“I'm not in the elevated events” - PGA Tour’s Lee Hodges reveals why he returned to the Sony Open

Lee Hodges explained the reasons for starting his PGA Tour 2025 season at the Sony Open in Hawaii. The American golfer is playing this week in Hawaii and has been impressive with his game so far.

During the press conference for the tournament on January 10, a reporter asked him the reason for starting the season in Hawaii and not waiting for the American Express, which is scheduled to take place from January 16 to 19 in California. Hodges revealed that he returned to the Hawaii event as he was not in elevated events and also that he hadn't played in this event since his rookie year.

Hodges said (via ASAP Sports):

"I'm not in the elevated events and I haven't played this -- I've taken this one off since my rookie year, so this is only my second time playing this event. But I hate to say just because I'm not in the elevated events, but that's a lot to do with it, trying to play my way into it. It's a great place here. This golf course is amazing. You got to hit some good shots. It feels easy but you can quickly become difficult if you're out of position."

Notably, the PGA Tour started the season with The Sentry, which is a signature event featuring a limited field of 60 players. However, Hodges was not eligible for the event.

Lee Hodges was remarkable in the second round of the Sony Open in Hawaii. He played a round of 64 on Friday and jumped up 38 positions on the leaderboard to settle in a tie for sixth place.

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A look into Lee Hodges' performance at the Sony Open in Hawaii

Hodges kickstarted his outing at the Sony Open in Hawaii on Thursday, January 9, at Waialae Country Club. He teed off on the tenth hole for the first round and then made two birdies on the 11th and 12th holes, followed by two more birdies on the 14th and 15th holes.

He also made a birdie on the 18th. However, the American struggled on the back nine and made four bogeys and a birdie to settle for a score of 2-under 68.

In the second round, Lee Hodges made four birdies on the front nine and three on the back nine, along with a bogey on the 15th, for a round of 6-under 64. With a total of 8-under, he was tied for sixth after two rounds at the Sony Open in Hawaii.

Meanwhile, Patrick Fishburn and Denny McCarthy are in the lead at 10-under after Friday's round. The Sony Open is a regular PGA Tour event, taking place for four days. It will have its finale on Sunday, January 12.