 55/1 and 60/1

Dave Tindall: "Chris Kirk's defence of The Sentry didn't go too well (44th) although middle rounds of 67-68 (11-under) were hardly too shabby. But he has a second chance to make his fortnight in Hawaii a happy one as Waialae is a course where he's flourished previously. In the last four years Kirk has a second and a third and wind back further and you'll find another runners-up finish, fifth and 10th.

"As for the FRL market, he's twice set the pace here on day one thanks to an opening 63 in 2018 and a Thursday 64 in 2023. In fact his last four Thursday scores at the Sony show 66, 64, 66, 65. A first-round leader in the St Jude Championship at TPC Southwind just six starts ago, Kirk can hopefully cash in on his early 08.00 tee-time from the 10th."

Course and current form stats

Andy Swales: "At just over 7,000 yards, Waialae is one of the shorter layouts on the PGA Tour schedule. The Bermudagrass fairways are narrow, while water comes into play on just five holes. Waialae is a compact, parkland venue located on the south-east coastline of O'ahu Island.

"Being an island venue close to the Pacific Ocean, the ever-changing coastal breezes play a major part in determining weather conditions. Scoring is usually low, with the winning 72-hole average for the last 12 editions (2013-24) being 260.0, which is exactly 20 under par...

"This year's American Ryder Cup skipper Keegan Bradley 25/1 is enjoying a resurgence in form. The 38-year-old could even qualify for the team itself, and is the current world No 12 following his tie-for-15th at Kapalua on Sunday. He won last August's BMW Championship at Castle Pines and 12 months ago at Waialae Country Club tied-for-second after losing a play-off."

Team Cup tips and predictions

Team Cup Preview: 6/1 Fleetwood can fly again in Abu Dhabi

Matt Cooper: "The European captain Molinari is looking to go back-to-back and - quirky fact alert - he played on three Ryder Cup teams, all of them winners. That run of success is almost certainly coincidental but the difference between the two teams may well be less than the prices suggest (and the rumours of Tom McKibbin's imminent departure to LIV might easily add grit to the smooth running of the GB&I team). Nonetheless, the gap between price and chance is insufficient to suggest backing the Continental Europeans.

"The winner of four points in Europe's Ryder Cup Paris triumph in 2018 and three points when they grabbed the Cup back in Rome, the Englishman also won three of his four points in the first edition of this match two years ago.

"He also really likes the course. It was his victory there in 2017 which heralded confirmation of his return to the big time after a period of poor form. He successfully defended the trophy in 2018, was second in 2020 and sat third after 54 holes in 2021 (finishing T11th). Although no longer captain he'll be a leader on the course and not one of his team-mates will sniff at being paired with him."

Course and current form stats

Andy Swales: "Abu Dhabi Golf Club is well known to players from both teams, having staged 16 DP World Tour events since 2006. With an average winning score of exactly 270 (18-under-par), Abu Dhabi has a reputation for being a birdie-fest.

"This long (over 7,600 yards), flat desert layout has reasonably wide fairways and large greens, while water comes into play on 12 holes. Tommy Fleetwood has won here twice, Tyrrell Hatton once, with Olesen posting a runner-up finish in 2013."

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