Predictions and best bets for the 2025 PGA Tour: Opening in Hawaii

The turn of the new year marks the start of a new PGA Tour season, with the top 60 players in 2024 heading to Kapalua’s Plantation Course for the 2025 Sentry tournament. no longer exclusively reserved for the winners of the previous tournament; it will also welcome players who finished in the top 50 of the FedEx Cup standings.

As several golf stars prepare to arrive in Hawaii for this inaugural event, some notable names will be missing. World number one Scottie Scheffler had to withdraw from the tournament following a hand injury sustained while preparing Christmas dinner. After undergoing surgery to remove small shards of glass from his right hand, Scheffler will not be at the Sentry and hopes to return in a few weeks for the American Express.

Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry will also not be there, preferring to start their season on the DP World Tour. In their place, Xander Schauffele, the fit man of 2024, will headline. The two-time major winner hopes to maintain his momentum after a career-defining season.

Schauffele returns to Kapalua as a former tournament winner, as do Justin Thomas and defending champion Chris Kirk. Thomas is among the big stars yet to win a title in 2024, while he comes with an impressive roster of talent that includes Collin Morikawa, Ludvig Åberg, Patrick Cantlay, Sungjae Im, Sam Burns, Viktor Hovland, Corey Conners and Sahith Theegala.

Among the 2024 double winners, Robert MacIntyre and Hideki Matsuyama will look to continue their momentum in the new year, while Cameron Young, Max Homa, Matt Fitzpatrick and Jason Day will look to find their rhythm in the Aloha State.

Sentry 2025 Calendar

Dates : January 2-5
Lieu : Plantation Course at Kapalua — Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii
Par : 73 | Length : 7 596 yards
Endowment: 20 000 000 $

Sentry 2025 participants and odds

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• Xander Schauffele (5-1) : After winning his Sentry title six years ago, Schauffele returns to Kapalua with a new approach. In 2024, he was crowned champion of two major tournaments, combining skill and success on golf’s greatest circuits. His momentum in this tournament has, however, diminished in recent years due to some difficulties on the greens, but he remains the favorite to beat, especially if his putting is up to par.
• Justin Thomas (10-1) : Thomas has shone at Kapalua throughout his career, winning twice and achieving three other top 5 finishes in eight appearances. Absent in 2024, he returns after a key season of his performances. Despite an improvement in his iron and driving game, his putting has never been weaker. His ability to pick up with the putter will determine his week.
• Collin Morikawa (10-1): Although he should have won this tournament in 2023, a late fall in the final round saw him finish second. Morikawa, a two-time major champion, has managed five top 10s in his five appearances, including three in the top 5. He enters 2025 as a complete golfer despite not winning the previous year.
• Sungjae Im (18-1)
• Patrick Cantlay (18-1)
• Ludvig Åberg (18-1)
• Hideki Matsuyama (18-1) : After a winless 2023, Matsuyama shined in 2024, winning two major trophies and a bronze medal at the Paris Olympic Games. Although he is promised a good run this year, the tournament could prove tricky for him, given the need for good putting in a high-scoring context.
• Viktor Hovland (20-1): Who knows what’s going on with the 2023 FedEx Cup champion. He recently announced on social media that he fractured his toe on his bedside cabinet and will have to rely on medication to play Kapalua. In addition, he broke up once again with his trainer Joe Mayo. Hovland will need to improve his game around the green this year if he wants to remain competitive.
• Sam Burns (28-1)
• Corey Conners (28-1)

Expert Picks for the 2025 Sentry

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