Charley Hoffman in mix, comfortable at TPC San Antonio

Welcome back folks! Nothing like easing into the New Year with views of humpback whales, rainbows, mountains and the Plantation Course at Kapalua. As is the tradition on the PGATOUR to start the new calendar year, the winners-only Sentry Tournament of Champions will open the batting. Beginning a run that will take us all the way to the TOUR Championship, it’s time to knock the rust off and bunker in for the second part of the 2021-2022 season. All who are eligible minus Rory McIlroy means 39 players will tee it up this week at the Coore-Crenshaw design on Maui. The Plantation Course will host all four rounds (no cut) as it has since 1999 but this will be the third edition after the 2019 post-tournament renovation. The last two years have seen both extremes at Kapalua. The 2020 edition was hit with severe winds and rains and posted the second-highest winning total. Last year, the weather was non-existent and the scoring was the second lowest on record on Maui. The Plantation Course is defended by the wind and its routing up and down the coastal terrain. The fairways are the widest on TOUR (almost 45 yards on average) and the TifEagle Bermuda greens the biggest targets to hit (over 8,000 square feet on average). There will be wind that blows but the good news is there will be ample room to move it and recovers. Errant shots will find almost three inches of Celebration Bermuda, which will make recovery and scrambling shots challenging to get close. Playing at Par-73 at 7,596 yards, the Plantation Course has 93 bunkers and zero water penalty areas but has plenty of canyons, ravines and trouble if shots are errant. There are only three Par-3 holes but each of the last five winners have finished in the top eight in scoring on these short holes. With massive fairways and massive greens, those gaining the most shots into and on the greens will factor this week. Of the last 17 winners 14 have been in the top seven in Strokes-Gained: Approach. Remembering this is a resort course (and Par-73) scores should be in the low 20-under range as usual if the weather cooperates so it’s not a week to grind out pars. Birdies will need to be circled and circled frequently! Combining the wind and elevation changes minus the use of personal green books (new rule in 2022) suggests that the experienced, elite talent should rule the roost this week. Harris English, the 11th consecutive American to win, returns to try and join Geoff Ogilvy and Stuart Appleby as the only players to defend the title. 2020 and 2017 winner Justin Thomas is the only multiple winner in the field this year. Xander Schauffele was the last to set the course record, 62, in his final round come-from-behind victory in 2019. His gold medal in Tokyo punched his ticket into the field this week. The prize purse gets a very nice bump to $8.2 million this season with the winner taking home $1.476 million plus 500 FedExCup points to start the New Year in style. Recent Event Winners Stats Recent Winners 2021 – Harris English (-25, 267) Birdied the first playoff hole to win for the third time on TOUR in his 250th start. … Played in the final group on 21-under, setting the 54-hole low total. … Led by two after 36 holes. … T-1 after 18 holes (Thomas) after opening with 65. … Became the EIGHTH consecutive winner inside the top five after 54 holes. … Made only ONE BOGEY thru 54 holes. … Circled 26 birdies and one eagle. … Led the field in Strokes-Gained: Putting. … Won in his second attempt (T11) at age 31. … First win since Mayakoba in 2013. … Qualified for the event from the 2020 TOUR Championship (COVID-19 exception). … Entered the week on back-to-back Top 10 finishes and four from his last six starts. Notables in the field this week: 2020 and 2017 champ Justin Thomas (3rd) posted his FOURTH podium finish in just six starts. … Debutant Sungjae Im (T5) had no problem acclimating as he posted all four rounds in the 60s as he led the field in SG: Tee-to-Green. … 2019 winner Xander Schauffele (T5) collected his third straight top five here. … Bryson DeChambeau (T7) led the field in SG: Off-the-Tee and Bogey Avoidance (2 bogeys). … Collin Morikawa (T7) posted a pair of 65s and has T7 in back-to-back seasons. … Jon Rahm (T7) picked up his fourth Top 10 paycheck in four starts. … Daniel Berger (10th) was second in Ball-Striking and GIR. … 34 of 42 players were 10-under or better. … 34 bogey-free rounds. … Scoring average 69.315, easiest on TOUR last season. … Second-easiest Sentry on record (2003). 2020 – Justin Thomas (14-under, 278) Birdied third playoff hole to win for the 12th time on TOUR in his 141st start. … Began the final round in the last group one back. … Sat three back after 36 holes. … One behind after opening with 67. … Led the field in Par-3 scoring and continued the trend of the winner being in the top seven the last five years. … 24 birdies led the field. … Becomes only the fourth multiple champion (2017) since the event moved to Kapalua in 1999. … Third podium in five attempts at age 26. … Won twice and added three top 10 paydays in six events leading into the event. Notables in the field this week: 2015 champ Patrick Reed (P2) posted two of the three lowest rounds of the week (66) to make the playoff and ensure his third top two finish. … 2019 winner Xander Schauffele (P2) led after 54 and 36 holes but could not repeat. … Patrick Cantlay (4th) led the field in Proximity and was T4 GIR. … Debutant Collin Morikawa (T7) hit the second most fairways with 55 of 60 and posted all four rounds under par. … 2018 runner up Jon Rahm (10th) hit the top 10 in both Fairways and GIR. … First edition after post 2019 renovation. … Firm fairways and greens because of all new sod. … Wind blew 20-30 MPH with gusts at 40. … Lift, clean and replace the final 54 holes. … Highest winning score since 2007. … Just seven bogey free rounds. … Only six players 10-under or better. … 72.228 scoring average. 2019 – Xander Schauffele (23-under, 269) Made 11 birdies on Sunday to win by one and claim his fourth victory in 61 career starts. … Final round 62 tied the course record and was the lowest round of the week. … Sat five off the lead after 54 and 36 holes. … Was six back after 18 holes. … Largest final round comeback in history (5 shots). … Finished T5 or better in EVERY Strokes-Gained category. … Made 24 birdies, second to Thomas. … Played his final 54 holes 22-under. … Won on his second attempt after T22 in 2018 at age 24. … Won WGC-HSBC Champions in November and T8 at Hero in December leading in. Notables in the field this week: 2017 winner Justin Thomas (3rd) led the field in birdies with 25 as he was second in Fairways and fourth GIR. … Marc Leishman (T4) backed up his T7 from 2018 even with a triple and a double on the card. … Bryson DeChambeau (7th) was T3 in Distance of Putts made. … Jon Rahm (T8) followed his solo second in 2018 with another top 10. … Cameron Champ (T11) circled 22 birdies. … Final event before the massive Coore-Crenshaw renovation. … Scoring average 70.924. … 12 bogey free rounds. … 15 players 10-under or better. Key stat leaders Top golfers in each statistic on the 2020-2021 PGA TOUR are listed only if they are scheduled to compete this week. Horses for Courses: Sentry Tournament of Champions

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Tiger, Rory and Todd. It probably couldn’t have been drawn up much better. For the first time, the fall portion of the PGA TOUR season housed 11 tournaments in 10 weeks – meaning almost a quarter of the 2019-20 season is already in the books. It placed huge importance on the start of the season, more so than ever before, and when you throw in the intrigue surrounding the Presidents Cup captain’s picks, it has been a sensational start. Here is a recap on some of the biggest moments of the fall series – in no particular order – as you prepare to head into the holiday period… but don’t forget we still have plenty of action heading your way after a week to digest your Thanksgiving feast. Tiger Woods will host the Hero World Challenge before taking his U.S. team to Australia for the Presidents Cup that will be played out in primetime for a U.S. audience on one of the world’s best courses in Royal Melbourne. ROAR-SOME Speaking of Woods, he treated us to a huge moment during the Asian swing – specifically the inaugural ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP in Japan. Woods was returning to competition after knee surgery and was given little hope to be a serious contender. He had barely played after famously winning the Masters in April and certainly had not played well leading up to the week. But not only did he contend… he won. In front of huge galleries despite a typhoon wiping out a whole day, the victory took Woods to 82 PGA TOUR wins, joining Sam Snead as the all-time record holder. Clearly the knee injury was holding the champion back, but healthy again, Woods could do anything in 2020. “Well, it’s a big number,â€� Woods said after the win. “It’s about consistency and doing it for a long period of time. … I’m very fortunate to have had the career I’ve had so far.â€� RORY ROLLS ON After picking up a second FedExCup last season, Rory McIlroy certainly didn’t rest on his laurels. No one has won three FedExCups before and no one has won back-to-back. McIlroy is now already set up to chase both accolades down after he won the World Golf Championships – HSBC Champions in China. It was a fourth win in his last 15 starts at the time and perhaps is a warning sign of what could be a huge 2020 for the reigning PGA TOUR Player of the Year. One thing came through loud and clear when listening to the maturing McIlroy… he is focused on making the most of his prime. “I think maybe more so than when I first came out on TOUR, I try 100% over every shot, because I realize I don’t have as much time left as I used to when I was 20,â€� McIlroy said. “Even if I’m having a bad day, I’m trying over every single shot. My concentration is better and my mental capacity on the golf course is much better than it ever has been, and I think that’s a big key to why I’m able to play consistently week-in, week-out.â€� TODD TURNS IT ALL AROUND If anyone without the last name Todd tells you they expected Brendon Todd to be the FedExCup leader at the end of the fall, you would be within your rights to call the asylum. It just wasn’t feasible. In fact, in the pre-season full fantasy rankings, Todd came in at 147th of 243 players – and to be honest – that even seems like it was being generous. Sure, Todd had won on the TOUR before in 2014 and had shown some mettle to earn his TOUR card via the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, but this was a man who had seemingly forgotten how to play golf for a time. A few years plagued by the yips had Todd contemplating a career in pizza franchises, but with the help of coach Bradley Hughes, he clawed his way back. When he won the Bermuda Championship – an alternate field event – it was a great story. But maybe it was almost a fluke according to some. Those people were silent when he backed it up by winning the Mayakoba Golf Classic the following start and then holding the 54-hole lead a week later at The RSM Classic before finishing fourth. Todd is already 140 points clear on top of the FedExCup standings and is locked into the Playoffs before the turn of the calendar year. Just a few half-decent results from here on out is likely all he needs to make it to the TOUR Championship and a crack at the FedExCup and $15 million. DON’T SLEEP ON JT Justin Thomas missed a chunk of last season with a wrist injury and still was able to force his way to the top spot of the new TOUR Championship scoring system before play started at East Lake. His win at the BMW Championship during the FedExCup Playoffs reminded us all Thomas is a serious threat every week he plays. And he reinforced this by taking out THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES in Korea to kick off the Asian swing. While plenty of focus will center on Woods and McIlroy in the new year, Thomas is quietly plotting his own assault on becoming a dual FedExCup winner. What people tend to forget is since the start of the 2016-17 season, no one has won more than Thomas. No one. EMOTIONAL CHAMP Sometimes it is clearly bigger than golf. Cameron Champ almost didn’t play the Safeway Open, given the fact his grandfather Mack – the man who got him into the game – had been moved to hospice in the lead up. But sensing Mack’s time to see him play was coming to a close, Champ took his place in the field with a serious emotional burden. He carried it with aplomb. While Champ had already won on TOUR in his rookie season, his last 17 starts prior to Safeway had produced just six made cuts and a best finish of T21. But with Mack willing from in front of the television, Champ closed out an incredible victory in Napa. “No matter what,â€� Champ said, “even if I never win another tournament again or I win however many, this will definitely be the greatest moment of my golfing career.â€�  WELCOME TO THE CLUB While all of the above winners had the luxury of being there before, the fall also produced some first-time winners who are still basking in the knowledge they’ll start 2020 at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Maui. It started with Joaquin Niemann at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier and followed with Sebastian Munoz at the Sanderson Farms Championship. Lanto Griffin cashed in at the Houston Open and Tyler Duncan rounded out the fall with his take down of Webb Simpson at The RSM Classic. After Maui, the quartet can set their sights on the season of championships and bigger fish to fry. The other winner from the fall was Kevin Na in his hometown at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. It was his third win in 30 starts, the fourth of his career, and second in Las Vegas. He also set a new record for feet of putts made in a 72-hole tournament. TIGER PICKS TIGER The fall also gave us the Presidents Cup captain’s picks for Woods and Ernie Els, respectively, for the biennial team event to be held in Australia on Dec. 12-15. After his heroics in Japan, Woods picked himself along with Gary Woodland, Tony Finau and Patrick Reed to round out his team. When Brooks Koepka pulled out with injury, he drafted in Rickie Fowler to join Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Matt Kuchar, Xander Schauffele, Webb Simpson, Patrick Cantlay and Bryson DeChambeau on the team. Els plumped for Jason Day, Joaquin Niemann, Sungjae Im and Adam Hadwin to join Adam Scott, Marc Leishman, Cameron Smith, Hideki Matsuyama, Louis Oosthuizen, Abraham Ancer, Haotong Li and C.T. Pan. Can the Internationals upset the dominant U.S. that hasn’t lost a Presidents Cup since 1998? Well that would certainly add even more drama to what has been an epic start to the 2019-20 season. KEY TAKEAWAYS So after all 11 tournaments what have we essentially learned? In a nutshell: • Tiger Woods will almost certainly break the PGA TOUR wins record in 2020. • Rory McIlroy is primed to have even better of a year after winning the FedExCup and providing a statistical season to remember. • Comeback stories are always awesome. • So are emotional wins. • The Presidents Cup – with Woods at the helm – will be must-see viewing. • The youth movement is likely to continue to be a huge narrative • Brooks Koepka’s health will be a hot topic in 2020. STATS LEADERS FedExCup / Wyndham Rewards: 1 Brendon Todd 957; 2 Sebastian Munoz 817; 3 Lanto Griffin 740; 4 Rory McIlroy 713; 5 Justin Thomas 662; 6 Kevin Na 603; 7 Sungjae Im 599; 8 Joaquin Niemann 587; 9 Cameron Champ 581; 10 Hideki Matsuyama 566. Scoring Average: 1 Tiger Woods 65.74; 2 Rory McIlroy 67.53; 3 Webb Simpson 67.75. Greens In Regulation: 1 Jim Furyk 81.94; 1 Kyle Reifers 81.94; 3 Patrick Cantlay 81.25 Driving Accuracy: 1 Jim Furyk 80.95; 2 Kiradech Aphibarnrat 80.36; 2 Yongjun Bae 80.36. Driving Distance: 1 Cameron Champ 327.1; 2 Ryan Palmer 326.1; 3 Brooks Koepka 324.3 SG: Putting: 1 Andrew Putnam +2.359; 2 Kevin Na +1.999; 3 Billy Horschel +1.922 SG: Off-the-Tee: 1 Corey Conners +1.335; 2 Cameron Champ +1.331; 3 Chris Kirk +1.326 SG: Approach the Green: 1 Davis Love III +2.789; 2 Braden Bailey +1.933; 3 Tony Finau +1.580 SG: Around the Green: 1 Daniel Chopra +1.449; 2 Keegan Bradley +0.822; 2 Davis Thompson +0.0822 SG: Tee-to-Green: 1 Tony Finau +3.402; 2 Davis Thompson +2.369; 3 Davis Love III 2.307. SG: Total: 1 Webb Simpson +2.609; 2 Justin Thomas +2.385; 3 Tony Finau +2.273

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Bryson DeChambeau implored the golfing world to not judge a book by its cover after he solidified himself as a player of the future with a thrilling playoff win at Muirfield Village. Welcome to the Monday Finish where DeChambeau claimed a second PGA TOUR win in front of an idol – taking out the Memorial Tournament Presented by Nationwide with Jack Nicklaus looking on. FIVE OBSERVATIONS 1. The saying goes – love him or hate him. And it has been attached to Bryson DeChambeau at times. But there is really no reason to hate the guy some call the mad scientist of golf. Yes, he has ideas and thoughts that are non-conventional. Yes, he advocates things you might think are silly. But he is ultimately likable and downright excellent at golf. His single length irons and one plane swing might not work for you, but they work for him. And the passion he shows for the game and its history is great to watch. This is one guy that actually gets it. “Whenever you look at somebody, don’t judge them by the cover, right? You got to judge them by the results and the work ethic and the dedication and the perseverance that the person has,â€� he said. Indeed. 2. DeChambeau showed some steel in the final round that will certainly help him going forward. As a confidence player he had possibly created some seeds of doubt after missing a few chances to close the deal in regulation and the opening playoff hole. But a stoic approach shot on the second playoff hole was followed by a great putt for the win. The putt came after Byeong An had hit a tremendous flop shot to possibly keep the tournament alive. Bottom line, it was clutch. It is something that Jim Furyk and Tiger Woods would have loved to see. As the upcoming Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup captains they know this guy will play with passion under the American flag. 3. Byeong An can’t be far away from becoming a more consistent performer and clinching a maiden win on the PGA TOUR. His playoff loss was his third top-10 this season and moved him to 46th in the FedExCup. When he is on he is certainly good enough to end up on top. Nerves may have played a factor on Sunday but those suggesting his putt on the 72nd hole was easy (he missed) are way off the mark. Multiple players miss-read that putt, expecting it to come back to the right a little more. Sure DeChambeau made it on a similar line to win a few holes later but An gave his chance a good run. And while some of his playoff shots he’d like back, the flop he hit to have a chance to stay in it was first class. Watch this space. 4. Tiger Woods still knows how to get the crowds rocking. But sadly at Muirfield Village he also took the wind out of our sails at times. And it was because of the putter – a club he used to be deadly with. The roars around the place on Friday when he holed out for an eagle on the par-5 11th and then hit the flag on the par-3 12th were vintage stuff. Hair on the back of your neck standing up stuff. Sadly a rain delay stopped his momentum. And then his putter stayed ice-cold. Woods ranked first in several ball-striking categories at Muirfield Village including Strokes Gained: Tee to Green (+14.157); Strokes Gained: Approach the Green (+11.164) and Proximity (23 feet, eight inches). But he was second last in Strokes Gained: Putting (-7.695). He missed seven putts inside five feet during the tournament, and 15 putts inside 10 feet. If he marries his game together then we might finally see that win we all crave. 5. Joaquin Niemann is another name you need to add to the youth brigade in golf if you haven’t already done so. The Chilean teenager, who is not long removed from being the world’s best amateur, has secured special temporary membership on the PGA TOUR in just his fifth start as a professional. Sunday was a chance to win but while he faded a little to be tied sixth it represented his third top-10. He will now be able to accept unlimited sponsor invites for the rest of the season as he looks to earn enough non-member points to earn a TOUR card for next season. The 95 FedExCup points earned at Muirfield Village takes him to 275 non-member points – the equivalent to around 115th in the standings. If he beats the mark of the man who finishes 125th at season’s end he will automatically get a TOUR card for next season. He has locked up a spot in the Web.com Finals as another potential avenue to the TOUR. FIVE INSIGHTS 1. DeChambeau moved from 22nd to fourth in the FedExCup and at 24 years, 8 months and 18 days, he is the fourth youngest winner in the Memorial Tournament history behind Hideki Matsuyama’s 2014 win (22 years, 3 months and 7 days) and Tiger Woods’ 1999 and 2000 victories. 2. DeChambeau became the 10th winner this season to rank inside the top 10 in Strokes Gained: Putting. He ranked sixth – outperforming the field by +1.366 strokes per round on the greens. A total of 44 percent of his total strokes gained for the week were a result of his performance on the greens at Muirfield Village. It was the third best Strokes Gained: Putting performance of his career. His best was when he won the John Deere Classic last season. 3. DeChambeau led the field in Scrambling, managing to salvage par 80 percent of the time (16 of 20) when missing the green in regulation. His scrambling performance marked the fourth-best by a winner at the Memorial Tournament since 1992. 4. DeChambeau attacked the front nine holes at Muirfield Village to get his victory. Through 72 holes he was 11-under par on the front nine and 4-under on the back nine. 5. Of note leading into the U.S. Open was Rory McIlroy’s weekend performance. After making the cut on the number at even-par, he recorded weekend rounds of 64-69 to move into a tie for eighth. It was his fourth top-10 (T8: 2018, T4: 2016, 5: 2011, T10: 2010) in his seventh career start at the Memorial Tournament. He led the field in Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green (+5.630) and his third-round 64 was the lowest round of the tournament.

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