And so it begins.
Humpbacks breaching in the backdrop signal the start of what stands to be a whale of a season, with a pumped-up PGA Tour schedule meant to parry threats from a rival circuit.
We’re back in Maui for the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions, which this year represents the first of the Tour’s newly minted “elevated” events.
Defending champion Cameron Smith is not in the 39-man field, having decamped for LIV in late 2022, nor is world No. 1 Rory McIlroy.
But 17 of the top-20 ranked players will compete on the Plantation Course at Kapalua, where the trade winds are blowing and the cetaceans are putting on their annual show.
“Whale” is also a gambling term for bettors who play big, but you don’t have to be one to take part in this week’s action. Chirp is a free-to-play mobile platform (and GOLF.com affiliate) that offers an array of games and enticing prizes (see below). Even without risking money, you can win. Scroll down to check out who Chirp users are leaning toward this week.
And then there’s old-fashioned wagering. So many betting lines. What to do?
Golf is famously fickle. And this early in the season, it’s especially hard to know who’s in form. But we’ve studied the stats and surveyed the betting boards to arrive at our favorite plays for the week, settling on a favorite, a contender and a long shot to win. We’ve laid out our picks below.
Odds provided by Vegas Insider.
To win: Jon Rahm, +600
Rahm tied the course record at Kapalua last year, only to fall to Smith by a single shot. It was the second runner-up showing in this event for Rahm, who has seemed especially chipper in this week’s pre-tournament pressers. Given his strong history in the tropics, we’re comfortable going with the chalk here.
Contender: Sungae Im, +1,900
Against the tropical greens and blues of Kapalua, the scoreboard at the Sentry tends to bleed deep red. For that reason, we’ll take a man who makes birdies in bunches with the best of them.
Long Shot: Tom Hoge, +6,500
With a swing that repeats like a metronome, Hoge just needs to get the flat stick working. In a limited field, we like these long odds for a pure ball striker to have a hot week around the greens.
Who Chirp users like to win
Justin Thomas — 26.8%*
Scottie Scheffler — 24.6%
Jon Rahm — 18.2%
*Percentage of overall bets placed in “Favorite” category as of 1/4.
