Sentry Tournament of Champions 2019: Course and current form guides

Andy Swales
30 December 2018

Kapalua: Big greens and generous fairways welcome the players back from their festive break on the PGA Tour.

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Back for another year of golf stats from the PGA and European tours. Check out course and current form for those teeing-up in Hawaii, compiled by Andy Swales...

"Dustin Johnson, the defending champion, is chasing a third win at Kapalua and should be among the contenders on Sunday afternoon."

Twelve of the world's leading 20 golfers have made their way to Hawaii for the opening event of the PGA Tour calendar year of 2019.

As is tradition, those who qualify to compete at this week's Sentry Tournament of Champions have all won PGA Tour events during the past 12 months.

And, of the 37 golfers eligible to tee-up on Thursday, 34 have accepted invitations to visit the Hawaiian island of Maui.

The three absentees are Justin Rose, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.

Dusting Down The Clubs

It is usually difficult to gauge at this time of year how quickly a player can mentally, and sometimes physically, return to tournament golf.

Thirteen of those in action in Hawaii last swung a competitive club five weeks ago, with another 15 having not played since mid-November.

And then there's Paul Casey whose most recent outing came in China at the end of October.

So it's often hard to predict which golfers will be in contention come Sunday afternoon at Kapalua's Plantation course.

Mac Means Business

Among the nine Plantation Course debutants is world No 8 Rory McIlroy who had never previously accepted an invitation to start his golfing year so early in January.

The Northern Irishman last won a major title in 2014 and, in recent years, has witnessed the rise of a number of young Americans.

Even though Mac is still reasonably young himself - he turns 30 in May - he probably feels it is time to try and reassert his authority at the head of golf's world order.

The four US pros currently ranked higher than McIlroy, and taking part this week, are Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas and Bryson DeChambeau.

World No 1 Koepka is making his third trip to Kapalua. The first resulted in a podium appearance, while last year's visit ended in the three-time major champion finishing 34th and last.

Johnson, the defending champion, is chasing a third win at Kapalua and should be among the contenders on Sunday afternoon.

Thomas won here two years ago and DeChambeau - arguably last year's most improved player - is seeking a fifth PGA Tour title in just seven months.

Leading European

In the absence of Rose, Jon Rahm is the highest-ranked European in the field and certainly has the game for Kapalua where he finished runner-up 12 months ago.

The Spaniard began both 2017 and 2018 in sparkling form, before losing his consistency and edge later in the year.

Another young American Xander Schauffele is also worth a look this weekend.

Large Greens

Opened in 1991, the Plantation Course will be staging the tournament for a 21st time.

The putting surfaces are large and undulating, and will certainly provide a testing challenge at this stunning venue.

To counter this, the fairways are fairly generous in width, and provide dramatic ocean views from virtually every hole.

The wide open undulating terrain of Kapalua, which features seven holes over 500 yards (three of them par-fours), is an ideal playground for the big-hitter.

That said Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker and Matt Kuchar have managed five podium finishes between them over the years, so not all is lost for the shorter drivers of the ball.

And because of its island and coastal location, wind is normally a factor most days of the year.

Twitter: Andy Swales@GolfStatsAlive

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Position

1–5
6–15
16–25

Player	W48	W47	W46	W45	W44	W43	W42	W41
Brooks Koepka			12			16	1
Dustin Johnson	7					30
Justin Thomas	12						36	5
Bryson DeChambeau	12				1
Francesco Molinari			26			43		56
Rory McIlroy			20	21		54
Jon Rahm	1		4			22
Jason Day	16					11	5
Xander Schauffele	8		16			1	48	25
Patrick Reed	11	45	2			7
Bubba Watson	12
Webb Simpson			3		15
Marc Leishman	2						18	1
Paul Casey						16	18	13
Keegan Bradley	15		17			6		19
Matt Kuchar			23	1	57
Gary Woodland	8			41	10		2	5
Billy Horschel				21		11	67	33
Ian Poulter			51			21	10
Kevin Na					MC	54	52	19
Brandt Snedeker			34			30	36	66
Aaron Wise				10	15
Satoshi Kodaira	1				41	37		43
Charles Howell			1	MC			61	5
Andrew Putnam			17			4	29	50
Kevin Tway					23		52	27
Cameron Champ			6	10	28	1
Patton Kizzire			15	55		67	23
Andrew Landry			59	MC
Ted Potter			46				14	54
Brice Garnett			37	5	MC		41	39
Scott Piercy				6	10		5	27
Troy Merritt	34		23		57			54
Michael Kim			MC		MC		76	62

Player	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011	2010	2009
Brooks Koepka	34		3
Dustin Johnson	1	6	10		6	1		9	16	11
Justin Thomas	22	1	21
Bryson DeChambeau	26
Francesco Molinari								15
Rory McIlroy
Jon Rahm	2
Jason Day		12	10	3				9
Xander Schauffele	22
Patrick Reed		6	2	1	16
Bubba Watson		25	10	10		4	18	25
Webb Simpson					3	11	3
Marc Leishman	7					23
Paul Casey									10
Keegan Bradley						4	16
Matt Kuchar				17	6	9		6	3
Gary Woodland					13		24
Billy Horschel	11			22	6
Ian Poulter						9		6
Kevin Na							12
Brandt Snedeker		14	3		11	3
Aaron Wise
Satoshi Kodaira
Charles Howell
Andrew Putnam
Kevin Tway
Cameron Champ
Patton Kizzire	15
Andrew Landry
Ted Potter						26
Brice Garnett
Scott Piercy			24			13	12
Troy Merritt			18
Michael Kim
Starters:	34	32	32	34	30	30	27	33	28	33