By Terry Lyons
KAPALUA, MAUI - Collin Morikawa, J.J. Spaun and Jon Rahm share the first-round lead at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, the most at the event since four players shared the 18-hole lead in 2014.
Career stats show that Rahm has converted a round one lead to victory twice in nine times, Morikawa is one for three while Spaun is 0-for-4 with a first-round lead. Morikawa posted six consecutive birdies on holes No. 10-15 to mark his career-best streak on Tour. He closed with 7-under (30) on back nine.
As a group, the 68.231 average score posted Thursday is the lowest opening-round scoring average since the Sentry Tournament of Champions moved to the Plantation Course in 1999.
Will Zalatoris (T-23) opened with a 4-under (69) in his season debut and first start since withdrawing during the 2022 BMW Championship with a back injury while FedEx Cup leader Seamus Power (T-17) posted 5-under (68) for his 13th consecutive under-par score on the Tour.
Sentry Tournament of Champions | First Round Leaderboard
Collin Morikawa 64 (-9)
J.J. Spaun 64 (-9)
Jon Rahm 64 (-9)
Tom Kim 65 (-8)
Full Leaderboard: (link)
Tournament Facts
COURSE: Plantation Course at Kapalua
YARDS/PAR: 7,596 yards/Par 73
ARCHITECT(S): Bill Coore / Ben Crenshaw
PRIZE Money - Purse: $15,000,000/$2,700,000
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Cameron Smith (now on LIV roster)
PAST RESULTS: (link)
PAST CHAMPIONS: (link)
FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 550
SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @Sentry_TOC
TV COVERAGE: Second-round coverage is scheduled for 6:00pm to 10:00pm (ET) on Golf Channel. On Saturday and Sunday, coverage is set for 6:00pm to 8:00pm (ET) on Golf Channel preceded by 4:00 to 6:00pm (ET) on NBC.
PGA TOUR LIVE STREAMING: ESPN+ will be streaming live coverage from 2:30pm (ET) to 10:00pm (ET) today. Weekend streaming on ESPN+ from 12:45pm to 8:00pm (ET).
PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: SiriusXM Radio’s live coverage of the Sentry Tournament of Champions continues today at 4:00pm to 10:00pm (ET) today. On Saturday and Sunday, coverage will air 3:00pm to 8:00pm (ET) (or completion of event). PGA Tour Radio is available on Sirius 208/XM 92 or online via PGATourCom.
How to Watch: In case of changes, visit: (Golf Week)
Sentry Tournament of Champions | Basics
The Tee Times at the Sentry today are from 2:30pm (ET) to 5:45pm (ET). Players are arranged in reverse leaderboard order.
Weather: Today’s Kapalua forecast calls for sunny skies (77-79-degrees) with 17-19 mph winds. The weekend forecast looks good as Saturday/Sunday should be mostly sunny, 80-degrees with 18 mph winds and a 10% chance of rain.
Tournament Web Site: (link)
FedEx Cup Info: (link)
PGA Tour Brunch will post at Noon (ET) on Saturday
Field and Tee Times:
The Field: (link)
Tee Times: (link)
What They’re Saying
Morikawa, Rahm, Spaun take First-Round Lead (PGATourCom/AP)
Five Things to Know from Kapalua (Golf Week/USA Today)
Tournament of Champions: Friday Info to Know (Golf Week/USA Today)
On This Day in Golf History
January 6, 1950 - Eleven months after nearly being killed in a head-on car collision with a Greyhound bus, Ben Hogan returned to pro tournament golf when he teed-off at the Los Angeles Open. A then-record 9,000 fans watch Hogan play at the Riviera Country Club as he shot a two-ver (73). After 72 holes, Hogan lost to Sam Sneed in a playoff.
Parting Putt
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