Sentry Tournament of Champions 2023 recap: Top 5 moments from the PGA Tour event
The 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions, featuring the winners of all the PGA Tour events from the 2021–22 season, took place from January 5–8 at the Kapalua Plantation Golf Course in Hawaii.
The event was the first PGA Tour tournament of 2023, featuring a stellar field of 38 golfers. Initially, the tournament was supposed to have 40 golfers but Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele withdrew from the competition.
Here is a quick recap of the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions.
Sentry Tournament of Champions 2023 recap
#1 Jon Rahm's victory
Jon Rahm shot 10-under-63 in the final round to win the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions. He overcame Collin Morikawa's nine-stroke lead in the fourth round with nine birdies and an eagle.
Rahm finished with an overall score of less than 27 after shooting four rounds of 64-71-67-63. He finished two strokes ahead of Morikawa, who was in the lead after 54 holes.
#2 Defending Champion Cameron Smith missed the tournament
Australian golfer Cameron Smith won the 2022 edition of the Sentry Tournament of Champions. But he did not return to defend his title in 2023 since he joined LIV Golf. Players from the Saudi circuit are not permitted to compete in PGA Tour events.
It's interesting to note that Jon Rahm, who has switched to LIV Golf, will not be competing in the 2024 Sentry Tournament of Champions. In 2022, Smith won the title with a one-stroke victory over Rahm.
#3 Xander Schauffele's withdrawal
Xander Schauffele withdrew from the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions due to a back injury. The American golfer participated in the competition and shot a 3-under-70 in the first round. He was struggling with back problems, so he had to pull out of the tournament on the second day.
Rory McIlroy also didn't participate in the tournament despite being eligible to compete at the event. He vowed to attend the DP World Tour competition. It's interesting to note that McIlroy's commitment to the DP World Tour event will also stop him from competing at the TOC in 2024.
#4 Ryan Brehm's last-round struggle
Ryan Brehm performed admirably in the Sentry Tournament of Champions in 2023. He shot 68, 71, and 68 in his first three rounds, but he struggled in the last round, falling 16 spots on the leaderboard after shooting 78. He finished in the T35 position in the field of 38 golfers.
#5 Collin Morikawa nearly missed the title
Collin Morikawa was in the lead after the third round of the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions. He was nine strokes ahead of Jon Rahm when he entered the final round. However, the tables were turned in the final round when Morikawa shot 72, while Rahm scored 63 to win the tournament.
Morikawa lost the tournament by two strokes. He shot three consecutive bogeys on the back nine, which caused him to lose the title to Rahm.