A new year starts a new season with the PGA Tour at a familiar venue. Starting a new calendar-year schedule, Sentry Tournament of Champions is not only the first event in January as it’s been for the past several years it also opens a new season. A cozy field of 59 golfers, the most ever at this tournament, includes all winners from 2023 and the top 50 in the FedExCup standings. They peg it up for the 26th consecutive year at the Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort on the island of Maui in Hawai’i. The previous two winners of this event are not in attendance having instead opted to play in the rival LIV Golf league. In 2022 Cam Smith set a tournament scoring record of 34-under beating 2023 champ Jon Rahm by a stroke. With Rahm out of the picture the field opened up with Scottie Scheffler the betting favorite followed by Viktor Hovland, the only two with shorter than 10/1 odds. Be sure to visit BookMaker.eu for updated betting odds when you’re ready to place a wager.
Sentry Tournament of Champions Betting Odds
Scottie Scheffler +550
Viktor Hovland +900
Collin Morikawa +1400
Patrick Cantlay +1500
Ludvig Aberg +1600
Max Homa +1600
Xander Schauffele +1600
Jordan Spieth +2000
Tom Kim +2500
Tony Finau +2500
Matt Fitzpatrick +2800
Rickie Fowler +3300
Jason Day +3500
Sungjae Im +3500
Tommy Fleetwood +3500
Tyrrell Hatton +3500
Cameron Young +4000
Russell Henley +4000
Sam Burns +4000
Hideki Matsuyama +5000
Sepp Straka +5000
Wyndham Clark +5000
Cameron Davis +6000
Keegan Bradley +6000
Odds Analysis
Harris English +10000
Everyone has a better chance of winning with a smaller field. The only problem is that the best players in the world make up the field so getting past them is a chore. There is one thing going for English and it’s that he’s the most recent winner of this event teeing it up this week. English won the 2021 version in a playoff as part of a torrid start before injuries got in the way. He battled back from those ailments putting together a solid last season getting some work in during the fall when most of the other players were enjoying down time.
Tommy Fleetwood +3500
When it comes to a scoring course like Plantation how one performs with the flat stick can make a huge difference. Fleetwood has proven over his career that he putts with the best on Tour. He ranked among the top 10 in several putting categories and although he didn’t win a tournament his impressive putting stats allowed him to collect nine top 10s in 21 starts.
Rickie Fowler +3300
When backing Fowler we’re hoping a resurgent last season has a lasting carryover effect. He was 24 of 26 placing among the top 10 eight times and broke a lengthy title drought by winning the Rocket Mortgage Classic in July. That win got him invited back to this event for the first time since 2020 when Fowler recorded his fourth top 6 in as many starts at Kapalua. Few have enjoyed that kind of success over as many starts so let’s hope Fowler remembers how it’s done.
Viktor Hovland +900
Looking to pick up where he left off, Hovland makes his first official start since winning the TOUR Championship in August, which was the second of back-to-back wins after claiming the BMW Championship a week prior. The display capped a marvelous season that saw Hovland climb to No. 4 in the OWGR. Toss in a win at the unofficial Hero World Challenge 13 months ago and a Ryder Cup victory and Hovland is sitting pretty entering the new campaign.
Xander Schauffele +1600
There are so many great golfers in the field it’s hard just to pick a few. I must say that Schauffele is due after not winning a tournament last season. He was typically consistent last season, though, not missing a cut while collecting 11 top 10s in 23 starts. He’s been good at this venue making it easier to back him. Schauffele won here in 2019 and was co-runner-up the following year, two of three top 5s in five completed starts.
Course: Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort – 7,596 yards, par 73
The course has hosted this event since 1999 but underwent a major renovation ahead of the 2019 edition. Still, there weren’t many surprises for the field, though the redesigned course saw Justin Thomas produce the worst winning 72-hole score since 2006. The additional length is negated by elevation and by playing at par 73, and the layout is known more for its tricky lies with one hole going uphill and the next downhill. Golfers also have to contend with coastal winds, which are almost always a factor. In mild conditions the layout offers little resistance. Smith was a record 34-under in 2022 with Rahm one-shot back. Rahm’s 27-under last year was the third-lowest score in the 25 playings at Kapalua. For the most part the fairways are generous and the big sticks will get plenty of work.
TV Coverage: NBC, Golf Channel
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker.eu.
Check out the latest odds at BookMaker
