Coming off Justin Thomas’ record-setting performance last January, the Sony Open in Hawaii will celebrate its 20th installment next month with its future secure for the following four years.
Sony will remain the title sponsor of the PGA Tour’s annual stop at Waialae Country Club at least through 2022 with Monday’s announcement of an extension of the sponsorship agreement between the company and the tour.
Known as the Hawaiian Open for its first 33 years, the tournament was rebranded in 1999 when Sony took over as title sponsor. Sony’s sponsorship is tied for the third-longest on the PGA Tour, matching the John Deere Classic, and coincides with Friends of Hawaii Charities’ role as host organization.
“To us, the Sony Open is not just a golf tournament; it has allowed us to provide continuous support to the local Hawaiian community,” Kazuo Hirai, President and CEO of the Sony Corporation, said in a press release. “Together with everyone involved in organizing the tournament and our charitable partners at The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, we hope to continue contributing to the people of Hawaii.”
Waialae will again host the PGA Tour’s first full-field event of the year when the 20th Sony Open in Hawaii tees off on Jan. 11. The tour’s Hawaii swing opens with the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua on Jan. 4-7.
The tournament purse grew from $2.6 million in 1999, with winner Jeff Sluman claiming $468,000, to $6 million in 2017. Thomas earned $1.08 million with his victory in January.
“As we approach the 20th anniversary of Sony’s sponsorship of the Sony Open in Hawaii, it’s important to recognize the impact Sony has had on the tournament’s stability, success and growth since 1999,” PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said in the announcement.
Thomas won both Hawaii events last January on his way to winning the FedEx Cup and tour player of the year honors. After winning at Kapalua, Thomas opened the Sony Open by becoming the seventh player to fire a sub-60 round in a tour event with a 59. He went on to set the tour’s 72-hole scoring record at 27-under-par 253.
