The first full field event of 2015 is on tap at Waialae Country Club beginning Thursday as the PGA Tour tees up at the Sony Open.

Jimmy Walker is the defending champ after he fired a 7-under 63 in the final round to win last year's event.

Walker rallied by Chris Kirk for his second win in the first six events of the 2013-14 season. Walker went on to win one more title and make his first Ryder Cup team.

Kirk, the third-round leader, failed to hold the 54-hole lead, but he did pick up his third victory in three years later in 2014 at the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Walker, who was in the penultimate group, birdied the 16th and 17th to end at minus-17. Kirk had an eagle chip at the last to try to force a playoff, but he ran the chip eight feet by the hole. He converted the birdie effort to end alone in second place.

On Monday, Walker coughed up a chance at his fourth PGA Tour win. He shared the 54-hole lead, but played the final nine in even-par and Patrick Reed caught him to force a playoff. Reed birdied the first extra hole to earn his third PGA Tour victory.

Walker and Kirk will be joined at Waialae by Jason Day and Matt Kuchar. Those four, all ranked in the top 25 in the world, played the Hyundai Tournament of Champions last week and more than two-thirds of those participants are also competing at the Sony.

Five Canadians will hit the course, including David Hearn, Nick Taylor, Adam Hadwin, Graham DeLaet, and Roger Sloan.

A pair of Japan Golf Tour stars, Hiroshi Iwata and Hideto Tanihara, were invited to the event this week. Several 50-and-older players will also be at Waialae, including Fred Funk, Paul Goydos, Davis Love III, Kenny Perry and Vijay Singh.

The PGA Tour heads to the California desert next week for the Humana Challenge. Patrick Reed opened with three straight 63s last year and cruised to a 2-shot win over Ryan Palmer.