Tag: 2022 Sentry Tournament of Champions

2022 Sentry Tournament of Champions Friday tee times, TV info

Everything you need to know for the second round of the 2022 Sentry Tournament of Champions.

The PGA Tour is back in action this week and kicks off the 2022 calendar year in paradise.

A 38-player field full of winners is at Kapalua’s Plantation Course once again for the 2022 Sentry Tournament of Champions. Cam Smith leads the way after an impressive 8-under 65 in Thursday’s first round, followed by Daniel Berger, Jon Rahm and Patrick Cantlay all T-2 at 7 under. Erik van Rooyen, Kevin Na and Sungjae Im round out the top five at 6 under.

Check out the tee times and TV info for the second round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions. All times are listed in Eastern Standard Time.

Sentry TOC: Leaderboard | Yardage book

Tee times

Tee time Players
2:40 p.m. Patrick Reed, Justin Thomas
2:50 p.m. Harris English, Lucas Glover
3 p.m.
Billy Horschel, K.H. Lee
3:10 p.m. Max Homa, Sam Burns
3:20 p.m. Abraham Ancer, Jason Kokrak
3:30 p.m. Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth
3:40 p.m. Seamus Power, Si Woo Kim
3:50 p.m. Matt Jones, Tony Finau
4 p.m. Hideki Matsuyama, Xander Schauffele
4:15 p.m. Branden Grace, Bryson DeChambeau
4:25 p.m. Stewart Cink, Cam Davis
4:35 p.m. Lucas Herbert, Marc Leishman
4:45 p.m. Viktor Hovland, Kevin Kisner
4:55 p.m. Talor Gooch, Collin Morikawa
5:05 p.m. Joel Dahmen, Brooks Koepka
5:15 p.m. Sungjae Im, Garrick Higgo
5:25 p.m. Erik van Rooyen, Kevin Na
5:35 p.m. Jon Rahm, Patrick Cantlay
5:45 p.m. Cameron Smith, Daniel Berger

TV, streaming, radio information

You can watch Golf Channel for free on fuboTV. ESPN+ is now the streaming home for PGA Tour Live. All times ET.

Friday, Jan. 7

TV

Golf Channel: 6-10 p.m.

Radio

SiriusXM: 4-10 p.m.

STREAM

ESPN+: 3:15-10 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 8

TV

Golf Channel: 6-10 p.m.

Radio

SiriusXM: 5-10 p.m.

STREAM

ESPN+: 3:15-10 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 9

TV

NBC: 4-6 p.m.
Golf Channel: 6-8 p.m.

Radio

SiriusXM: 3-8 p.m.

STREAM

ESPN+: 1:30-8 p.m.

We recommend interesting sports viewing and streaming opportunities. If you sign up to a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.

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Eagle lands not once but twice for Cameron Smith, who leads a stacked leaderboard in Hawaii

Aussie Cameron Smith overcame a sluggish start to shoot 8-under 65 and leads by one in Maui

Cameron Smith loves nothing more than a well-made coffee, but the start of his opening round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions must have felt as if someone slipped him a cup of decaf.

“I started off pretty terribly, to be honest. I hit a couple of nice shots in and my yardages weren’t quite on point, I guess,” he said.

But Smith overcame his sluggish start, which included a bogey at the second, to make a pair of eagles and shoot 8-under 65 at Kapalua’s Plantation Course. That was good enough to grab the opening-round lead in Maui by one stroke over Daniel Berger, Patrick Cantlay and Jon Rahm.

“I just needed those two eagles to get a really low one happening,” Smith said. “Obviously two really long putts and probably quite fortunate that they went in, but they went in.”

Sentry TOC: Leaderboard | Yardage book

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Smith, a 28-year-old three-time Tour winner from Brisbane, Australia, hasn’t finished worse than a share of 15th place in three starts during the fall portion of the wraparound schedule, and has scored in the 60s in 12 of his last 13 rounds on Tour.

After the early bogey, Smith played flawlessly, making his first birdie at the third and then draining a 45-foot eagle putt at No. 5 to get the party started. Smith added a birdie at the par-5 ninth to tour the front nine in 3-under 33, and then he gave his round a jolt of caffeine, playing Nos. 13-16 in 5 under, capped off by a 37-foot eagle putt at 15.

Smith wasn’t the only one who took advantage of soft conditions and preferred lies being in use due to the wet conditions. Rahm, World No. 1, played bogey-free while carding birdies on four of the last six holes. Cantlay, the reigning FedEx Cup champion and Player of the Year, torched a five-hole stretch beginning at No. 13 in 6 under to match Rahm and Berger with 66.

“I think that stretch of the golf course in general is the most scorable part,” Cantlay said. “That’s just this golf course. Sometimes you can get on a little bit of a roll and start to make some birdies.”

Kevin Na, Erik van Rooyen and Sungjae Im were another stroke back. Major winners Collin Morikawa, who could supplant Rahm at No. 1 this week, and Brooks Koepka, who is settling in to some new Srixon clubs in the bag, signed for 5-under 68.

“It’s even taken me by shock how easy this transition is and I think everything’s getting right where it should be,” Koepka said. “Game feels good. I feel good. I should be playing good.”

Phil Mickelson, who returned to compete at Kapalua for the first time in 21 years, opened with 2-under 71.

“I didn’t score very well the first 14 holes,” Mickelson said. “I was sloppy, but I made four good putts the last four holes to finish at 2-under, not do too much damage, and I feel like my game as well as I’m driving the ball, get my iron play sharp, I feel like I’ve got some low rounds in me. But unfortunately today wasn’t one of them, but it wasn’t as far off.”

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Lost clubs? No problem for Daniel Berger and Viktor Hovland at Sentry Tournament of Champions

Both Daniel Berger and Viktor Hovland had their clubs go missing en route to Hawaii and had limited prep time with their game sets once they arrived.

Lost clubs? No problem for Daniel Berger and Viktor Hovland.

Berger, the winner of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Hovland, who defended his title at the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba, both had their clubs go missing en route to Hawaii and had limited prep time with their game sets once they arrived. But it didn’t seem to matter during the opening round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua’s Plantation Course. Berger fired 7-under 66, a stroke back of leader Cameron Smith, while Hovland posted 4-under 69.

“Didn’t really hit a bad shot the entire day,” said Berger of his eight birdie, one bogey round marred only by a 3-putt at the 17th hole. “I think it’s a great score today. I’m a little surprised that the scores aren’t lower just with the greens being softer and the only defense right now is the fairways are soft, so a lot of the holes that you would be hitting low, short irons in, you’re hitting long irons in because you’re not getting that roll off the tee.”

Berger’s 7-under 66 marked his lowest opening round to par in a PGA Tour event. That despite arriving in Maui on Sunday from his home in Florida and being without his clubs until Tuesday.

“I was a little stressed out because I knew I needed to play some golf,” Berger said. “A lot of phone calls with American Airlines, that’s for sure.”

But he didn’t sit back and work on his tan. Instead, Berger, 28, borrowed a set of clubs from veteran caddie Brett Waldman. Berger went so far as to change the lie and loft on the irons to his liking and also developed a fondness for Waldman’s driver.

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“I think I stole his driver. I still have his driver,” Berger said. “I just needed to hit some balls. Especially after a long flight of coming across the world to get here, I just had to get the body moving, so whatever I had was going to work.”

The practice did the trick as Berger hit all 15 of the Plantation Course’s spacious fairways and 16 greens.

“It’s definitely a less challenging golf course off the tee than we see at a lot of other places around the year,” he said. “But you have to hit some great irons shots, especially when the wind’s blowing. You know, the greens are challenging. So there’s nothing easy about it, but if you play well you can make a lot of birdies, and that’s a nice thing to come out when you haven’t played in a while.”

Sentry Tournament of Champions
Viktor Hovland hits his tee shot on the second hole during the first round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua Resort – The Plantation Course. (Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

Whereas Berger only had to wait two days for his sticks, Hovland flew in on December 29, but his clubs didn’t arrive until January 5. Unfortunately, his driver shaft was broken in transit. It didn’t slow Hovland’s pursuit of birdies. He made five in his first 10 holes to grab the early lead before making a double bogey at 14. But the 24-year-old bounced back with an eagle at 15. A bogey at 17 dropped him to 4 under for the day.

“Definitely a good start,” Hovland said. “A little disappointing that I didn’t shoot more than 4-under par. Putted so good the front nine, and then the back nine not so much, but that’s how it is sometimes.”

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Patrick Reed signs endorsement deal with PXG

The 2018 Masters champion started wearing a PXG hat and using a PXG driver this week at the Sentry Tournament of Champions.

Patrick Reed, the 2018 Masters champion and winner of two World Golf Championships, won the Farmers Insurance Open last year at Torrey Pines, earning him a spot in the field at this week’s Sentry Tournament of Champions. In the first PGA Tour event of 2022, Reed will tackle the Plantation Course at Kapalua in Hawaii armed with a new equipment sponsor.

On Thursday, PXG announced on social media that Reed is the newest member of the company’s “troops.” PXG refers to staffers as its troops, and Reed has been seen this week sporting a PXG hat and using PXG equipment.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYZQDw_s9GQ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

While PXG has yet to provide details of the deal, Reed was photographed Tuesday at Kapalua wearing a Grindworks hat. Grindworks is the maker of the irons that Reed used for the past few seasons. On Wednesday, Reed wore a hat with a PXG logo on the front and back with a Grindworks logo on the side, implying he intends to keep a relationship with the Japanese iron maker.

Reed has tinkered with PXG clubs in the past and is now listed on the company’s website. PXG said Reed will use a GEN4 driver (from $299 at pxg.com).

Among other PXG staff players are two-time major winner Zach Johnson, Joel Dahmen, Austin Ernst and Ryann O’Toole.

Collin Morikawa, looking for more after historical year, has eye on being No. 1

After 13 top-10s in 24 worldwide starts, Collin Morikawa says “I think the consistency factor wasn’t quite there.”

Collin Morikawa had a historical 2021.

When he claimed the Claret Jug in the British Open at Royal St. George’s, he became the only player in history to win two different major championship debuts. He also joined Gene Sarazen, Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth as the only players in the past 100 years to win multiple majors before turning 25.

And he became the first American to win the Race to Dubai when he won the DP World Tour Championship. He also won the WGC-Workday Championship at the Concession and was 3-0-1 and clinched the U.S. victory in his Ryder Cup debut.

Still, the world No. 2 wasn’t satisfied.

“It wasn’t everything that I wanted,” he said ahead of the start of the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii. “I think the consistency factor wasn’t quite there to what I’ve kind of harped on since turning pro.”

This coming from a guy who had 13 top-10s in 24 worldwide starts.

“Looking back there’s a lot of positives which I’m definitely going to make sure I continue to kind of feed off. I think you, that’s a big thing is, not just look at the negatives and not look at the down sides but is to look at the positives of what I’ve done well, and I’ve definitely been able to do that and how do improve from that,” Morikawa added. “But there’s also a lot of aspects that I want to keep working on and that’s what’s great about what we do.”

Never being satisfied has fueled the 24-year-old, who capped his year by getting engaged to longtime girlfriend, Katherine Zhu. He’s always tinkering, always looking to improve, always looking for another triumph.

Drive for No. 1

After a long break, Morikawa starts work again Thursday on the Plantation Course at Kapalua, where he’s tied for seventh in each of his two previous starts. And among the many goals he’s aiming for is to become No. 1 in the world.

“It’s been a dream my entire life to get to No. 1 in the world, but it’s not just about getting to No. 1, it’s about sustaining that,” he said.

There are five scenarios this week in which Morikawa can overtake world No. 1 Jon Rahm, one being if he were to win and Rahm finishes worse than solo second.

“It’s all in my control. All I can do is try and win the tournament and that’s all I’m going to focus on,” Morikawa said. “It’s a huge goal, it always has been, and it means something that when you do get there it means you’re doing something right or at least a good amount of things right. It’s just about continuing that process and it’s not like that’s a peak, that I get to No. 1 and I can go retire and relax on the beach, like there are still so much things that I’m going to keep pushing myself when that, if or when that does happen.”

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2022 Sentry Tournament of Champions Thursday tee times, TV info

Everything you need to know for the first round of the 2022 Sentry Tournament of Champions.

The PGA Tour is back in action this week and kicks off the 2022 calendar year in paradise.

A 38-player field loaded with winners tees it up on Thursday at Kapalua’s Plantation Course for the first round of the 2022 Sentry Tournament of Champions. Marquee pairings to watch include the All-American duo of Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, Aussies Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith, Zurich Classic teammates Sam Burns and Billy Horschel and more.

Check out the tee times and TV info for the opening round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions. All times are listed in Eastern Standard Time.

Sentry TOC: Yardage book | In-depth preview

Tee times

Tee time Players
2:40 p.m. Garrick Higgo, Joel Dahmen
2:50 p.m. Viktor Hovland, Brooks Koepka
3 p.m.
Talor Gooch, Abraham Ancer
3:10 p.m. Kevin Kisner, Daniel Berger
3:20 p.m. Erik van Rooyen, Seamus Power
3:30 p.m. Lucas Herbert, Matt Jones
3:40 p.m. Jason Kokrak, Max Homa
3:50 p.m. Lucas Glover, Kevin Na
4 p.m. Marc Leishman, Cameron Smith
4:10 p.m. Sam Burns, Billy Horschel
4:25 p.m. K.H. Lee, Stewart Cink
4:35 p.m. Sungjae Im, Cam Davis
4:45 p.m. Branden Grace, Si Woo Kim
4:55 p.m. Tony Finau, Bryson DeChambeau
5:05 p.m. Hideki Matsuyama, Phil Mickelson
5:15 p.m. Collin Morikawa, Patrick Reed
5:25 p.m. Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas
5:35 p.m. Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele
5:45 p.m. Patrick Cantlay, Harris English

TV, radio information

You can watch Golf Channel for free on fuboTV. All times ET.

Thursday, Jan. 6

TV

Golf Channel: 6-10 p.m.

Radio

SiriusXM: 4-10 p.m.

STREAM

ESPN+: 3:15-10 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 7

TV

Golf Channel: 6-10 p.m.

Radio

SiriusXM: 4-10 p.m.

STREAM

ESPN+: 3:15-10 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 8

TV

Golf Channel: 6-10 p.m.

Radio

SiriusXM: 5-10 p.m.

STREAM

ESPN+: 3:15-10 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 9

TV

Golf Channel: 6-8 p.m.
NBC: 4-6 p.m.

Radio

SiriusXM: 3-8 p.m.

STREAM

ESPN+: 1:30-8 p.m.

We recommend interesting sports viewing and streaming opportunities. If you sign up to a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.

Cameron Champ withdraws from second PGA Tour event due to COVID-19

Champ also WD’d from the Travelers Championship in 2020 due to COVID-19.

For the second time in as many years, Cameron Champ has been forced to withdraw from a PGA Tour event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Tour announced on Tuesday that the three-time winner, most recently at the 2021 3M Open in July, was forced to withdraw from this week’s Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii after testing positive for COVID-19.

“Cameron is naturally quite disappointed not to be able to return to action in Maui,” according to a statement from Champ’s representation. “Thankfully, however, he feels good and we were able to confirm this breakthrough case whilst he was still at home in Houston.”

Back in June of 2020, Champ was also forced to withdraw from the Travelers Championship after testing positive for COVID-19.

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After a year that included his first major and climb to current World No. 1, Jon Rahm wants more: ‘I’m going to beat it’

How does the 27-year-old Spaniard plan to build on such a sensational year?

The calendar may have flipped, but Jon Rahm still has fond memories of last year’s impressive display of consistency that rocketed him to his current spot as World No. 1. When told by a PGA Tour media official at the start of his press conference that he had recorded 15 top-10 finishes on Tour last year, Rahm interrupted and corrected that tally.

“I’m going to say 16 with an asterisk,” he said, alluding to the Memorial, where he held a six-stroke lead after 54 holes before having to withdraw from the tournament due to testing positive for COVID-19. “I’m pretty sure I would have finished top 10 that week, you know. So let’s say 16.”

It was a remarkable 2021 for Rahm, who bounced back two weeks later from his first positive test to win the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines and held on to the top spot in the world when Collin Morikawa failed to close on Sunday at the Hero World Challenge in December. So how does the 27-year-old Spaniard plan to build on such a sensational year?

“My goal is to beat it,” Rahm said. “My goal is always to do better each year. But, you know, it’s hard to say. Because I’ve had such a consistent year and had one win, but I could tell you right now I would gladly take a bit more of inconsistency but have more than one win.”

Winning multiple times is an admirable goal for Rahm and it likely will require him to do so to stave off Morikawa, FedEx Cup champion Patrick Cantlay, former top dog Dustin Johnson, and several other budding stars with sights set on becoming No. 1. In fact, Rahm needs to win or finish second this week otherwise there are five scenarios in play for Morikawa to unseat him.

“I’m No. 1 because of how I played in the past, so if I want to stay here I got to keep playing at the level and trying to get better,” Rahm said. “At the end of the day, I focus on myself, right? I try to improve my game and improve my level of golf. If I can do that and play the way I know I can play, everything else should take care of itself. I’m not thinking constantly, ‘Oh, he’s No. 2 or he’s coming for me, I need to do this or that.’ No, I’m trying to play the best that I can and hopefully win a tournament.”

Rahm is back at Kapalua in Hawaii to make his fifth career start in the Sentry Tournament of Champions this week, where he finished runner-up in his debut in 2018 and tied for seventh last year. It’s a spot where he’s experienced some rust before and struggled at times to adjust to the slower greens than those that he had practiced on back home in Arizona.

But to hear Rahm tell it, the golfer who adjusted to changing equipment companies last season, becoming a first-time father, being sidetracked by positive COVID tests not once but twice, and suffering burnout post-Ryder Cup is raring to go.

“I’m happy,” he said. “Mind and body are rested. I’m ready to go for the year.”

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