Tag: Sentry Tournament of Champions

Sentry Tournament of Champions likely to include non-champions in 2021

The PGA Tour has canceled or postponed 13 events in 2020 and that likely leaves the Sentry event likely short of an all-champion field.

The winners-only Sentry Tournament of Champions in Maui in January – annually the first PGA Tour event after the turn of the calendar each year – might not have a full field of champions in 2021.

The COVID-19 global pandemic has turned the pro golf schedules upside down. The PGA Tour has canceled or postponed 13 events so far this season.

So that likely leaves the Sentry event likely short of an all-champion field and could also likely mean a smaller-than-normal field. There were 34 golfers in the 2019 field.

Winners of tournaments in 2020 earn an invitation and will be joined in 2021 by players who qualify for the season-ending Tour Championship, which is reserved for the top 30 in the FedEx Cup points race. Make The Tour Championship without winning, you’re going to Maui.

Justin Thomas won the event earlier this year in a playoff. Thomas holed a 3-footer for birdie in approaching darkness, edging Patrick Reed and Xander Schauffele, both past champions of the event. Schauffele held the 54-hole lead, but dropped out after a par on the first playoff hole.

Currently, the PGA Tour is scheduled to return June 11 with the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. If the schedule holds, a FedEx Cup champion will be crowned at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta in September. If the PGA Tour does resume in June, FedEx Cup points will be awarded.

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Forward Press podcast: Adam Woodard on Justin Thomas’ win, Patrick Reed a villain?

Adam Woodard and host David Dusek break down Justin Thomas’ playoff win at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and Patrick Reed, the villain.

In episode No. 28 of the Forward Press, Golfweek’s David Dusek chats with Adam Woodard about the exciting finish from Kapalua at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, why Patrick Reed is the villain of golf, and they discuss their birdies and penalty shots of the week.

Scroll down to the bottom of the page to listen to the latest episode.

Forward Press is a weekly Golfweek podcast. Each episode, you’ll get insight and commentary on all that is golf from David Dusek, Beth Ann Nichols, Steve DiMeglio, Eamon Lynch and Adam Schupak, as well as special guests throughout the industry.

You can download and listen on all of your favorite platforms, including: iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Castbox, Radio Public.

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‘Gusted’: A new term enters golf lexicon

After a windy week at the Plantation Course at Kapalua for the Sentry Tournament of Champions, a new word has entered the golf lexicon.

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After a windy week at the Plantation Course at Kapalua for the Sentry Tournament of Champions, a new word has entered the golf lexicon.

‘Gusted’.

We heard it a couple times on TV and later in the interview room from the tournament’s playoff runners-up, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Reed.

Reed talked about the wind on the 18th hole, which he birdied in regulation and on the first playoff hole.

“Unfortunately I had two putts really to close it, and one of them I got gusted on, and then this last one with the wind and the break, just got me again,” he said.

Schauffele claims the wind gods got him on the final hole of regulation.

“Yeah, I think I got gusted, honestly.”

Sentry TOC: Scores | Photos | Money | Winner’s bag | Trophies

He described three-putting the 18th in regulation.

“On the initial putt, it went – I honestly thought it was going to go like four feet by, but it caught some speed, and once it started breaking right with the wind, it kept going,” he said. “I was so convinced that it was going to go back right to left coming back up the hill, but it really wasn’t going to do that. It was just bad.”

Schauffele then three-putted the 18th in the playoff, which knocked him out.

Reed said the wind was a factor for most of the tournament.

“You knew especially really the last three days that the wind was going to be a factor on putts, and unfortunately it came down to having to make too long a putt in order to either extend or to win, and at the end of the day when you have that long putt and you have the wind, it just makes it a little harder.”

Tournament champ Justin Thomas didn’t use the word but did talk about the wind and about the missed putts that worked in his favor.

“I was very fortunate to have a couple putts miss to give myself a chance.”

Gusted. Get ready to hear that in your weekend golf outings.

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Fan screams ‘Cheater!’ at Patrick Reed during Sentry Tournament of Champions playoff

During the third playoff hole at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, a fan yelled “Cheater!” at Patrick Reed on the green.

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The year 2020 is shaping up to be a long one for Patrick Reed and caddie Kessler Karain.

It’s been a month since Reed was given a two-stroke penalty during the third round of the Hero World Challenge for a pair of practice swings taken in a waste bunker, and golf fans from Australia to Hawaii refuse to let the 2018 Masters champion forget it.

On Sunday night during the final round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua, Reed was in a three-way playoff with defending champion Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas. Schauffele was ousted after the first hole, but Reed and Thomas went two more holes before Thomas ultimately won with a birdie.

Reed had a birdie putt of his own to put the pressure on Thomas, and shortly after making contact with his ball, a scream of “CHEATER!” emerged from the silent crowd as Reed’s putt missed.

Sentry TOC: Scores | Photos | Money | Winner’s bag | Trophies

The Sentry Tournament of Champions was the first Tour event of 2020, and as pointed out by the Action Network’s Jason Sobel, if this is happening in Maui, it’s going to be a long year for Reed.

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Xander Schauffele at Sentry: ‘I should’ve won the tournament’

A clearly disappointed Xander Schauffele spoke to Golf Channel minutes after being eliminated on the first playoff hole.

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A clearly disappointed Xander Schauffele, minutes after being eliminated on the first playoff hole at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, said: “I should’ve won the tournament” during a post-round interview on Golf Channel.

Schauffele, the tournament’s defending champion, three-putted the 18th hole in regulation and then three-putted it again on the first playoff hole.

Schauffele took a one-shot lead into the final round but ended up in a three-way playoff with Patrick Reed and Justin Thomas.

Schauffele has four PGA Tour wins, and they all were in come-from-behind fashion, including the 2019 Sentry, where he shot a final-round 62 to storm from five shots back to claim the title.

Justin Thomas, who went on to win on the third playoff hole, also felt like he was supposed to come out on top, saying: “For some reason, I was supposed to win this week.”

Sentry TOC: Scores | Photos | Money | Winner’s bag

“JT was right there, but with the circumstances given I should have closed it out but I didn’t,” Schauffele said.

“I kind of did everything I was supposed to until the last moment, which sucks but it’s another learning experience and I guess I’ll have to work on some wind putting.”

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Justin Thomas closes out Sentry Tournament of Champions victory on third extra hole

Justin Thomas prevailed in a playoff at the Sentry Tournament of Champions on Sunday after making three additional trips down the par-5 18th

Justin Thomas prevailed in a playoff at the Sentry Tournament of Champions on Sunday after making three additional trips down the par-5 18th at Kapalua’s Plantation Course. Thomas, who won this tournament in 2017, effectively added more than an hour to his victory march after spending most of Sunday afternoon with the lead.

Thomas finally holed a 3-footer for birdie in approaching darkness, edging Patrick Reed, also a past champion here, for the title. Defending champion Xander Schauffele, who had the 54-hole lead, dropped out after a par on the first playoff hole.

Schauffele took a one-shot lead into the final round but Thomas, who played alongside him in the final group, had the lead for most of the day. Reed had been finished with his round, a 7-under 66, for 45 minutes before Schauffele and Thomas stumbled through the closing hole in regulation.

In fact, after scrambling to a third-round 74, Reed entered the final day four back and four groups ahead of the leaders. He was a side story for much of the day before Thomas and Schauffele came back to meet him at 14 under.

Thomas, who won this event in 2017, caught fire mid-round on Sunday, making six birdies in an eight-hole stretch including four consecutive from Nos. 8-11 at Kapalua’s Plantation Course.

He and Schauffele had never played in the same group on the weekend of a PGA Tour event before Sunday. Thomas’s birdie run, coupled with Schauffele’s ability to keep himself in contention through a series of clutch putts, provided entertaining theater. Reed added highlights throughout the day, to the tune of seven birdies – including one at 18 that secured his spot in the playoff.

Even though Thomas seemed to lose a bit of steam with a bogey on No. 16 – where he left his par putt one rotation short – he still had a one-shot advantage on Schauffele and Reed when he teed off on the par-5 18th. There, however, he hit his approach there in a penalty area, took a drop and two-putted for bogey to drop to 14 under. Ultimately, he was able to redeem himself.

It’s Thomas’ 12th career PGA Tour title and his third win in his last seven starts.

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Sentry Tournament of Champions: Final round tee times, TV information

Here are the tee times and viewing information for the final round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions from Kapalua in Hawaii.

The PGA Tour is back as the new year kicks off in Hawaii. Thirty-four winners from the 2019 season assembled this week at the Plantation Course at Kapalua.

Defending champion Xander Schauffele will enter the final round with a one-shot lead as he tries to become the first repeat winner in this event since Geoff Ogilvy did it in 2010.

Below are tee times for the final round of the 2020 Sentry Tournament of Champions.

Sentry TOC: Scores | Podcast | Photos | Updates

All times are listed in Eastern Standard Time.

Final round

1st Tee

Tee time Players
2:40 p.m. Kevin Na, Martin Trainer
2:50 p.m. Dylan Frittelli, J.B. Holmes
3 p.m. Adam Long, Keith Mitchell
3:10 p.m. Brendon Todd, Graeme McDowell
3:20 p.m. Ryan Palmer, Sebastian Munoz
3:30 p.m. Sung Kang, Chez Reavie
3:40 p.m. Corey Conners, Max Homa
3:50 p.m. Paul Casey, Cameron Champ
4 p.m. Tyler Duncan, Jim Herman
4:10 p.m. Dustin Johnson, Lanto Griffin
4:20 p.m. Patrick Cantlay, Rickie Fowler
4:30 p.m. Matt Kuchar, Nate Lashley
4:40 p.m. Joaquin Niemann, Patrick Reed
4:50 p.m. J.T. Poston, Matthew Wolff
5 p.m. Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa
5:10 p.m. Gary Woodland, Kevin Kisner
5:20 p.m. Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas

TV information

All information is in Eastern Standard Time

Sunday

Golf Channel: 6-10 p.m. (live)
Replay on Golf Channel: 11 p.m.-3 a.m.

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Xander Schauffele aiming to convert 54-hole lead to Sentry TOC title defense

Xander Schauffele will take a slim advantage into Sunday’s final round at Kapalua’s Plantation Course.

The top of the Sentry Tournament of Champions leaderboard saw an invasion of the twentysomethings on Saturday. Xander Schauffele will take a slim advantage into Sunday’s final round at Kapalua’s Plantation Course.

Schauffele started the day with the lead but lost it to Justin Thomas for much of the afternoon. When Thomas made a late bogey at No. 17, Schauffele took advantage. He tapped in for par on No. 18 to finish off a 71, and at 11 under, leads Thomas by one shot.

The two men, both 26 years old, account for two of the past three titles in this event, with Schauffele looking for the title defense at Kapalua.

Sentry TOC: Scores | Podcast | Photos

Schauffele and Thomas posted the only two under-par rounds from the last three groups on the course. Some of the day’s best golf came from players in the groups ahead.

Kevin Kisner bogeyed his second hole of the day but birdied four of his final six on the front nine. Two more birdies on the back made up a third-round 68, which was as good as anyone in the 34-man field on Saturday and bumped him 15 spots up the leaderboard into a large tied for fourth at 7 under.

Gary Woodland, who gained entry to the field as the 2019 U.S. Open champion, had six birdies in what would have been a flawless day but for a double-bogey on No. 7. His 69 moved him to 8 under, where he sits solo third and only three shots off the lead.

Interestingly, Woodland finds himself in exactly the opposite position he was in a year ago. Entering the final round, Schauffele trailed Woodland by five shots. Schauffele won with a blazing final-round 62.

“I always like to be in the lead, I’d like to be in his spot right now,” Woodland told Golf Channel after the round. “Obviously last year I played great all week and ran into a buzz saw. For me, personally, I’m happy with where my game is, I’m playing great, the golf course obviously sets up pretty good for me. We’re supposed to get some tough conditions tomorrow, which I’m in favor of.”

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Xander Schauffele battles wind, rain to hold lead at Sentry Tournament of Champions

Xander Schauffele shot 5-under 68 Friday at the Sentry Tournament of Champions to hold a one-shot lead entering the third round.

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Xander Schauffele takes a one-shot lead into the third round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions.

On Friday he carded five birdies en route to a 5-under 68 to grab the lead over Patrick Reed and Joaquin Niemann.

Schauffele is 9 under entering Saturday’s third round. He kept a clean scorecard Friday at the Kapalua Plantation Course, recording birdies on two of his final three holes to steal the lead from the 21-year-old Niemann.

Sentry TOC: Tee times | Scores | Podcast | Photos | Updates

Niemann shot a 66 on Thursday to take the first-round lead, but shot 1-under 72 in the second round after bogeying holes 5 and 13. Schauffele shot an opening-round 66.

The defending champion and only player bogey-free player in the 34-man field, Schauffele battled through difficult conditions in Lahaina, Hawaii Friday which included strong winds and sporadic rain.

After his round, Schauffele was asked if he could have predicted the leader would lead a 9 under through 36 holes before the event began.

“I couldn’t tell you. You know, I didn’t know this was going to roll in today,” Schauffele said. “I thought the T0ur was nice with the pin positions, over under 18-ish. I’ve heard 15, I’ve heard 20. But I think this weather kind of keeps up and the wind keeps up, it’s not going to be a shootout.”

Schauffele, who won the event last year by one shot at 23 under, also noted the changes to the course over the past year.

“Besides looking the same and looking over at Molokai, very different. Hitting longer clubs, different lines, different reads on the greens,” Schauffele said. “We’re on the same property, but for the most part there’s no memory I can fall back on when it comes to making a putt or hitting a bump-and-run shot on a certain hole since the green layouts are very different. They happen to be in the same spot, but the surfaces aren’t the same.”

The 26-year-old from La Jolla, California, is looking for his first win since last year’s win in Kapalua. Since the win — his fourth on Tour — Schauffele finished second at the 2019 Masters Tournament, T-3 at the U.S. Open and second at the Tour Championship. This season, Schauffele finished second at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in November, the same event he won in 2019.

Schauffele tees off alongside Patrick Reed in Saturday’s third round at 3:40 p.m. ET.

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Sentry Tournament of Champions: Round 3 tee times, TV information

Here are the Round 3 tee times for the PGA Tour’s Sentry Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course at Kapalua.

The PGA Tour is back as the new year kicks off in Hawaii. Thirty-four winners from the 2019 season assemble this week at the Plantation Course at Kapalua.

Patrick Reed used a stellar short game and deadly putter to card eight birdies and one bogey en route to a 7-under 66 at Kapalua’s Plantation Course. He is one shot behind leader Xander Schauffele, the defending champion, who is bogey-free through 36 holes.

Below are tee times for the third round of the 2020 Sentry Tournament of Champions.

Sentry TOC: Scores | Podcast | Photos | Updates

All times are listed in Eastern Standard Time.

Round 3

1st Tee

Tee time Players
1 p.m. Kevin Na, Martin Trainer
1:10 p.m. J.B. Holmes, Dylan Fritelli
1:20 p.m. Tyler Duncan, Keith Mitchell
1:30 p.m. Cameron Champ, Sebastian Munoz
1:40 p.m. Jim Herman, Max Homa
1:50 p.m. Brendon Todd, Paul Casey
2 p.m. Adam Long, Sung Kang
2:10 p.m. Kevin Kisner, Chez Reavie
2:20 p.m. Dustin Johnson, Ryan Palmer
2:30 p.m. Graeme McDowell, Corey Conners
2:40 p.m. Jon Rahm, Matt Kuchar
2:50 p.m. Collin Morikawa, Lanto Griffin
3 p.m. Gary Woodland, Nate Lashley
3:10 p.m. J.T. Poston, Matthew Wolff
3:20 p.m. Patrick Cantlay, Justin Thomas
3:30 p.m. Joaquin Niemann, Rickie Fowler
3:40 p.m. Xander Schauffele, Patrick Reed

TV information

All information is in Eastern Standard Time

Saturday

NBC: 4-6 p.m. (live)

Golf Channel: 6-8 p.m. (live)
Replay on Golf Channel: 8 p.m.-1 a.m.

Sunday

Golf Channel: 6-10 p.m. (live)
Replay on Golf Channel: 11 p.m.-3 a.m.

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