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Sentry Tournament of Champions: Top five sleeper picks

By Mike Randleman

LAHAINA, HI - JANUARY 02: A flag as seen during a practice round prior to the Sentry Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course at Kapalua Golf Club on January 2, 2018 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
LAHAINA, HI - JANUARY 02: A flag as seen during a practice round prior to the Sentry Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course at Kapalua Golf Club on January 2, 2018 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /
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LAHAINA, HI – JANUARY 08: Pat Perez of the United States plays his shot from the ninth tee during the final round of the SBS Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course at Kapalua Golf Club on January 8, 2017 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
LAHAINA, HI – JANUARY 08: Pat Perez of the United States plays his shot from the ninth tee during the final round of the SBS Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course at Kapalua Golf Club on January 8, 2017 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

Pat Perez is playing some of the best golf of his life to ascend into the world top 20. He won the 2017 CIMB Classic in the fall and added a T5 at the CJ Cup for good measure.

In 2016-17, Perez played well at big events: he went T18 at the Masters, T22 at the PLAYERS, T28 at the PGA Championship and had two top-12s in FedEx Cup Playoff events.

The 41-year-old has been getting it done with sound ball striking (17th in Greens in Regulation, 24th in driving accuracy). When his game is clicking, he doesn’t have a big weakness.

He was fourth in strokes gained around-the-green and 37th in Strokes Gained: Putting last season.

Unlike most of these five picks, Perez has had success at Kapalua. He closed with two rounds in the 60s on the weekend to climb to a T3 finish out of 32 at last year’s Tournament of Champions, finishing only behind winner Justin Thomas and runner-up Hideki Matsuyama.

Perez also tied for 10th in his other Kapalua appearance in 2010.

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