Tournament of Champions (golf)

Last updated
The Sentry
Tournament information
Location Kapalua, Hawaii
Established1953
Course(s) Kapalua Resort
(Plantation Course)
Par73
Length7,596 yards (6,946 m)
Organized by PGA Tour [1]
Tour(s) PGA Tour
Format Stroke play
Prize fund US$20,000,000
Month playedJanuary
Tournament record score
Aggregate258 Cameron Smith (2022)
To par−34 [lower-alpha 1] as above
Current champion
Flag of the United States.svg Chris Kirk
Location map
USA Hawaii relief location map.svg
Icona golf.svg
Kapalua Resort
Location in Hawaii

The Sentry is the calendar-year opening tournament of golf's PGA Tour season, played in Hawaii on the island of Maui. [2] The tournament was founded in 1953; for most of its history the field was restricted to golfers who won a tournament on the tour during the previous calendar year, but players who qualified for the preceding Tour Championship are now invited as well. [3] [4] From 1986 through 2013, it was the opening event of each tour season; the PGA Tour switched to its wrap-around season (starting season in September and ending in August) in the fall of 2013. In 2022, Cameron Smith shot the lowest 72 hole to-par score in the history of the PGA Tour (−34) to win the tournament.

Contents

History

The Sentry is held during the first week of January and, since 1999, has been played over the Plantation Course at the Kapalua Resort near Lahaina on the island of Maui in Hawaii. Unlike most PGA Tour events, it is a par 73 course.

Previous venues have been the Desert Inn Country Club in Las Vegas, Nevada, from the event's inception until 1966, and the Stardust Country Club, also in Las Vegas, in 1967 and 1968. For the following thirty years, it was played at La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California; it moved from May in 1985 to January in 1986, and relocated to Maui in 1999.

The tournament has had several title sponsors, the first being Mutual of New York (MONY) between 1975 and 1990. After three years of sponsorship by Infiniti, German car maker Mercedes-Benz began a sixteen-year association with the event and the Tournament of Champions name was dropped. In 2010 the tournament entered a new ten-year agreement with Korean broadcasting company Seoul Broadcasting System, with the tournament being renamed as the SBS Championship. [3] Hyundai took over title sponsorship in 2011 with SBS remaining a sponsor. [5] In 2017, SBS became title sponsor again after Hyundai took over title sponsorship of the PGA Tour event at Riviera Country Club. [6] Sentry Insurance signed on as the event's title sponsor with a five-year agreement starting in 2018, [7] later extended through 2030. [8]

From 2012 to 2015, the tournament used a Friday–Monday format, joining the Deutsche Bank Championship as the only two PGA Tour events with this format. The format allowed the tournament to have its own day to finish, and not compete against the second day of the NFL Wild Card Playoff round.

For the 2021 tournament, the PGA Tour announced that the field would be expanded to include the 30 players qualifying for the 2020 Tour Championship in addition to tournament winners during the 2020 calendar year. The change was made following the cancellation of ten tournaments due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [9] The 2022 edition reverted to the usual winners-only field, but the addition of Tour Championship qualifiers was made permanent in 2023. [4] The tournament had a name change for 2024 as a result, dropping the traditional Tournament of Champions name again.

Television

While being played at LaCosta, the weekend rounds were traditionally televised by ABC Sports. However, after moving to Hawaii in 1999, the time difference was not conducive to network television. The event moved to ABC's cable partner ESPN for four-round coverage. In 2007, the event moved to four-round coverage on the Golf Channel. In 2012, NBC Sports began showing weekend play, while also producing the new Monday final round for sister network Golf Channel. Starting in 2018, Thursday-Sunday coverage split between Golf Channel and NBC, with the latter picking up weekend coverage when not in conflict with the network's broadcasts of NFL playoff games. [10]

Winners

YearWinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-upWinner's
share ($)
The Sentry
2024 Flag of the United States.svg Chris Kirk 263−291 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Sahith Theegala 3,600,000
Sentry Tournament of Champions
2023 Flag of Spain.svg Jon Rahm 265−272 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Collin Morikawa 2,700,000
2022 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Cameron Smith 258−341 stroke Flag of Spain.svg Jon Rahm 1,476,000
2021 Flag of the United States.svg Harris English 267−25Playoff Flag of Chile.svg Joaquín Niemann 1,340,000
2020 Flag of the United States.svg Justin Thomas (2)278−14Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Patrick Reed
Flag of the United States.svg Xander Schauffele
1,340,000
2019 Flag of the United States.svg Xander Schauffele 269−231 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Gary Woodland 1,300,000
2018 Flag of the United States.svg Dustin Johnson (2)268−248 strokes Flag of Spain.svg Jon Rahm 1,260,000
SBS Tournament of Champions
2017 Flag of the United States.svg Justin Thomas 270−223 strokes Flag of Japan.svg Hideki Matsuyama 1,220,000
Hyundai Tournament of Champions
2016 Flag of the United States.svg Jordan Spieth 262−308 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Patrick Reed 1,180,000
2015 Flag of the United States.svg Patrick Reed 271−21Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Jimmy Walker 1,140,000
2014 Flag of the United States.svg Zach Johnson 273−191 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Jordan Spieth 1,140,000
2013 Flag of the United States.svg Dustin Johnson 203 [lower-alpha 2] −164 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Steve Stricker 1,140,000
2012 Flag of the United States.svg Steve Stricker 269−233 strokes Flag of Scotland.svg Martin Laird 1,120,000
2011 Flag of the United States.svg Jonathan Byrd 268−24Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Robert Garrigus 1,120,000
SBS Championship
2010 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Geoff Ogilvy (2)270−221 stroke Flag of South Africa.svg Rory Sabbatini 1,120,000
Mercedes-Benz Championship
2009 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Geoff Ogilvy 268−246 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Anthony Kim
Flag of the United States.svg Davis Love III
1,120,000
2008 Flag of Sweden.svg Daniel Chopra 274−18Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Steve Stricker 1,100,000
2007 Flag of Fiji.svg Vijay Singh 278−142 strokes Flag of Australia (converted).svg Adam Scott 1,100,000
Mercedes Championships
2006 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Stuart Appleby (3)284−8Playoff Flag of Fiji.svg Vijay Singh 1,080,000
2005 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Stuart Appleby (2)271−211 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Jonathan Kaye 1,060,000
2004 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Stuart Appleby 270−221 stroke Flag of Fiji.svg Vijay Singh 1,060,000
2003 Flag of South Africa.svg Ernie Els 261−318 strokes Flag of South Korea (1997-2011).svg K. J. Choi
Flag of the United States.svg Rocco Mediate
1,000,000
2002 Flag of Spain.svg Sergio García 274−18Playoff Flag of the United States.svg David Toms 720,000
2001 Flag of the United States.svg Jim Furyk 274−181 stroke Flag of South Africa.svg Rory Sabbatini 630,000
2000 Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Woods (2)276−16Playoff Flag of South Africa.svg Ernie Els 522,000
1999 Flag of the United States.svg David Duval 266−269 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Mark O'Meara
Flag of the United States.svg Billy Mayfair
468,000
1998 Flag of the United States.svg Phil Mickelson (2)271−171 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Mark O'Meara
Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Woods
306,000
1997 Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Woods 202 [lower-alpha 2] −14Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Tom Lehman 216,000
1996 Flag of the United States.svg Mark O'Meara 271−173 strokes Flag of England.svg Nick Faldo
Flag of the United States.svg Scott Hoch
180,000
1995 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Steve Elkington (2)278−10Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Bruce Lietzke 180,000
1994 Flag of the United States.svg Phil Mickelson 276−12Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Fred Couples 180,000
Infiniti Tournament of Champions
1993 Flag of the United States.svg Davis Love III 272−161 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Tom Kite 144,000
1992 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Steve Elkington 279−9Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Brad Faxon 144,000
1991 Flag of the United States.svg Tom Kite (2)272−161 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Lanny Wadkins 144,000
MONY Tournament of Champions
1990 Flag of the United States.svg Paul Azinger 272−161 stroke Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ian Baker-Finch 135,000
1989 Flag of the United States.svg Steve Jones 279−93 strokes Flag of South Africa (1982-1994).svg David Frost
Flag of the United States.svg Jay Haas
135,000
1988 Flag of the United States.svg Steve Pate 202 [lower-alpha 2] −141 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Larry Nelson 90,000
1987 Flag of the United States.svg Mac O'Grady 278−101 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Rick Fehr 90,000
1986 Flag of the United States.svg Calvin Peete 267−216 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Mark O'Meara 90,000
1985 Flag of the United States.svg Tom Kite 275−136 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Mark McCumber 72,000
1984 Flag of the United States.svg Tom Watson (3)274−145 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Bruce Lietzke 72,000
1983 Flag of the United States.svg Lanny Wadkins (2)280−81 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Raymond Floyd 72,000
1982 Flag of the United States.svg Lanny Wadkins 280−83 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Andy Bean
Flag of Australia (converted).svg David Graham
Flag of the United States.svg Craig Stadler
Flag of the United States.svg Ron Streck
63,000
1981 Flag of the United States.svg Lee Trevino 273−152 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Raymond Floyd 54,000
1980 Flag of the United States.svg Tom Watson (2)276−123 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Jim Colbert 54,000
1979 Flag of the United States.svg Tom Watson 275−136 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Bruce Lietzke
Flag of the United States.svg Jerry Pate
54,000
1978 Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Gary Player (2)281−72 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Andy North
Flag of the United States.svg Lee Trevino
45,000
1977 Flag of the United States.svg Jack Nicklaus (5)281−7Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Bruce Lietzke 45,000
1976 Flag of the United States.svg Don January (2)277−115 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Hubert Green 45,000
1975 Flag of the United States.svg Al Geiberger 277−11Playoff Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Gary Player 40,000
Tournament of Champions
1974 Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Miller 280−81 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Buddy Allin
Flag of the United States.svg John Mahaffey
40,000
1973 Flag of the United States.svg Jack Nicklaus (4)276−121 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Lee Trevino 40,000
1972 Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Mitchell 280−8Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Jack Nicklaus 33,000
1971 Flag of the United States.svg Jack Nicklaus (3)279−98 strokes Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bruce Devlin
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Gary Player
Flag of the United States.svg Dave Stockton
33,000
1970 Flag of the United States.svg Frank Beard (2)273−157 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Billy Casper
Flag of England.svg Tony Jacklin
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Gary Player
30,000
1969 Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Gary Player 284−42 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Lee Trevino 30,000
1968 Flag of the United States.svg Don January 276−81 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Julius Boros 30,000
1967 Flag of the United States.svg Frank Beard 278−61 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Arnold Palmer 20,000
1966 Flag of the United States.svg Arnold Palmer (3)283−5Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Gay Brewer 20,000
1965 Flag of the United States.svg Arnold Palmer (2)277−112 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Chi-Chi Rodríguez 14,000
1964 Flag of the United States.svg Jack Nicklaus (2)279−92 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Al Geiberger
Flag of the United States.svg Doug Sanders
12,000
1963 Flag of the United States.svg Jack Nicklaus 273−155 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Tony Lema
Flag of the United States.svg Arnold Palmer
13,000
1962 Flag of the United States.svg Arnold Palmer 276−121 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Billy Casper 11,000
1961 Flag of the United States.svg Sam Snead 273−157 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Tommy Bolt 10,000
1960 Flag of the United States (1959-1960).svg Jerry Barber 268−204 strokes Flag of the United States (1959-1960).svg Jay Hebert 10,000
1959 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Mike Souchak 281−72 strokes Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Art Wall Jr. 10,000
1958 Canadian Red Ensign (1957-1965).svg Stan Leonard 275−131 stroke Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Billy Casper 10,000
1957 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Gene Littler (3)285−33 strokes Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Billy Casper
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jimmy Demaret
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Dow Finsterwald
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Billy Maxwell
10,000
1956 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Gene Littler (2)281−74 strokes Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Cary Middlecoff 10,000
1955 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Gene Littler 280−813 strokes Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jerry Barber
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Pete Cooper
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bob Toski
10,000
1954 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Art Wall Jr. 278−106 strokes Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Al Besselink
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Lloyd Mangrum
10,000
1953 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Al Besselink 280−81 stroke Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Chandler Harper 10,000

Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.

Multiple winners

Sixteen men have won the tournament more than once through 2023.

Tournament highlights

Notes

  1. PGA Tour scoring record to par.
  2. 1 2 3 Shortened to 54 holes due to weather.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Nicklaus</span> American professional golfer (born 1940)

Jack William Nicklaus, nicknamed "the Golden Bear", is a retired American professional golfer and golf course designer. He is widely considered to be either the greatest or one of the greatest golfers of all time. He won 117 professional tournaments in his career. Over a quarter-century, he won a record 18 major championships, three more than second-placed Tiger Woods. Nicklaus focused on the major championships—the Masters Tournament, U.S. Open, Open Championship and PGA Championship—and played a selective schedule of regular PGA Tour events. He competed in 164 major tournaments, more than any other player, and finished with 73 PGA Tour victories, third behind Sam Snead (82) and Woods (82).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Watson (golfer)</span> American golfer

Thomas Sturges Watson is an American retired professional golfer on the PGA Tour Champions, formerly on the PGA Tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Memorial Tournament</span> Golf tournament held in Columbus, Ohio, United States

The Memorial Tournament is a PGA Tour golf tournament founded in 1976 by Jack Nicklaus. It is played on a Nicklaus-designed course at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, a suburb north of Columbus. The golf course passes through a large neighborhood called Muirfield Village, which includes a 1999 bronze sculpture of Nicklaus mentoring a young golfer located in the wide median of Muirfield Drive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Players Championship</span> Annual golf tournament

The Players Championship is an annual golf tournament on the PGA Tour. Originally known as the Tournament Players Championship, it began in 1974. The Players Championship at one point offered the highest purse of any tournament in golf. The field usually includes the top 50 players in the world rankings, but, unlike the major championships, it is owned by the PGA Tour and not an official event on other tours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arnold Palmer Invitational</span> Golf tournament held in Bay Hill, Florida, US

The Arnold Palmer Invitational is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It is played each March at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge, a private golf resort owned since 1974 by Arnold Palmer in Bay Hill, a suburb southwest of Orlando, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Desert Classic</span> Professional golf tournament in California, United States

The Desert Classic is a professional golf tournament in southern California on the PGA Tour. Played in mid-winter in the Coachella Valley, it is part of the tour's early season "West Coast Swing."

The following is a partial timeline of the history of golf.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michelob Championship</span> Golf tournament formerly on the PGA Tour

The Michelob Championship at Kingsmill was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1968 to 2002. It was played in Virginia at the River Course of Kingsmill Golf Club outside of Williamsburg, from 1981 to 2002. From 1977 through 1995, it was known as the Anheuser-Busch Golf Classic.

The Kemper Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1968 to 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travelers Championship</span> Professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour in Cromwell, Connecticut

The Travelers Championship is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour in Cromwell, Connecticut, a suburb south of Hartford. Since 1984 the tournament has been held at TPC River Highlands. It is managed by The Greater Hartford Community Foundation. In 2018 the Travelers Championship earned the Players Choice Award for the second consecutive year, which is voted on by PGA Tour members for its services, hospitality, attendance and quality of the course.

The Greater Milwaukee Open was a regular golf tournament in Wisconsin on the PGA Tour. For 42 years, it was played annually in the Milwaukee area, the final sixteen editions in the north suburb of Brown Deer at the Brown Deer Park Golf Course. U.S. Bancorp was the main sponsor of the tournament in its final years and the last purse in 2009 was $4 million, with a winner's share of $720,000. The event was run by Milwaukee Golf Charities, Inc., with proceeds going to a variety of Wisconsin charities.

The Doral Open was a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour in the southeastern United States. It was played annually for 45 seasons, from 1962 to 2006, on the "Blue Monster" course at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Doral, Florida, a suburb west of Miami.

The American Golf Classic was a tournament on the PGA Tour from 1961 to 1976 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. It was the third event at the storied South course, after the Rubber City Open Invitational (1954–1959) and the PGA Championship in 1960.

The Sahara Invitational was a PGA Tour event in Nevada from 1958 through 1976, played in Las Vegas and sponsored by the Sahara Hotel. In the first four years, it was the Sahara Pro-Am and an unofficial tour event. Paradise Valley Country Club hosted in 1970 and 1971, and Sahara Nevada Country Club from 1972–1976.

The 1975 Masters Tournament was the 39th Masters Tournament, held April 10–13 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.

The 1978 Masters Tournament was the 42nd Masters Tournament, held April 6–9 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. Gary Player overcame a 7-shot deficit going into the final round to win his third Masters and ninth major championship. Player, age 42, shot a record-tying 64 (−8) in the final round to win by one stroke. The runners-up were Rod Funseth, defending champion Tom Watson, and 54-hole leader Hubert Green, the reigning U.S. Open champion, who shot an even-par 72.

The 1979 Masters Tournament was the 43rd Masters Tournament, held April 12–15 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.

The 1988 Masters Tournament was the 52nd Masters Tournament, held April 7–10 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. Sandy Lyle won his second major title with a birdie on the 72nd hole to win by one stroke over runner-up Mark Calcavecchia.

The 1977 PGA Championship was the 59th PGA Championship, played August 11–14 at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California. Lanny Wadkins, 27, won his only major championship in a sudden-death playoff over Gene Littler. It was the first playoff at the PGA Championship in ten years and was the first-ever sudden-death playoff in a stroke-play major championship. The last was 36 years earlier at the 1941 PGA Championship, when the 36-hole final match went to two extra holes.

The 1978 Tournament Players Championship was a golf tournament in Florida on the PGA Tour, held March 16–19 at Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, southeast of Jacksonville. The fifth Tournament Players Championship, it was the second at Sawgrass and Jack Nicklaus won his third TPC title at 289 (+1), one stroke ahead of runner-up Lou Graham. Both shot 75 (+3) in the windy final round and Nicklaus went without a birdie.

References

  1. PGA Tour takes over Maui’s 2012 Hyundai Tournament of Champions
  2. "Fall Series events to offer full FedExCup points". PGA Tour. June 26, 2012. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
  3. 1 2 "SBS to sponsor season-opening event through 2019". PGA Tour. May 7, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
  4. 1 2 "Sentry extends as title sponsor of Tournament of Champions through 2035". PGA Tour. August 23, 2022.
  5. "Hyundai taking over sponsorship at Kapalua". PGA Tour. November 4, 2010. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
  6. "Hyundai Ends Sponsorship of Tournament of Champions". Maui Now. January 21, 2016. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  7. "Tournament of Champions getting a new sponsor for 2018 event". CBS Sports. August 16, 2017.
  8. "Sentry extends as title sponsor of Tournament of Champions thru 2030". PGA Tour. December 31, 2019.
  9. "Eligibility criteria added to 2021 Sentry Tournament of Champions". PGA Tour. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  10. "How to watch Sentry Tournament of Champions, Round 1: Tee times, live leaderboard, TV times".
  11. Besselink Captures Tournament of Champions by Stroke
  12. Gene Littler easy tourney champ
  13. Littler Captures Third Tourney Of Champions
  14. Souchak Beats Wall By 2 Strokes
  15. Jerry Barber tops champions
  16. Arnold Palmer Does It Again
  17. Jack Loafs to Victory at 'Vegas'
  18. Palmer Wins In A Breeze
  19. Frank Beard Wins Tourney On Final Hole
  20. Gary Nabs Champions
  21. Mitchell Snatches Tournament Of Champions Purse From Jack
  22. Jack Wins Title
  23. Nicklaus Wins Playoff With Birdie on 3rd Hole
  24. Player Does It Again, Charges To T Of C Victory
  25. Watson penalized 2 shots, but wins by 3
  26. Trevino edges Floyd for 2-stroke victory
  27. Golfer Streck pulls a no-no
  28. Kite Front-Running Victor In Tournament Of Champions
  29. Peete Takes 6-Stroke Victory In Tournament of Champions
  30. Kite, With a Final 69, Outlasts Wadkins
  31. Elkington wins Mercedes event
  32. Putt into lake costs Huston crown
  33. Woods wins Mercedes playoff
  34. Duval cruises to Mercedes victory
  35. With 40-Foot Putt in Playoff, Woods Matches Hogan's Streak
  36. Tour Scoring Record Starts Els's Season Right
  37. Appleby claims third straight Mercedes Championship
  38. Ogilvy bests Sabbatini by one stroke

21°00′22″N156°38′24″W / 21.006°N 156.64°W / 21.006; -156.64