Kapalua: These 10 have the hybrid game to win there

Despite its 7,530 yard length, the Plantation Course at Kapalua, site of this week’s Sentry Tournament of Champions, is not truly a driver’s course.

Judging by the results from the 2021 event, it’s actually more of a hybrid test. Rather than favoring any particular skill set, Kapalua last January rewarded players who balanced performance off the tee with a precision approach game.

That wasn’t true of the eventual champion. Harris English won, defeating Joaquin Niemann in a playoff, because he had an exceptionally hot week around the greens. In fact English led the field at +1.67 True Strokes Gained Putting. That was unusual; coming into the tournament English was averaging a decent but unspectacular +0.519.

Among the tournament’s top 10, however, English was the exception. In fact, eight of the final top 10 gained more than a full stroke against the field via the combination of their skill getting to the Kapalua greens.

The average for the top 10 in that  hybrid category was 1.33 True Strokes Gained. Those same 10 players picked up only an average of +0.436 True Strokes Gained on and around the greens.

https://progolfnow.com/2020/09/09/pga-tour-win-season-skills/

For those interested in the chances of the 40 players poised to tee it up this week at the winners-only event, that raises an interesting question: Which members of the field arrive at Kapalua with the best hybrid version of facility off the tee and approaching the green?

Based on recent history, they appear to be the most likely contenders.

Here’s a look at the 10 members of the 40-player field who – considering the full 2020-21 season – put together the best combination of skill off the tee as well as precision approach work.