PGA Tour Brunch | Sentry Tourney of Champs
First Round Coverage of the Opening Event of the 2023 Golf Season
By Terry Lyons
KAPALUA, MAUI - At the first tee, from British Columbia, Canada - please welcome to the Sentry Tournament of Champions - Adam Svensson.
Although there was plenty of golf to be played in the PGA Tour Fall Season, many fans have been looking forward to this day dating back to the TOUR Championship. The 2023 Winter season will begin at 2:30pm (ET) today and PGA Tour Brunch will bring you six-days-a-week coverage from the first tee today until the 2023 TOUR Championship at East Lake CC late this summer.
Immediately after Svensson tees-off, current FedEx Cup points leader Seamus Power (749 points) will follow along with 39 other tour pros to make up one of the toughest fields in golf. Last year’s champion, Cameron Smith, has moved on to the LIV tour.
Will Zalatoris is making his season debut and first start since the 2022 BMW Championship. Zalatoris, who earned his first PGA Tour title at the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship and took the lead in the FedExCup standings with two events remaining, but withdrew due to a back injury during the third round of the BMW the following week.
The three lowest scores to par in a 72-hole PGA Tour event since 1950 were recorded at last year's Tournament of Champions. Cameron Smith won the event at 34-under 258, followed by Jon Rahm (-33) and Matt Jones (-32). In addition, Rahm tied the record for most birdies in a 72-hole event, becoming the third player to reach 32 birdies (others: Mark Calcavecchia/2001 WM Phoenix Open, Paul Gow/2001 B.C. Open).
The Plantation Course at Kapalua was the easiest course on Tour during the 2021-22 season relative to par with a scoring average of 4.783-under, more than one stroke lower than the next-easiest (-3.566/The Summit Club/THE CJ CUP @ SUMMIT). Kapalua is the only par-73 layout annually on tour. The course record entering the 2022 event was (62) and three players recorded 61s last year: Jon Rahm (R3), Justin Thomas (R3) and Matt Jones (R4).
Sentry Tournament of Champions | 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: The first two rounds (Today and Jan 6) are scheduled for TV coverage from 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 2:15pm to 10:00pm (ET) today and 2:30pm (ET) to 10:00pm (ET) Friday. Weekend streaming on ESPN+ from 12:45pm to 8:00pm (ET).
PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: SiriusXM Radio will have live coverage of the Sentry Tournament of Champions beginning at 4:00pm to 10:00pm (ET) today and Friday. 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).
Weather: Today’s Kapalua forecast calls for partly cloudy and 79-degrees with winds expected to blow 14 mph. There’s a 50% chance of rain. The weekend forecast improves and Friday/Saturday/Sunday should be mostly sunny, 80-degrees with 18 mph winds.
Tournament Web Site: (link)
FedEx Cup Info: (link)
PGA Tour Brunch will post at Noon (ET) on Friday
Field and Tee Times:
The Field: (link)
Tee Times: (link)
What They’re Saying
The 25 Most Influential Names in Golf (2023) - (ESPNCom)
Zalatoris returns to Tour action (PGATourCom)
Rory McIlroy Absent from ToC (Golf Week/USA Today)
Sports Gambling, Daily Fantasy & Industry News
Expert Picks for the Tournament of Champions - (PGATourCom)
Predictions and Props (SportsBookWire)
How to Watch the Sentry ToC (ESPNCom)
Tucker, Founding Member, Dead at 93 (Golf Week/USA Today)
On This Day in Golf History
January 5, 2013 - The start of the 2013 PGA Tour season was delayed for two days as winds over 40 mph prevented play here at the Plantation Course at Kapalua. “On the 10th hole, we dropped a ball on the back of the green and it rolled 20 yards off the front,” said Tour official Slugger White.
Parting Putt
Tomorrow is Today!
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