The 2026 PGA Tour season begins in Hawaii this week with the 61st edition of the Sony Open.

It’s not usually the starting point but takes on that mantle this year due to The Sentry being cancelled.

For those new to the FanTeam game, it’s easy. You get 100M to spend on six players. The captain scores x1.25pts, as does the UD (Underdog), the cheapest player in your six-man squad.

Getting both right makes a big difference.

I started this column in March last year and my best finishes in the game so far are fifth in the Houston Open and sixth at the RSM Classic.

I also managed 14th at the Procure and 15th in the Hero World Challenge while there were a decent number of other profitable weeks so hopefully we can build on that this year.

For a season-long interest, it’s also worth checking out FanTeam’s 2026 Season Game. I’ve written an article on that featuring strategy and picks here.

Back to this week and, before looking through the 120-man Sony field, let’s start with a SPECIAL OFFER below!

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Okay, let’s start building…

Top Tier Picks (18M and over)

J.J. Spaun (19.2M): I’m just about equally keen on the top five players in the game so Spaun appeals most due to costing the least. Winning the US Open and finishing runner-up at the Players Championship last year were huge moments but I liked the way he played after his major breakthrough, his continued excellence suggesting it wasn’t just a moment in the sun and there’s much more to come. Spaun was third here last year and 12th in 2023. He returns at the peak of his powers.

Hideki Matsuyama (19.4M): He’s a winner of both this event (2022) and The Sentry (2025) so will have same great vibes when returning to Hawaii. After a rather odd 2025, Matsuyama found a groove again late on, completing a run of three straight top 10s with victory in December’s 20-man Hero World Challenge. Hard to stop when playing his best golf and he’s cheaper than a couple of other elite rivals.

Others to consider: Russell Henley (20.6M) is the most expensive player in the game but with justification. He won here on his first pro start way back in 2013 but also has a second, a fourth and a 10th in three of his last four visits. He’s the highest-ranked player in the field at World No.5 and is a money-making machine these days. The only doubt would be lack of a recent run. Ben Griffin (20.2M) had a fantastic 2025, starting the year ranked 68th and ending it 8th after three wins and a Ryder Cup debut. Collin Morikawa (19.6M) has form in Hawaii of 2-5-2-5-7-7-21-7. Most of that was at The Sentry but he clearly feels very at home in these parts (his grandparents were born there) and has incentive after a disappointing 2025.

Mid-Range Value Selections (14.2M up to 18M)

Chris Gotterup (17M) likes playing by the coast. He scored his breakthrough victory (by six shots!) at the 2024 Myrtle Beach Classic while last year he defeated a world-class field to win the Scottish Open and followed that with third in the Open at Royal Portrush. A much-improved performer, his low ball flight will suit the predicted windy conditions this week.

Haotong Li (14.4M): At the lower end of this price range, Li jumps out at just over 14M. He won his PGA Tour card for 2026 via some excellent performances on the DP World Tour where he ended the campaign with a pair of top 10s. Li, who was fourth in last summer’s Open, was third after 54 holes on his last visit to Waialae in 2022 and he’s playing well enough to have another big week.

Others to consider: Rico Hoey (16.2M) was second only to Scottie Scheffler in SG: Tee to Green last season and that consistency showed in his results (four top 10s in his final seven events). The switch to a longer putter could see him rise even further through the ranks. Nico Echavarria (15.8M) will likely be a popular pick but justifiably so. He thrives on these sort of tests and and was runner-up last year as well as 12th in 2023. He signed off 2025 with fourth at the RSM Classic, an event that correlates well. Mac Meissner (15M) really found some consistency in the second half of last season and ended with six finishes of T27 or better in his last seven starts (including second place at the Wyndham). He was 21st on debut here in 2025. Aaron Rai (16.4M) has never built on his three good R1s here. Expect that to change as his straight hitting will be rewarded and he has confidence from November’s win at the Abu Dhabi Championship.

Underdog Options (14M and Under)

S.H. Kim (13.2M): The Korean is the least fancied Kim in the field behind Si Woo, Michael and Tom but is certainly worth a look as a possible UD (underdog candidate). He finished 2025 by connecting five worldwide top 20s and has two good previous knocks here: 12th on debut in 2023 and 30th last year.

Takumi Kanaya (13.4M) looks a no-no based on missing all five cuts here but he’s shot a round of 66 in two of his last three Sony starts. In a strong finish to 2025, the man with the lowest ball-flight on Tour (good for these winds), was third at the Baycurrent and fourth in Bermuda. He followed that with a top five back on the Japan Tour in December.

Others to consider: Max McGreevy (13.8M) has missed all three cuts here but shot 70-68 last time and ended 2025 with third in Bermuda and second at the RSM Classic to show that seaside golf suits. Zach Johnson (13M) is a former winner of this (2009) and was 21st last year. His last nine rounds on the PGA Tour show six laps in the 60s and nothing worse than 71 so the veteran can still compete on the courses he chooses to play. Adam Svensson (13.4M) has a perfect 5-for-5 slate at Waialae and that includes seventh in 2022. Hopefully he’s had a rest after a poor second half of 2025. Keita Nakajima (13.4M) is a real talent, who won dual membership via an impressive campaign on the DP World Tour. As a bonus, the 25-year-old has played the Sony Open twice already, finishing 41st on debut in 2022 and 54th in 2023.

That’s this week in the books from a fantasy perspective.

But while I’m here, I’ll point you towards the revamped and much-boosted FanTeam Sportsbook.

Let’s have a couple of bets too.

In the winner only outright market, I’ll go with J.J Spaun at 20.00. The US Open champion, who also lost two playoffs last year, was third at this course in 2025 and is playing the best golf of his life.

I also like the 4.00 for a Playoff. Usually, it’s a course where separation seems hard and the last six editions have seen four Playoffs and two wins by a single stroke. Expand the study period and it’s six Playoffs in the last 10.

The numbers are certainly on our side.

Good luck and don’t forget to SIGN UP HERE

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