HONOLULU — The royal palms on a Waialae course that runs alongside the Pacific Ocean give a peaceable ambiance to the Sony Open, the perfect place for the total PGA Tour membership to begin the yr.
However a brand new season has introduced a small diploma of stress in paradise.
The Sony Open successfully begins the chase for a PGA Tour card — solely 100 from the FedExCup this yr, down from 125, marking essentially the most vital change in eligibility in some 40 years.
Camilo Villegas described it as an vital yr for him, and it’s solely January.
“There’s a sense of urgency,” Villegas mentioned Wednesday. “You’ve received to play once you get in (tournaments) and it’s important to carry out. It’s going to be very compact. It’s going to be a dogfight on the market, which is cool.”
Gamers warming up within the morning darkness — floodlights on the driving vary however not the placing inexperienced — was one other reminder of among the modifications. Together with a discount in playing cards, the sector sizes will probably be shrinking beginning in 2026 to verify anybody with a card will get into a good quantity of tournaments and rounds have a greater likelihood of ending on time with a smaller variety of gamers on the course.
Optimism, in fact, is as nice as ever. Villegas gained in Bermuda towards the tip of 2023 to earn a two-year exemption, and final yr was amongst his greatest. He is aware of he has to play nicely to maintain his job, and he was unwilling to even handle the likelihood he gained’t end within the prime 100.
“I’m going to maintain my card,” he mentioned with a smile.
Hideki Matsuyama has no such points because the No. 5 participant on the earth who’s coming off a report scoring efficiency to win final week at Kapalua . Now the Japanese star tries to grow to be the third participant to brush the Hawaii swing, becoming a member of Justin Thomas (2017) and Ernie Els (2003).
For everybody else, veterans and rookies alike, it’s solely the start.
“I might say I’m extra excited this yr as a result of I felt like I received so much higher final yr at enjoying golf, and I felt like I improved final yr,” mentioned Keith Mitchell, who’s beginning his eighth yr. “And yearly you may have a card, you may have a clean slate to show your enchancment.”
Mitchell missed out on the FedExCup playoffs final yr by an estimated three pictures — had he been three pictures higher within the closing spherical of the common season, it will have been sufficient. He can also look again at 18 different tournaments the place he may have picked up a shot or two. Each participant can do this.
Even with a seven-month season to maintain the cardboard, Mitchell has been round lengthy sufficient to understand that getting off to an excellent begin can ease the actual stress that comes later.
“Everyone is at zero,” Mitchell mentioned. “Every week doesn’t really feel as monumental because it does the final three or 4 weeks. The start of the season, individuals play slightly extra free or relaxed as a result of it doesn’t really feel as pressing.”
Mitchell mentioned the putts he makes, the scores he posts, are simply as priceless now as they’re within the closing regular-season tournaments in the summertime.
“Theoretically it’s,” he mentioned. “However emotionally it’s not.”
The Sony Open is the beginning of a three-tournament stretch by which the main 5 gamers grow to be eligible for $20 million signature occasions in California. Getting within the huge occasions can go a good distance for somebody making an attempt to maintain his job.
Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley has much more expertise with the optimism and nerves that include a brand new season. He made his debut as a PGA Tour member within the Sony Open in 2011. Bradley went on to win the Byron Nelson and the PGA Championship that yr, however he additionally has sturdy recollections of the beginning.
“It’s a scary feeling,” he mentioned. “I received right here my first occasion, Ernie Els was on the placing inexperienced, and that was like a ‘Holy cow’ second for me. Nevertheless it’s an actual daunting feeling since you labored your entire life to get right here, and now it’s important to play the most effective golf of your life to be able to maintain your card.
“I have a look at the rookies, and a part of me is so jealous that they’ve all of this in entrance of them,” he mentioned. “And one other a part of me is like, ‘Man, they’ve received a variety of stress on them, beginning proper out of the gate.’ I want all of them the most effective. It’s a very powerful enterprise to achieve success in.”
