This Week: Sony Open

The Sony Open in Hawaii tees off the full-field PGA Tour schedule, on the heels of last week's winners-only SBS Championship won by Geoff Ogilvy. Ogilvy isn't playing this week, but those who are playing include Ernie Els, Rickie Fowler, defending champion Zach Johnson and Steve Stricker.

One player to watch is Vijay Singh. Singh is coming off a down year - various aches and pains limited him to 21 starts (that's high for, say, Tiger Woods, but low for Vijay), he failed to win for the first time since 2001, and he ended the year with knee surgery in November. Singh turns 48 in February. Is he finished as a top player on the PGA Tour? Or will he still be among the elite in 2010?

The slimmed down (and garishly dressed) John Daly is in the field on a sponsor's exemption (so is Tadd Fujikawa). In fact, Daly - who has almost no status on the PGA Tour in 2010 - has lined up three early appearances via sponsor exemption: the Sony, plus the San Diego Open and the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Good play in these three early event will make Daly's 2010 much more promising for him, and for his fans.

See the list of past champions at the Sony Open.

See also:

• Waialae Country Club photo gallery