One-and-Done Golf Picks for the Sony Open

As the PGA Tour returns to action, so do the one-and-done pools for golf contest players. 

For those unfamiliar, OAD pools closely mirror an NFL survivor contest. Players select a golfer each week and earn their prize money at the conclusion of the event. 

The catch? Contestants can only use a player once. Additionally, not all prize pools are created equally, which further adds to the game theory. 

Below, I’ve outlined three players worth a look for OAD pools this week at the Sony Open. Golf odds are reflective at time of writing and are subject to movement. 

PGA One and Done Picks: Sony Open

The Safest Option: Russell Henley (+1100)

A lot of evidence points to Henley playing well as the pre-tournament favorite. 

Only Nick Taylor accumulated a higher SG: TOT at Waialae over the last five years. Henley also leads the field in SG: TOT on “short” or “very short” par 70s. 

While he lacks a win at Waialae, the Georgia alum has previously come close to victory. He lost in a playoff in 2022 and finished T-10th and T-4th in his last two visits. 

Per datagolf.com, only four courses – Augusta National, Bay Hill, TPC San Antonio and Riviera – possess a higher course history correlation than Waialae. 

The caveat with Henley is that he’s likely to see a high ownership share in OAD contests, given these trends. 

For those players attempting to differentiate themselves from the field, Henley may prove a pass. 

Slightly Riskier Top Player: Keegan Bradley (+2200)

Did you know Bradley has won each of the last four years on the PGA Tour? 

He lacks a win at Waialae CC, but the Ryder Cup captain finished T-6th and T-2nd in his last two visits. Missed cuts in 2023 and 2021 sandwich a pair of T-12s at the short course. 

In this field, Bradley ranks seventh in SG: TOT at this track. He also ranks second in SG: TOT over the last five years at “short” or “very short” par 70s. 

But the course history offers a glimpse of optimism. Those performances make Bradley worth a look at potentially low ownership. 

High-Risk, High-Reward Options: Chris Kirk (+4000), Nico Echavarria (+4500)

I’m a fan of Kirk’s profile this week at Waialae. He previously recorded a pair of top-3 finishes at Waialae in his last five starts. 

The issue? He lost strokes putting in two straight visits, which include a 2025 missed cut. In a putting contest, those performances could prove a genuine concern. 

If the putter cooperates, Kirk arrives with outstanding ball-striking metrics. In his last four starts, he gained over a stroke per round on approach three times. 

That sample includes +1.69 per round at the RSM and +1.09 at the Wyndham.

Echavarria finished as the runner-up last year to Nick Taylor. For the week, he ranked fourth in SG: T2G and 16th in SG: Putting. 

His 2025 performance followed a T-66th in 2024 after a T-12th in 2023. This week could go wrong in a hurry, but Echavarria arrives off a T-4th at the RSM in his last start. 

The Colombian’s irons aren’t working right now, but he ranks amongst the best Bermuda putters in the field. Those benchmarks make him a boom-or-bust candidate in OAD pools.