After a brief respite to enjoy the Holidays it’s time to get back to work as the PGA Tour opens the New Year in Hawai’i with the playing of the Sentry Tournament of Champions at the redesigned Plantation Course in Kapalua. Anyone who won an official PGA Tour event over the past 12 months was extended an invitation, making this the most exclusive tournament on the schedule. The guest list this year includes 34 golfers, including defending champion Xander Schauffele and three other past winners. However, the field will be minus notables like Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka, who all politely declined for various reasons. Those who did accept an invitation will play 72 holes of golf in paradise. Be sure to visit BookMaker.eu for updated betting odds when you’re ready to place a wager.
Odds to Win Sentry Tournament of Champions at BookMaker.eu
Jon Rahm +385
Justin Thomas +506
Xander Schauffele +716
Dustin Johnson +806
Patrick Cantlay +977
Patrick Reed +1153
Gary Woodland +1253
Rickie Fowler +1454
Collin Morikawa +2158
Paul Casey +2461
Cameron Champ +3826
Joaquin Niemann +4450
Matthew Wolff +4550
Matt Kuchar +5550
Corey Conners +6050
Sebastian Munoz +6250
Kevin Kisner +6550
Dylan Frittelli +6550
Ryan Palmer +7050
Kevin Na +7250
JT Poston +7250
Chez Reavie +8550
Keith Mitchell +8550
Lanto Griffin +9550
Sung-Hoon Kang +9550
JB Holmes +11050
Adam Long +11050
Nate Lashley +11550
Graeme McDowell +12050
Max Homa +13550
Tyler Duncan +13550
Jim Herman +15550
Martin Trainer +17550
Odds Analysis
Rickie Fowler +1454
This might be the right time to jump on Fowler and the odds are inviting. He’s probably a little lower down the odds board since he’s been quiet on the tournament front. But he’s over the honeymoon stage with his new bride and appears to be recovered from an illness that affected him. He grabbed a top-10 at the Hero World Challenge and has performed well on the island with three top-6 finishes in his past three appearances.
Jon Rahm +385
Can you go wrong with this guy? The answer is no, but it is a new year and Rahm is all fat and sassy after collecting a big payday for winning the DP World Tour Championship and 2019 Race to Dubai. It’s just too much too soon for the Spaniard, and I’m leaning toward fading him with better value picks out there.
Xander Schauffele +716
It’s not easy to repeat when you’re competing against a field full of winners, but Schauffele is also a winner and he’s playing well entering the event. It’s also hard to overlook his course record-tying 62 in last year’s final round to snatch victory away from Gary Woodland. The X-man also has ties to the islands giving him an edge over most of the field. And sometimes that’s all a player needs. Since winning here last year he has three runner-up showings among his nine top-15s in official PGA Tour events.
Corey Conners +6050
Now that we’ve gotten some of the favorites out of the way let’s take a look down the odds board to see if there are any value plays. Conners sticks out for one big reason and that’s his putting. The large greens at Kapalua reward good flat sticks and Conners can get himself there easily. He led the Tour last season in GIR and proximity with wicked iron play. He’s debuting at Kapalua, which might be a concern, but if he can stick the ball on the dance floor he’s a solid bet with a hefty payday.
Cameron Champ +3826
The length of the course and its elevated status will allow Champ to swing away, and when he does that he can outdistance everyone in this field. He’s just a few months removed from victory at the Safeway Open and he stayed sharp by competing in the Australian PGA Championship just a few weeks ago while most everyone else was indulging in Holiday spreads. That means absolutely nothing, but Champ should at least be more greased up than the rest of the field.
Course: Plantation Course at Kapalua – 7,596-yards, par-73
The course has hosted this event since 1999 but it underwent a major renovation since the last playing. Still, there shouldn’t be many surprises for the field. The biggest change is in grass type, which ideally would provide a firmer, faster track to make it a little more difficult for the pros. Additional length will be negated by elevation and by playing at par 73. It remains to be seen just how much the re-imagined course affects the field, but my guess is that it won’t play a major role. The layout is known more for its tricky lies with one hole going uphill and the next headed downhill. Golfers also have to contend with coastal winds, which are always a factor. For the most part the fairways are generous and the big sticks will be used a lot over the four days. The greens are known to be slow and tricky, and the players that manage the short grass will have an advantage in the final standings.
TV Coverage: Golf Channel
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