Sony Open Golf Tip: Steve Stricker

Having discussed in our trends article the importance of course knowledge it would be remiss of me to leave out Steve Stricker. He has played at the Sony Open 12 times with a remarkable 6 top ten finishes.

It is clear Steve Stricker loves Hawaii and arriving off the back of victory in the Tournament of Champions, he is red hot. Not a flashy player, the 44-year-old American deserves plenty of respect. He is ranked number five in the world and is a consistent winner on the PGA Tour.

In 2011, he ranked second on tour for strokes gained putting and third for scoring average. He is a straight hitter and a demon on, and around the greens. If the course isn’t monstrously long he can generally be found towards the top of the leaderboard.

The health scare he suffered at the back-end of last season also seems under control. Stricker has issues with vertebrae in his neck but rather than opt for surgery, physiotherapy and cortisone injections allow him to manage the situation. After his win last week he was keen to emphasise his good health in interviews, but crucially he showed his well-being on the course.

At 15/2 (Bet365) this is a good time to back Stricker. He is feeling well, playing great golf and returning to a venue he loves.