PGA Tour: 2015 Hyundai Tournament Of Champions Preview

Sep 12, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Zach Johnson tees off on the third hole during the second round of the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Zach Johnson picked up his only win in 2014 at The Hyundai Tournament of Champions when he defeated a persistent Jordan Spieth on the monstrous Plantation Course at the Kapalua Resort. The 2007 Masters Champ showed the golf world that with precision drives, and laser-guided irons, you can beat the long-hitters on their own turf.

The 2015 Hyundai Tournament of Champions

The 2015 PGA Tour calendar season gets underway this Friday when the tournament that began in 1953 at the Desert Inn Resort in Las Vegas tees it up on the Troon Managed Kapalua Resort on Maui. The PGA event is one of two that starts on Friday and finishes up on Monday.

This was done to not interfere with the NFL Wild Card playoffs. The Deutsche Bank follows this format.

More from Pro Golf Now

I know it’s a little confusing, but only PGA Tour winners in the 2014 calendar season get an invitation to this limited-field event. That includes winners during the 2014-2015 wrap season.

Last year’s runner-up, Jordan Spieth won the Australian Open, and the Hero Challenge late in the year, but those tournaments are not PGA sanctioned, so Spieth will not play this week.

Also missing from the field this year, are the world’s number one and three players. Rory McIlroy certainly qualified with wins at the Open Championship, the Bridgestone Invitational, and the PGA Championship, but the youngster from Northern Ireland typically plays the Desert Swing on the European Tour at this time of year.

Sep 14, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Rory McIlroy reacts to the crowd after his putt on the sixteenth green during the final round of the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Adam Scott is taking some much-needed time off, and will also skip this event. Scott won the Crowne Plaza Colonial last July, and is qualified to play this week.

For a list of who qualified, and who will tee it up this week:

Next: Rory McIlroy Tops List Of Missing at TOC

The Golf Course

The Plantation Course at Kapalua is a 74oo yard monster that plays to a par of 73, and has a course rating under 78. It is the top rated golf course in Hawaii, and is loaded with scenic views of the West Maui mountains, and the blue Pacific Ocean in the backdrop.

Many players do not like to play here because of the prevalent Trade Winds that can be brutal at times, and forced delays in 2012. Dustin Johnson dominated that year, but they weren’t able to finish until Tuesday afternoon.

The grass on Maui is different from anything they play on all year, and the pumice-laden soil takes a lot of distance off your iron shots. I can attest, I played the Kannapali Course just down the road in 1982, and my usual 150 yard seven-iron shots were coming up at about 135 yards.

The course was designed by Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore. K.J. Choi set the course record when he fired a 62 during the Mercedes Championship in 2003. The record was tied by Graeme McDowell in 2011.

Ernie Els holds the tournament record here when he shot an aggregate 31 under par, also in 2003.

The Purse

The Hyundai Tournament of Champions pays out a $5.7 Million Dollar Purse with the winner picking up a check for $1.14 Million. The winner will also pick up 500 FedEx Cup points.

Television Coverage

The tournament will be broadcast on The Golf Channel each day from 8:00 to 9:30 PM Eastern Time. I couldn’t verify, but think it will be available on Sirius XM.

History

The tournament has had several sponsors over the years, and began life in 1953 as the Tournament of Champions. It was played for many years at the LaCosta Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California. It moved to Hawaii in 1999 with David Duval winning the first event on Maui.

Jack Nicklaus won this event a record five times. Aussie, Stuart Appleby won three consecutive times since the tournament moved to Hawaii, winning in 2004, 2005, and 2006. He joins Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, and Gene Littler with three victories.

Several players, including Tiger Woods have won twice!

This is a tough venue for the Professional golfers to start their seasons with, but hey, they are pros, and we like to watch them struggle at times. This is one of the places where they earn their prize money. The event does come with a vacation to Hawaii before the regular part of the season continues the next week in Ohau.

Home/Golf News