The First Look: THE NORTHERN TRUST

We've reached the halfway point (almost) of the Sony Open in Hawaii with plenty of contenders hoping to continue their groove over the weekend as they chase the lion's share of the 7.9million purse and 500 FedExCup points. Perhaps you've made the right selections thus far and are riding an in-form player at Waialae or maybe you're looking to rebound from seeing the likes of tournament favorites Tom Kim, Jordan Spieth and Sungjae Im missing the cut. Either way let's take a look at the players on top of the board at BetMGM Sportsbook and check the case FOR and the case AGAINST their chance to salute on Sunday. TAYLOR MONTGOMERY, -10, T2 (+450 to win) Case For: Has been arguably the form player of the season thus far without a win. At 12th in the FedExCup standings only Brian Harman ranks higher among players without victory. He now has 10 rounds of 66 or better this season, the most of any player. The rookie has made all seven cuts and has six top-15s, the most on TOUR. Leads the Sony Open in Hawaii field in Strokes Gained: Putting Case Against: The last player to win the Sony Open in Hawaii on their first attempt was Russell Henley in 2013. It is a rare occurrence for first-time winners and with a potential wind shift on Sunday Montgomery will be playing without experience in different conditions. Is 83rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach. CHRIS KIRK -11, 1st (+500 to win) Case For: Kirk has twice been runner up at Waialae and currently ranks first in the field in Proximity and sixth in Strokes Gained: Putting. Twelve of the last 13 winners at Waialae were inside the top 10 in SG: Putting on way to winning. Total 129 through 36-holes, career low on PGA TOUR. Is six under on holes 1-3, best of any player in the field and has 13 rounds of 65 or better at Waialae CC, most of any player since 2011. A four-time TOUR winner. Case Against: He needs to make the critical putts when the pressure ratchets up. Kirk has missed twice from 5-10 feet so far where he ranks 106th on TOUR so far this season. Hasn't won on TOUR since 2015 and holds the 36-hole lead/co-lead for first time in 925 days. (2020 Rocket Mortgage Classic). J.J. SPAUN, -10, T2 (+500 to win) Case For: Spaun is the highest player on the leaderboard who played last week in the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Eight of the last nine winners at the Sony Open in Hawaii were in the field the prior week at Kapalua. Ranks 11th in field in Strokes Gained: Putting, ninth in SG: Approach and 12th in SG: Around the Green. Has just one bogey for the week, coming on his last hole Friday. Case Against: Spaun has missed the cut in four of the five previous attempts at the Sony Open in Hawaii with previous best result of T47. He ranks 104th in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee and 123rd in Driving Accuracy. His final drive Friday missed way right into a penalty area. SLEEPERS While the top three on the board are in a favorable position as it stands don't sleep on a trio of players currently T9 just four off the lead. Denny McCarthy (+3000), Brendon Todd (+3500) and Maverick McNealy (+2200) all present viable considerations with 36 holes to play. McNealy ranks fourth on TOUR in Strokes Gained: Putting this season and need only improve his SG: Off-the-Tee a little from 100th this week to likely apply more pressure on the leaders. McCarthy is also a known putter and has holed over 183 feet of putts through two rounds. Todd, a proven TOUR winner, opened with a triple bogey seven on Friday yet found his way back inside the top 10 on the leaderboard. One bad hole is all that stands between him and second place. Has made over 229-feet of putts. CUT SWEAT First round co-leader Jordan Spieth made five bogeys in his last 11 holes and missed birdie putts at 17 and 18 to be heading home early after an 11-shot swing between rounds. He is just the fifth first round leader projected to miss the cut in the last five years on the PGA TOUR. Adam Svensson bogeyed the sixth hole, his 15th of the round, to drop to even for the tournament and two shots outside the cutline with three holes to play. But the Canadian found himself quickly back inside the weekend mark thanks to a sensational hole-in-one on the par-3 seventh from 175 yards. Adam Schenk birdied 17 and 18 to make the cut on the number while Ryan Brehm and Nick Taylor birdied eight and nine on the other side of the course to do the same. Austin Smotherman double bogeyed 13 and 15 to drop back to even par for the week before making eagle on the par-5 18th from just under six-feet to make it on the number. Ryan Armour, who aced the 17th hole on Thursday, bogeyed the easiest hole on the course (par-5 ninth) Friday to finish and miss the cut by one. Rory Sabbatini, playing his 25th straight Sony Open in Hawaii, made the turn in the lead at 7-under only to shoot 41 on his final nine holes to miss the cut by one.

Bernard Langer, who had planned for this to be his final Masters as a competitor, has instead delayed his farewell until 2025 as he recovers from a torn Achilles.