{"id":1544534,"date":"2023-01-04T10:36:02","date_gmt":"2023-01-04T15:36:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1544534"},"modified":"2023-01-04T10:36:03","modified_gmt":"2023-01-04T15:36:03","slug":"2023-sentry-tournament-of-champions-predictions-winners-sleepers-busts-holes-watch-kapalua","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/2023-sentry-tournament-of-champions-predictions-winners-sleepers-busts-holes-watch-kapalua\/","title":{"rendered":"2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions Predictions: Winners, Sleepers, Busts, and Holes to Watch at Kapalua"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

After taking nearly a month off for the holiday break, the PGA<\/a> Tour returns this week with the first event on the 2023 calendar. Tournament winners from last season will gather in Hawaii for the annual Sentry Tournament of Champions at the Kapalua Plantation Course. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that the PGA Tour is back in full swing, let's check in with our golf experts and roll through some picks and predictions for the Tournament of Champions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions predictions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Collin
Collin Morikawa plays his shot from the fourth tee during the third round of the Hero World Challenge at Albany Golf Course | Mike Ehrmann\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Here are a few predictions for the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions from Sports7 golf experts Luke Norris<\/a> and Jack Dougherty<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Luke Norris: Collin Morikawa<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It's been more than 13 months since Collin Morikawa<\/a> notched a victory, his last coming in Dubai in November 2021, but that streak comes to an end this week. In three appearances at Kapalua, the two-time major champion has twice tied for seventh and tied for fifth a year ago after shooting a final-round 62.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Morikawa tinkered with his swing a bit last year and looked a lot more comfortable as 2022 came to a close. He tied for 15th at Mayakoba, finished in solo sixth at the Hero World Challenge, and seems primed to end this drought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jack Dougherty:<\/strong> Sungjae Im<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to win the Tournament of Champions, you need to go low. Like, really low. Seven of the last eight winners at Kapalua have finished at 21-under par or better, and Cameron Smith set the 72-hole scoring record in 2022 with a final score of 34 under.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we're looking for birdie machines to contend this week, Sungjae Im needs to be at the top of the list. The South Korean has made more birdies or better per round at Kapalua than anyone in the field since 2015, and he's never shot worse than 69 in eight career rounds here. With two top-eight finishes at the TOC in two starts, Im is primed to start 2023 with a bang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biggest sleeper<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Luke Norris: Billy Horschel<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In six appearances at the Tournament of Champions, Billy Horschel has never finished outside the top 25, his best finish being a tie for sixth. So he knows how to play this golf course well. Sure, he's a bit of a longshot at 40-1, but don't be surprised if he creeps into the top 10 as the week progresses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jack Dougherty:<\/strong> Tom Hoge<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This will be Tom Hoge's first appearance at the Tournament of Champions, and although he doesn't have the advantage of familiarity many other players in this field have, his game should fit Kapalua quite well. Hoge started the 2022-23 season with finishes of T12, T4, T9, and T13 before winning the QBE Shootout alongside Sahith Theegala last month. The 33-year-old comes to Kapalua in good form and should contend for a top-20 finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Pairings and local starting times for the first round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions pic.twitter.com\/K6K8jGf9dx<\/a><\/p>— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) January 3, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote>