Waiʻalae Country Club has become a home away from home for Canada’s Nick Taylor.
The golfer from Abbotsford, B.C., won the Sony Open in Hawaii on the course last year and is set to defend his title starting Thursday. He’s finished in the top 11 the past four times he’s played in the tournament, in part because Waiʻalae has become so familiar to him.
“I felt like this has been a course that I’ve really started to enjoy,” said Taylor at a news conference on Wednesday. “I see the lines really well on the greens. I’ve played them in the nine years probably in every winds condition possible, so really no surprises anymore.
“I had confidence coming into this week.”
As he should, with just one round above 70 in his last 20 at Waiʻalae.
Taylor beat Colombia’s Nico Echavarria at the season-opening event last year with a birdie on the second extra hole of a playoff. It was Taylor’s fifth PGA Tour title and third playoff victory.
“It was a grind of a day,” said Taylor. “I didn’t really look at the leaderboards until maybe holes 13 or 14 but I had a sense of what was going on.”
Taylor will be in a group with England’s Aaron Rai and Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre for the first two rounds of the tournament.
Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C., and Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Mississauga, Ont., are also in the field.
Conners was the highest ranked Canadian on the PGA Tour in 2025, finishing 17th on the FedEx Cup standings. Taylor finished 25th but was the only Canadian to win on the men’s tour last year.
Taylor said on Wednesday he wants to be more like his friend and countryman.
“I really love the trophies, but I would also love to be more consistent,” said Taylor. “I played with Corey the first couple days. I’ve played with Corey a lot in practice rounds and tournaments. He’s somebody I aspire to be with his consistency. He’s phenomenal.
“That being said, I really enjoy being in moments and being able to close the deal and win tournaments is ultimately what we’re trying to do.”
Ewart and Yellamaraju will be playing in their first PGA Tour event as full-fledged members of the top-flight men’s golf circuit.
KORN FERRY TOUR — Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., finished in sole possession of second at The Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island on Wednesday, three shots back of Taylor Dickson. Vancouver’s Stuart Macdonald tied for 28th and Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., was grouped at 51st.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 14, 2026.
John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press
