The Aloha Swing continues this week in Honolulu, where several of the game’s biggest names headline the field for the Sony Open. Here are some marquee, early-round tee times to keep an eye on as the defending champ finds himself grouped with two of the game’s hottest players (all times ET):
12:50 p.m. Thursday, 5:30 p.m. Friday: Marc Leishman, Joaquin Niemann, Lanto Griffin
This group is a bit of a role reversal in that it was Niemann and Griffin starting their year at last week’s winners-only luau at Kapalua while Leishman stayed home. The Aussie has had great success at this event, including a T-3 finish last year, while Niemann will be making his first appearance at Waialae months after his maiden win at The Greenbrier. Griffin’s breakthrough came weeks later in Houston and he’s added a pair of top-20 finishes since then.
1 p.m. Thursday, 5:40 p.m. Friday: Patrick Reed, Brandt Snedeker, Collin Morikawa
Reed nearly backed into an unexpected victory last week in Maui before falling to Thomas on the third playoff hole, and he’ll look to finish one spot better in just his third career Sony appearance. Snedeker lost a playoff at this event back in 2016, while Morikawa is on the cusp of a top-50 world ranking after opening his pro career with 15 straight made cuts.
5:30 p.m. Thursday, 12:50 p.m. Friday: Kevin Kisner, Webb Simpson, Hideki Matsuyama
Kisner is the only player from this trio who teed it up last week at Kapalua, where he tied for 14th. Simpson has finished second four times in his last 11 starts dating back to June and now returns to a course where he has finished T-13 or better in four straight appearances, while Matsuyama looks to continue his fall momentum that included a T-3 finish in Korea and a runner-up performance at the Zozo Championship.
5:40 p.m. Thursday, 1 p.m. Friday: Matt Kuchar, Justin Thomas, Brendon Todd
Kuchar cruised to victory at Waialae a year ago, and he’ll start his title defense alongside the only two-time winners from the current Tour season. Thomas is fresh off his playoff victory at Kapalua and won the CJ Cup in October, while Todd captured the Bermuda Championship and Mayakoba Golf Classic in consecutive November starts.