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Sentry Tournament of Champions preview: In-form Reed and Kokrak to prove a hit in Hawaii

2 years ago
| BY News Team

The first PGA Tour event of the New Year is upon us with the Sentry Tournament of Champions from the Kapalua Plantation Course, Hawaii.

All winners from last year’s PGA Tour will be in action for what promises to be a great four days of golf.

Here is our tournament preview along with who we think is capable of shooting a low score this week.

Reed can go well back at scene of previous triumph

Patrick Reed’s last win on the PGA Tour came almost a year ago when he took the Farmers Insurance Open, a ninth win for him on Tour.

The Texan can blow a bit hot and cold, but he is well capable of recording low scores, especially when hitting a patch of form. So far this season he has finished second in the Butterfield Bermuda Championship before a third-placed finish in the Hero World Challenge. There he shot four rounds in the 60s, including a fine 65 – five under par – to ultimately finish three strokes behind winner Viktor Hovland.

The Plantation Course offers a unique challenge and is characterised by its mountainous nature. Players will reach a height of 510 metres on their way round, so it’s no surprise there are plenty of slopes and gullies to negotiate. Consequently, good ball control around the greens is vital and that is one area where Reed excels.

Reed also has past winning form at the course, having defeated Jimmy Walker in a play-off here in 2015. He now looks to be finding form at just the right time to mount another strong challenge as he goes in search of a tenth PGA Tour win. At 25/1 he offers good value against some of the more obvious candidates at the head of the market.

Houston Open winner Kokrak can continue fine form

2021 was an excellent year on the PGA Tour for Jason Kokrak, as he notched wins at the Charles Schwab Challenge in May and then more recently at the Houston Open.

While he could only manage a T35 placed finish at last year’s Tournament of Champions, Kokrak was let down by a poor final round of 76 on that occasion, after shooting a strong 66 on his previous 18 holes. He also came into the tournament on the back of two missed cuts last year, but now arrives in Hawaii fresh from his Houston Open win in November.

The big-hitting American’s average drive length has been over 310 yards so far this season – tied 31st on the PGA Tour – and that ability should help him at a course where seven of the holes play longer than 500 yards. However, a long game is not the only thing in Kokrak’s armoury, and he put last season’s success largely down to his form with the putter. Similar steely resolve will be needed on some tough greens in Hawaii, and if both elements of his game are firing then he looks sure to go well at odds of 33/1.

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