For many of us this is the first day back to work in 2015. After a nice long holiday break away from our everyday jobs it’s time to get in our old routine and head back to work.
It’s much the same on the PGA Tour. After their end of the year break the PGA Tour kicks off the New Year in style in Hawaii at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
Even though the all powerful PGA Tour can declare that the fall of 2014 is part of 2015 with their “wraparound” schedule the first week in January traditionally marks the start of the new year for us mere mortals.
The Plantation Course at the Kapalua Resort provides a wonderfully dramatic backdrop for all the winners of last season. It’s not called the Tournament of Champions for nothing.
To earn an invite to start the season in paradise you must be a PGA Tour winner last season and while many players choose to stay extend their off season, the list of entrants is impressive.
Bubba Watson who won three times last season, including his second Masters leads the field. Zach Johnson will be back to defend his ’14 Tournament of Champions title.
Taking some time off from spending his millions is Billy Horschel, the FedEx Cup Champion as he starts his quest to repeat his ’14 FedEx Cup win.
Jason Day is back and healthy and Patrick Reed is hoping to prove he is a real top five player.
Newcomers include Matt Every, Chesson Hadley, Brian Harman, Russell Henley, Chris Kirk, Robert Streb, Sang-Moon Bae and Ben Martin are among a large group of thirteen first time entrants.
Geoff Ogilvy is back at Kapalua and the former two time Tournament of Champions winner is looking to make it a third. Ogilvy won last year for the first time since 2010 and the 2013-14 season was a bit of a rebirth for him. Two wins here will certainly put him in a good place mentally as he tees it up.
Geoff Ogilvy tees off on the 18th hole.
While some big names like Rory McIlroy and Adam Scoot will be elsewhere this is always a very entertaining tournament. The Plantation Course is not only a visually spectacular layout but also lends itself to some dramatic finishes.
And the PGA Tour is doing it right with a Friday to Monday schedule so the tournament will finish on Monday evening in prime time far away from the NFL playoffs.
Golf from Hawaii in January: if we can’t be there I guess the next best choice is watching it on television.
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