PGA Tour Brunch | SONY Open
Second Round Coverage of the 2026 SONY Open in Hawaii
By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk
HONOLULU - Defending champion Nick Taylor posted a bogey-free 8-under (62) in his bid to become the event’s first back-to-back champion since Jimmy Walker (2015). The (62) was Taylor’s second-lowest opening round of his career as he once opened with a (60) en route to winning the 2024 WM Phoenix Open.
Taylor now has 17 consecutive par-or-better rounds at Waialae Country Club (68-under during that stretch), including 12 straight rounds in the 60s. He made his 10th start at the Sony Open in Hawaii, with four straight finishes of T11 or better (T11/2021, T7/2023, T7/2024, 1st/2025).
Co-leader Kevin Roy recorded a bogey-free 8-under (62), equaling his career-low round (2025 Puerto Rico Open/R1, 2025 Rocket Classic/R1). Roy led the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Green (2.571), and Scrambling (T1; 7/7). He made his third start at the Sony Open in Hawaii (MC/2023, T45/2025).
Chris Gotterup and Ben Griffin, two of the 14 players in the field who advanced to the 2025 TOUR Championship, sit T3 following 7-under (63s). Gotterup has a tournament win in each of the last two seasons on TOUR (2024 ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic, 2025 Genesis Scottish Open), while Griffin won three times last season (Zurich Classic of New Orleans/with teammate Andrew Novak, Charles Schwab Challenge, World Wide Technology Championship).
With a 7-under (63), John VanDerLaan (T3/-7) posted the best score of the 22 players in the field who are part of the 2026 new member class. He earned his PGA TOUR membership with a No. 17 finish on the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour Points List as the Top 20 earned TOUR membership for 2026.
Despite double bogeys on Nos. 4 and 10, 62-year-old World Golf Hall of Fame member Vijay Singh (T41/-2) posts a 2-under (68) in his first round on the PGA TOUR in a non-major since 2021; the 2005 Sony Open in Hawaii champion is making his 25th start at the event (first since 2021).
Leaderboard | After 18 Holes
T1 Nick Taylor 62 (-8)
T1 Kevin Roy 62 (-8)
T3 Ben Griffin 63 (-7)
T3 Chris Gotterup 63 (-7)
T3 John VanDerLaan 63 (-7)
T3 S.H. Kim 63 (-7)
Full Leaderboard (link)
SONY Open in Hawaii | Tournament Facts
COURSE: Waialae CC in Honolulu
YARDS/PAR: 7,044 yards/Par 70
ARCHITECT: Seth Raynor
PRIZE Money - Purse: $9,100,000/$1,638,000
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Nick Taylor
PAST RESULTS: (link)
OVERVIEW: (link)
FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 500
SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @SonyOpenHawaii
The SONY Open | How to Watch
TV COVERAGE: The second round (Jan 16) of the SONY Open is scheduled for TV coverage from 7:00pm to 10:30pm (ET) on Golf Channel.
On Saturday coverage is set for 7:00pm to 10:00pm (ET) on Golf Channel.
Sunday, Golf Channel is the lone broadcaster with ESPN+ and Peacock streaming from 7:00pm to 10:00pm (ET).
TV & RADIO COVERAGE of the SONY Open
Today, January 16, 2026 - All Times Eastern Standard
12 Noon to 10:00pm (ET) - Streaming on ESPN+
4:00pm to 10:00pm (ET) - PGA Tour Radio (Sirius XM and Online)
7:00pm to 10:00pm (ET) - Golf Channel and Streaming on Peacock Net
PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: Sirius/XM Radio and PGA Tour (dot) com online will have live coverage of The SONY Open beginning at 4:00pm to 10:00pm (ET). On Saturday, coverage will air 5:00pm to 10:00pm (ET) An, on Sunday PGA Tour Radio will air 5:00pm to 10:00pm (ET) (or to completion of event).
PGA Tour Radio is available on Sirius 208/XM 92 or online via PGATourCom.
How to Watch: In case of changes, visit: (PGATourCom)
SONY Open | The Basics
Tee Times at the SONY Open for Friday go from 12:10pm (ET) to 6:19pm (ET).
Weather: Today’s forecast calls for mostly sunny skies with temps 66-72 degrees (F). Winds at 11 mph. A 0% chance of rain.
Tournament Web Site: (Overview)
Past Results: (PGATour.com)
FedEx Cup Info: (link)
PGA Tour Brunch will post at Noon (ET) tomorrow, Saturday, January 17, 2026
SONY Open Field and Tee Times:
The Field: (link)
Tee Times: (link)
What They’re Saying
Taylor Looks Good (Again) at the SONY Open (PGATourCom)
How to Watch - Round Two at SONY Open (PGATourCom)
ESPN Golf Coverage (ESPN)
CBS Sports Golf Coverage (CBS Sports HQ)
On This Day in Golf History
January 16, 1980 - Ben Hogan, Bob Goalby, Don January, Julius Boros, Dan Likes and Gardner Dickinson held their first meeting to lay the ground-work for the Champions Tour.. - Courtesy of Randy Walker, Author of On This Day in Golf History, available via Amazon.com and by clicking HERE
Parting Putt
Next Up - LaQuinta and The American Express
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