We’re teeing off for the Sony Open this week in Wai’alae, Hawaii, and along with some rain, there’s one key timeframe when the winds will be especially problematic.
As usual in my golf weather forecasts, we’re focusing more on wind than rain. While rain can halt play if it’s heavy enough, it also helps soften and slow the course, which helps as much as it hurts. With wind, there’s no helpful side; it’s all negative impact. And the impact can lead to dramatic differences in scoring. My goal is always to try and highlight the time frame with the lightest winds and the time with the strongest winds and to see if there’s a cumulative advantage for one wave over another. You can then use this to your advantage when making your picks on DFS sites and sportsbooks.
Sony Open Weather Forecast
Thursday, January 11th
Not too bad to start. Winds around 10mph early morning, but that will quickly be climbing to around 20mph sustained by around noon. The worst of the wind should be the late morning through the early afternoon, then they’ll gradually taper off a bit by the late afternoon, though still not light. There’s also a chance for a stray shower or storm.
Friday, January 12th
Friday is a bit steadier of a day. Instead of seeing a peak wind, we’ll be fairly consistently in the 10-15mph range all day, with gusts over 20mph. A shower or storm is possible.
Saturday, January 13th
Winds lie down a bit here, and we should have light winds and dry conditions.
Sunday, January 14th
Closing it out with another great day. Winds are relatively light and we should stay dry.
Sony Open Weather Thoughts
As I mentioned in the intro, when it comes to finding a usable and predictable edge for PGA, wind matters a lot more than rain. In the case of the Sony Open, the wind will be an issue, but it seems like it might be tough to avoid. The peak winds will be around noon on Thursday, meaning the best bet would be golfers very early in the morning so that they minimize that max wind exposure. Golfers in the afternoon may see some relief late, so the later in the afternoon they start, the better off they are. Stay tuned to @KevinRothWx for the latest.
For the latest info as The Sentry forecast changes, stay tuned to @KevinRothWx on Twitter or check my main forecast page.
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