• COURSE: Plantation Course at Kapalua, 7,452 yards, par 73.
Perched along the seaside slopes of the West Maui mountains, the
Plantation course is known for both its breathtaking views and - as
evidenced two years ago - its exposure to the elements. More often than
not, though, the trade winds stay gentle enough for the winner to
approach 20-under par over four days. Six of the past seven editions
produced winners at no worse than 18-under, with 2013's
weather-shortened event the exception. Opened in 1991, the course is one
of the first Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw collaborations.
• FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 points.
• FIELD WATCH:
Reigning FedExCup champion Billy Horschel and Masters winner Bubba
Watson join defending champ Zach Johnson to head a lineup of 34
tournament winners from the 2014 calendar year … Watson, at No. 4 after
winning the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in November, tops
the list of seven entrants among the top 20 in the world rankings …
Current FedExCup leader Robert Streb and fellow fall winners Ben Martin,
Sang-Moon Bae and Nick Taylor head a group of 13 first-timers at
Kapalua. … John Senden, winner of the Valspar Championship, returns for
the first time since 2007.
• 72-HOLE RECORD: 261, Ernie Els (2003).
• 18-HOLE RECORD: 62, K.J. Choi (3rd round, 2003), Graeme McDowell (4th round, 2011).
• LAST YEAR: Johnson rose above the pack for his 11th career
victory, using three birdies on the back nine to forge a 7-under-par 66
that left him one shot clear of Jordan Spieth. An 8-foot birdie at No.
14 put Johnson in the outright lead, building a cushion with two more
birdies that proved valuable when Spieth birdied Nos. 17 and 18. It was
Johnson's third win in a span of six starts, beginning with the 2013 BMW
Championship that punched his ticket to Kapalua. He also outdueled
Tiger Woods at the World Challenge, holing out from the drop zone on the
final hole at Sherwood C.C. Five players held at least a share of the
lead on the final day.
• STORYLINES: Following a seven-week break between official
events, the PGA TOUR makes its traditional post-New Year's venture to
the islands to ease back into competition. This marks the 17th straight
year that Kapalua has been January's first stop … A tweak in the
schedule now puts the Hyundai TOC on the second weekend of January,
allowing entrants to fully enjoy New Year's before hopping a flight. …
Johnson and two-time winner Geoff Ogilvy (2009-10) are the only former
Kapalua champs in the field. … Five entrants this week are under age 27 -
Hideki Matsuyama (22), Seung-Yul Noh (23), Patrick Reed (24), Russell
Henley (25) and Taylor (26).
• SHORT CHIPS: A third win by Ogilvy not only would match
Stuart Appleby for most in Hyundai TOC history, but he'd also pass his
fellow Aussie atop the all-time money list. Appleby earned $3.52 million
in eight appearances; Ogilvy has $2.44 million in four previous visits.
… The first event of the calendar year is scheduled for its fourth
straight Monday finish, timed to end less than an hour before the
College Football Playoff's first title game kicks off in Texas ... In 16
years with Kapalua as host, the event has seen just a single
hole-in-one. Lucas Glover aced the 203-yard eighth in 2006.
• TELEVISION: Friday, 4:30-10 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday, 1-7 p.m. (GC). Sunday, 2:30-9:30 p.m. (GC). Monday, 4-8 p.m. (GC).
Good Luck!
This post was edited on 1/13 6:11 PM by DFSNOLE
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