The PGA Tour gets the new year started this week with the annual Sentry Tournament of Champions from the Plantation Course at Kapalua. An expanded field welcomes over 40 of the Tour’s best to Maui with reigning FedExCup champion Dustin Johnson positioned as the betting favorite. With COVID impacting the number of events last year, the field opened up to players who qualified for the TOUR Championship. Still, the event is the most exclusive on Tour with some of the top names in the sport. Defending champ Justin Thomas and 2018 winner Xander Schauffele are among the favorites and with only 42 players in the field we have some intriguing tournament matchups. There is no cut so every golfer will play through the weekend. Visit BookMaker.eu for a complete list of matchup betting odds when you’re ready to place a wager.
Sentry Tournament of Champions Matchup Odds at BookMaker.eu
Michael Thompson -107 vs. Robert Streb -123
Ryan Palmer -114 vs. Sebastian Munoz -116
Brian Gay +119 vs. Richy Werenski -149
Xander Schauffele -129 vs. Patrick Reed -101
Tony Finau -158 vs. Collin Morikawa +126
Patrick Cantlay -129 vs. Viktor Hovland -101
Sungjae Im -140 vs. Adam Scott +110
Andrew Landry -128 vs. Hudson Swafford -102
Justin Thomas -149 vs. Bryson DeChambeau +119
Stewart Cink -129 vs. Martin Laird -101
Dustin Johnson -170 vs. Bryson DeChambeau +135
Dustin Johnson -133 vs. Justin Thomas +103
Kevin Kisner -120 vs. Sergio Garcia -110
Brendon Todd +121 vs. Kevin Na -152
Marc Leishman +161 vs. Billy Horschel -205
Abraham Ancer -123 vs. Cameron Champ -107
Jason Kokrak -121 vs. Carlos Ortiz -109
Patrick Reed -142 vs. Hideki Matsuyama +112
Webb Simpson -111 vs. Viktor Hovland -119
Harris English -136 vs. Joaquin Niemann +106
Lanto Griffin -113 vs. Mackenzie Hughes -117
Daniel Berger +123 vs. Tony Finau -154
Daniel Berger -117 vs. Collin Morikawa -113
Xander Schauffele -158 vs. Hideki Matsuyama +126
Patrick Cantlay -131 vs. Webb Simpson +101
Scottie Scheffler -126 vs. Cameron Smith -104
Jon Rahm -147 vs. Bryson DeChambeau +117
Justin Thomas -118 vs. Jon Rahm -112
Need to Know
There are only a few things you need to know. First, the field is small with only 42 entrants. And second, everyone plays the entire weekend. Serving as host since 1999, the Plantation Course at Kapalua underwent a massive remodel ahead of last year’s event, which could have played a role in Thomas winning with the worst 72-hole score in 13 years, though high winds were the likely culprit. The layout was stretched to just under 7,600 yards, however, that’s not really a factor since it plays par 73 and elevation helps with flight. Some players will surely take advantage by being more aggressive on holes they wouldn’t normally take chances on. The fairways are wide and forgiving and the field will have numerous opportunities to let it rip. The large greens will benefit hot putters and the biggest hazard will likely be Mother Nature with coastal winds always kicking up to make things tricky.
Sentry Tournament of Champions Matchup Picks
Xander Schauffele -129 vs. Patrick Reed
Given the odds this could be a risky pick since Schauffele was diagnosed with the virus at Christmas. Still, he wouldn’t be playing if he wasn’t right and the X-Man has been good at Kapalua with a win in 2018 and playoff loss last year. He’s also been one of the most consistent players over the last year while Reed has had ups and downs. Again the risk factor, Reed has been mostly up. But I’ll back Schauffele based on past experience and dealing with the reimagined course last year.
Bryson DeChambeau +117 vs. Jon Rahm
Given the overall strength of the field we’re not going to have many plus-odds players in matchups. This is one of those instances, however, and I can’t back away from DeChambeau, who will flex his muscles on a course that allows him to do that. And with Rahm breaking in new sticks it might be an adjustment period, which is why I’m backing Bryson at his price.
Daniel Berger -117 vs. Collin Morikawa
With the wrist injury behind him, Berger is playing better now than he did before the ailment, and he wasn’t that bad before. Berger collected seven top-10s in 17 starts in 2020 and he returns to a course that yielded him a pair of top-15s in his two appearances. He hasn’t played Kapalua since 2018, but he hasn’t been in better form either.
Cameron Champ -107 vs. Abraham Ancer
The course will allow Champ to take a few chances with his powerful drives, and few on Tour do it better. He enjoyed a nice run to close 2020 with a T8 at the ZOZO and a T19 at the Masters, and he’s also one of a handful of players to take in the redesigned course last year finishing 14th for his second top-15 in two starts. Another year of seasoning should bring even better results this time around.
Mackenzie Hughes -117 vs. Lanto Griffin
Hughes bounced back after a rough start to 2020 by claiming six top-10s. He qualified for the TOUR Championship last season giving him the opportunity to enjoy the weekend in Hawai’i. Kapalua isn’t all about distance. It also takes strong play on and around the greens, which is something Hughes does well. That should allow him to overtake his matchup partner this week.
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