Style Notes From the Sony Open

If I’ve learned anything from my years of scoping out golf jawns during weekend broadcasts it’s that no matter how far we’ve come, the devil is always going to be in the details. With so much parity in on-TOUR dress, our best bet to translate a style lesson for you, dear reader, is to zoom in a bit more. While most pro golfers fall short in overall styling, others make up for it with individual choices.

Over the weekend, I noticed a few things that caught my eye, and they weren't from the usual suspects, both in terms of the players or the brands they sported. Here are a few style lessons you can learn from the pros in Hawaii this weekend.

Nico Echavarria wore FootJoy’s Premiere Series Packard LX, which might be my silver medalist among FJ’s entire lineup (I’m a Wilcox loyalist). Where Nico fell short outside of the playoff was his cocktail-ridden polo, from an otherwise solid brand in Original Penguin. You almost wonder if the golf gods wouldn’t allow a man in this shirt to win today. Almost.

Nick Taylor won in an Adidas shirt that fit him great but, at least through the television, made it look like he was blotched with sweat.

Speaking of Polos, on the winning side (again, sartorially) we’ve got Stephen Jaeger in a Criquet Players Shirt, the only guy to my knowledge who wears the brand, which I’ve always loved for its throwback, everyman, shot-and-a beer feel. Jaeger’s got a relaxed style that I’ve always had my eye on. Going hat backward at one point during the round is what inspired me to stop talking about Jaeger’s vibe and actually put my praise in ink.

Honorable mention in grooming: Keegan Bradley, dedicating himself to the mustache. My colleague Dan Rapaport has pointed this out on several occasions now, but the stache just works for KB. It’s a powerful combination of the right time and him having some great coverage above his lip there. I’m not sure Johnson Wagner will be holding the medal for most lovable mustache in golf if he keeps this up (and his play) much longer.

Lastly, Denny McCarthy recently switched over to Ben Sherman, who know a thing or two about making good shirts but only made a push into the golf conversation over the past couple of years, and I loved the soft look on the shirt he picked here, both in color and material. It looks like their Solid Air Pique polo, perfectly suited for Hawaii.

Style wise, this week was a win for the middlebrow. Yeah, Nico's kicks are $245 but worth every penny and anyone who's ever tried on FJ's premium offering will tell ya the same. Otherwise we've got very affordable yet extremely considered shirts here from brands who are well positioned to make some noise among everyday golfers.