Golf. It’s back.
After a month of hit and giggles and zero action, the PGA Tour returns in a big way on the island of Hawaii this week for the Sentry Tournament of Champions, the Tour’s first elevated event of 2023.
Due to its higher status, the field is jam-packed with the best golfers in the world — other than the No. 1 player in the Official World Golf Ranking. Players are allowed to miss one elevated event per season and Rory McIlroy is cashing his in early and will not tee it up in Kapalua.
Jon Rahm, last year’s runner-up, enters as the betting favorite at +650, followed by Scottie Scheffler at +900.
Cam Smith, the defending champion, is not in the field for obvious reasons.
Golf course
Plantation Course at Kapalua | Par 73 | 7,596 yards | Coore/Crenshaw design
Patrick Cantlay hits his tee shot on the 18th hole during the third round of the 2022 Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua’s Plantation Course in Maui, Hawaii. (Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
Data Golf Information
Course Fit (compares golf courses based on the degree to which different golfer attributes — such as driving distance — to predict who performs well at each course – DataGolf): 1. Riviera Country Club, 2. Monterey Peninsula Country Club, 3. Augusta National
Trending (the players’ last three starts): 1. Jon Rahm (T-4, 1, T-8), 2. Scottie Scheffler (T-3, T-9, 2), 3. Xander Schauffele (4, T-9, 4)
Percent chance to win (based on course history, fit, trending, etc.): 1. Jon Rahm (11.2 percent), 2. Scottie Scheffler (10.9 percent), 3. Xander Schauffele (8.7 percent)
Betting preview
| Player | Odds | Player | Odds |
| Jon Rahm | (+650) | Collin Morikawa | (+2000) |
| Scottie Scheffler | (+900) | Cameron Young | (+2000) |
| Justin Thomas | (+1000) | Max Homa | (+3000) |
| Patrick Cantlay | (+1000) | Will Zalatoris | (+3000) |
| Xander Schauffele | (+1000) | Sam Burns | (+3000) |
| Tony Finau | (+1500) | Tom Kim | (+3000) |
| Jordan Spieth | (+2000) | Adam Scott | (+4000) |
| Matthew Fitzpatrick | (+2000) | Brian Harman | (+4000) |
| Viktor Hovland | (+2000) | Hideki Matsuyama | (+4000) |
| Sungjae Im | (+2000) | Russell Henley | (+4000) |
Justin Thomas during practice prior to the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Plantation Course at Kapalua Golf Club on January 02, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
It’s tough to bet against JT when he’s at Kapalua. Since a tie for 22nd in 2018, Thomas has finished third, first, third and T-5.
His last start came at the Hero World…
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