Choi defends title, Ogilvy looks to keep rolling at Sony Open

2009-01-13

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HONOLULU, Hawaii (Ticker) - K.J. Choi and Geoff Ogilvy both will be going for two in a row when the Sony Open starts Thursday at Waialae Country Club.

The $5.4-million event is the first full-field event of the season and the second straight in Hawaii.

The defending champion, Choi opened with a 6-under-par 64 last year and went on to a wire-to-wire victory. It was his seventh career PGA Tour victory and fifth in the last four years.

Choi tied for 15th last week at the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship. Ogilvy cruised to a six-stroke victory at Kapalua, going wire-to-wire for his fifth PGA Tour title.

A full field of 144 players are set to tee it up this week on the 7,044-yard, par-70 track at Waialae. Among the players looking to keep Choi and Ogilvy from another win are Ernie Els, Kenny Perry, Steve Stricker, Stewart Cink and Adam Scott.

Els could be the top threat to Choi and Ogilvy given all the success he has had here. The South African won this event in 2003 and 2004 and was the runner-up in 2005. Els also was third in 2001 and fifth in 2000.

In five starts he is 66-under and his 1-over 71 in the first round in 2005 is his only over-par round in this event.

Stricker is another player that has had success here, tying for fourth in each of the past two years.

First prize is $972,000.