Sentry Tournament of Champions Betting Guide (PGA)
The PGA rings in the new year with the annual Sentry Tournament of Champions in Kapalua, Hawaii, beginning Thursday. Typically a winners-only event, the tournament will also feature golfers who made the 2020 Tour Championship. We can expect a star-studded field, with eight of the world’s top 10 golfers in the mix.
Atop the betting board is Dustin Johnson (+650), Justin Thomas (+750), and Jon Rahm (+850). Rory McIlroy, Tyrrell Hatton, and Jim Herman have opted out of the event, leaving us with a field of 42 golfers. After nearly a month-long break, players won’t have to be worried about missing the weekend, as this is a non-cut event.
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Previous Winners
2020: Justin Thomas (-14)
2019: Xander Schauffele (-23)
2018: Dustin Johnson (-24)
2017: Justin Thomas (-22)
2016: Jordan Spieth (-30)
Course Preview
- Par 73
- Length: 7,596 yards
- Fairways/Greens: Bermuda/TifEagle Bermuda grass
- Coastal Course
The Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii, underwent renovations in 2020 that made the course much more difficult. Work was done to alter tee boxes, bunkers, fairways, and green complexes. These changes proved to be detrimental to the scoring conditions last year. If the wind picks up once again, golfers could be in for a challenging test of golf.
The holes will feature Bermuda greens with fairways that are wide and easy to hit. It measures as one of the longest courses on Tour, but due to elevation factors, it doesn’t exactly play this long to the pros. Though wind can be an issue, plenty of the longer par 5s are reachable in two for the golfers, and the track features six par 4s under 400 yards long.
Relevant Betting Stats
- Par 5 Scoring
- Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermuda)
- Strokes Gained: Approach (<125 yards)
- Birdie-or-better
Outright Betting Picks
Justin Thomas (+800 on BETMGM)
A two-time winner of the event (2019, 2017), Thomas simply loves playing in Kapalua. This is the perfect course for his Par 5 scoring prowess and elite short irons. Thomas is fresh off of a win at the PNC Championship in late December so he shouldn’t show any signs of rust.
Webb Simpson (+1900 on BETMGM)
This a solid number for one of the best Bermuda putters in the world. Simpson finished T-8 here in 2019 while uncharacteristically losing strokes on the greens. He has consistently ranked as one of the best Par 4 scorers on Tour and should have no problem going low at Kapalua.
Longshot Betting Picks
Adam Scott (+51000 on BetMGM)
This number is simply too good to pass up on for a player of Scott’s caliber. In just 10 events in the 2020 PGA Tour season, Scott put up a win (Genesis Invitational) and five top-25s. The 20-year Tour Pro is always a threat when he tees it up, and in a non-cut event, the number is worth backing.
Marc Leishman (+81000 on BetMGM)
This is another inviting number for a golfer who has put up two top-10 finishes at the event in the last three seasons. The big Aussie placed T4 at Kapalua in 2019, and T7 the year prior. He ranked top-10 on Tour in approach shots between 100-125 yards last season and can get super hot with the flat stick.
Other Betting Picks
Lanto Griffin Top-10 (+650 on BETMGM)
In Griffin’s debut at Kapalua in 2020, he posted a very respectable 13th place finish. He lost over two strokes on the greens as well, so some positive regression is due there. Griffin already has a T7 (CJ Cup) and a T11 (Zozo Championship) to his name this season.
Collin Morikawa Top-5 (+550 on BETMGM)
The PGA Championship winner of 2020 punched his ticket into this event after an exceptional season. Morikawa had two wins, and seven top-10 finishes in 21 events in 2020. The short par 4s at Kapalua should suit his eye off the tee. Morikawa is a brilliant ball-striker who is aggressive and is not afraid to attack pins and go low. He ranked second in strokes gained: approach, last season.
EVENT Betting Plays
- Patrick Reed over Patrick Cantlay (+175 on BetMGM)
- Viktor Hovland over Tony Finau (+170 on BetMGM)
- Joaquin Niemann over Daniel Berger (+195 on BETMGM)
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Nic Turner is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Nic, check out his archive and follow him @sportzbandit.