Tournament of Champions (golf)

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox golf tournament The Tournament of Champions, currently titled as The Sentry, is the calendar-year opening tournament of golf's PGA Tour season, played in Hawaii on the island of Maui.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The tournament was founded in 1953; for most of its history the field was restricted to golfers who won a tournament on the tour during the previous calendar year, but players who qualified for the preceding Tour Championship are now invited as well.<ref name=sbs>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="tourchamp"/> From 1986 through 2013, it was the opening event of each tour season; the PGA Tour switched to its wrap-around season (starting season in September and ending in August) in the fall of 2013. In 2025, Hideki Matsuyama shot the lowest 72-hole to-par score in the history of the PGA Tour (−35) to win the tournament.

History

The tournament is held during the first week of January and, since 1999, has been played over the Plantation Course at the Kapalua Resort near Lahaina on the island of Maui in Hawaii. Unlike most PGA Tour events, it is a par 73 course.

Previous venues have been the Desert Inn Country Club in Las Vegas, Nevada, from the event's inception until 1966, and the Stardust Country Club, also in Las Vegas, in 1967 and 1968. For the following thirty years, it was played at La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California; it moved from May in 1985 to January in 1986, and relocated to Maui in 1999.

The tournament has had several title sponsors, the first being Mutual of New York (MONY) between 1975 and 1990. After three years of sponsorship by Infiniti, German car maker Mercedes-Benz began a sixteen-year association with the event and the Tournament of Champions name was dropped. In 2010 the tournament entered a new ten-year agreement with Korean broadcasting company Seoul Broadcasting System, with the tournament being renamed as the SBS Championship.<ref name=sbs/> Hyundai took over title sponsorship in 2011 with SBS remaining a sponsor.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2017, SBS became title sponsor again after Hyundai took over title sponsorship of the PGA Tour event at Riviera Country Club.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Sentry Insurance signed on as the event's title sponsor with a five-year agreement starting in 2018,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> later extended through 2030.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

From 2012 to 2015, the tournament used a Friday–Monday format, joining the Deutsche Bank Championship as the only two PGA Tour events with this format. The format allowed the tournament to have its own day to finish, and not compete against the second day of the NFL Wild Card Playoff round.

For the 2021 tournament, the PGA Tour announced that the field would be expanded to include the 30 players qualifying for the 2020 Tour Championship in addition to tournament winners during the 2020 calendar year. The change was made following the cancellation of ten tournaments due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The 2022 edition reverted to the usual winners-only field, but the addition of Tour Championship qualifiers was made permanent in 2023.<ref name="tourchamp">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The tournament had a name change for 2024 as a result, dropping the traditional Tournament of Champions name again. For the 2025 tournament, The Sentry will be an official Signature Event. By rule, the 50 players who qualified for the 2024 BMW Championship, in addition to all winner of the previous year, are eligible. In addition, if a player who qualified for the BMW Championship is deemed not in good standing and ineligible to participate on the PGA Tour, the 51st place player in FedEx Cup standings will be elevated, and so forth.

Television

While being played at LaCosta, the weekend rounds were traditionally televised by ABC Sports. However, after moving to Hawaii in 1999, the time difference was not conducive to network television. The event moved to ABC's cable partner ESPN for four-round coverage. In 2007, the event moved to four-round coverage on the Golf Channel. In 2012, NBC Sports began showing weekend play, while also producing the new Monday final round for sister network Golf Channel. Starting in 2018, Thursday-Sunday coverage split between Golf Channel and NBC, with the latter picking up weekend coverage when not in conflict with the network's broadcasts of NFL playoff games.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Winners

Year	Winner	Score	To par	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up	Winner's share ($)
The Sentry
2025	Template:Flagicon Hideki Matsuyama	257	−35	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Collin Morikawa	3,600,000
2024	Template:Flagicon Chris Kirk	263	−29	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Sahith Theegala	3,600,000
Sentry Tournament of Champions
2023	Template:Flagicon Jon Rahm	265	−27	2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Collin Morikawa	2,700,000
2022	Template:Flagicon Cameron Smith	258	−34	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Jon Rahm	1,476,000
2021	Template:Flagicon Harris English	267	−25	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Joaquín Niemann	1,340,000
2020	Template:Flagicon Justin Thomas (2)	278	−14	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Patrick Reed Template:Flagicon Xander Schauffele	1,340,000
2019	Template:Flagicon Xander Schauffele	269	−23	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Gary Woodland	1,300,000
2018	Template:Flagicon Dustin Johnson (2)	268	−24	8 strokes	Template:Flagicon Jon Rahm	1,260,000
SBS Tournament of Champions
2017	Template:Flagicon Justin Thomas	270	−22	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Hideki Matsuyama	1,220,000
Hyundai Tournament of Champions
2016	Template:Flagicon Jordan Spieth	262	−30	8 strokes	Template:Flagicon Patrick Reed	1,180,000
2015	Template:Flagicon Patrick Reed	271	−21	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Jimmy Walker	1,140,000
2014	Template:Flagicon Zach Johnson	273	−19	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Jordan Spieth	1,140,000
2013	Template:Flagicon Dustin Johnson	203Template:Efn	−16	4 strokes	Template:Flagicon Steve Stricker	1,140,000
2012	Template:Flagicon Steve Stricker	269	−23	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Martin Laird	1,120,000
2011	Template:Flagicon Jonathan Byrd	268	−24	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Robert Garrigus	1,120,000
SBS Championship
2010	Template:Flagicon Geoff Ogilvy (2)	270	−22	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Rory Sabbatini	1,120,000
Mercedes-Benz Championship
2009	Template:Flagicon Geoff Ogilvy	268	−24	6 strokes	Template:Flagicon Anthony Kim Template:Flagicon Davis Love III	1,120,000
2008	Template:Flagicon Daniel Chopra	274	−18	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Steve Stricker	1,100,000
2007	Template:Flagicon Vijay Singh	278	−14	2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Adam Scott	1,100,000
Mercedes Championships
2006	Template:Flagicon Stuart Appleby (3)	284	−8	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Vijay Singh	1,080,000
2005	Template:Flagicon Stuart Appleby (2)	271	−21	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Jonathan Kaye	1,060,000
2004	Template:Flagicon Stuart Appleby	270	−22	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Vijay Singh	1,060,000
2003	Template:Flagicon Ernie Els	261	−31	8 strokes	Template:Flagicon K. J. Choi Template:Flagicon Rocco Mediate	1,000,000
2002	Template:Flagicon Sergio García	274	−18	Playoff	Template:Flagicon David Toms	720,000
2001	Template:Flagicon Jim Furyk	274	−18	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Rory Sabbatini	630,000
2000	Template:Flagicon Tiger Woods (2)	276	−16	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Ernie Els	522,000
1999	Template:Flagicon David Duval	266	−26	9 strokes	Template:Flagicon Mark O'Meara Template:Flagicon Billy Mayfair	468,000
1998	Template:Flagicon Phil Mickelson (2)	271	−17	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Mark O'Meara Template:Flagicon Tiger Woods	306,000
1997	Template:Flagicon Tiger Woods	202Template:Efn	−14	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Tom Lehman	216,000
1996	Template:Flagicon Mark O'Meara	271	−17	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Nick Faldo Template:Flagicon Scott Hoch	180,000
1995	Template:Flagicon Steve Elkington (2)	278	−10	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Bruce Lietzke	180,000
1994	Template:Flagicon Phil Mickelson	276	−12	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Fred Couples	180,000
Infiniti Tournament of Champions
1993	Template:Flagicon Davis Love III	272	−16	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Tom Kite	144,000
1992	Template:Flagicon Steve Elkington	279	−9	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Brad Faxon	144,000
1991	Template:Flagicon Tom Kite (2)	272	−16	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Lanny Wadkins	144,000
MONY Tournament of Champions
1990	Template:Flagicon Paul Azinger	272	−16	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Ian Baker-Finch	135,000
1989	Template:Flagicon Steve Jones	279	−9	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon David Frost Template:Flagicon Jay Haas	135,000
1988	Template:Flagicon Steve Pate	202Template:Efn	−14	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Larry Nelson	90,000
1987	Template:Flagicon Mac O'Grady	278	−10	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Rick Fehr	90,000
1986	Template:Flagicon Calvin Peete	267	−21	6 strokes	Template:Flagicon Mark O'Meara	90,000
1985	Template:Flagicon Tom Kite	275	−13	6 strokes	Template:Flagicon Mark McCumber	72,000
1984	Template:Flagicon Tom Watson (3)	274	−14	5 strokes	Template:Flagicon Bruce Lietzke	72,000
1983	Template:Flagicon Lanny Wadkins (2)	280	−8	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Raymond Floyd	72,000
1982	Template:Flagicon Lanny Wadkins	280	−8	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Andy Bean Template:Flagicon David Graham Template:Flagicon Craig Stadler Template:Flagicon Ron Streck	63,000
1981	Template:Flagicon Lee Trevino	273	−15	2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Raymond Floyd	54,000
1980	Template:Flagicon Tom Watson (2)	276	−12	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Jim Colbert	54,000
1979	Template:Flagicon Tom Watson	275	−13	6 strokes	Template:Flagicon Bruce Lietzke Template:Flagicon Jerry Pate	54,000
1978	Template:Flagicon Gary Player (2)	281	−7	2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Andy North Template:Flagicon Lee Trevino	45,000
1977	Template:Flagicon Jack Nicklaus (5)	281	−7	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Bruce Lietzke	45,000
1976	Template:Flagicon Don January (2)	277	−11	5 strokes	Template:Flagicon Hubert Green	45,000
1975	Template:Flagicon Al Geiberger	277	−11	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Gary Player	40,000
Tournament of Champions
1974	Template:Flagicon Johnny Miller	280	−8	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Buddy Allin Template:Flagicon John Mahaffey	40,000
1973	Template:Flagicon Jack Nicklaus (4)	276	−12	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Lee Trevino	40,000
1972	Template:Flagicon Bobby Mitchell	280	−8	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Jack Nicklaus	33,000
1971	Template:Flagicon Jack Nicklaus (3)	279	−9	8 strokes	Template:Flagicon Bruce Devlin Template:Flagicon Gary Player Template:Flagicon Dave Stockton	33,000
1970	Template:Flagicon Frank Beard (2)	273	−15	7 strokes	Template:Flagicon Billy Casper Template:Flagicon Tony Jacklin Template:Flagicon Gary Player	30,000
1969	Template:Flagicon Gary Player	284	−4	2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Lee Trevino	30,000
1968	Template:Flagicon Don January	276	−8	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Julius Boros	30,000
1967	Template:Flagicon Frank Beard	278	−6	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Arnold Palmer	20,000
1966	Template:Flagicon Arnold Palmer (3)	283	−5	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Gay Brewer	20,000
1965	Template:Flagicon Arnold Palmer (2)	277	−11	2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Chi-Chi Rodríguez	14,000
1964	Template:Flagicon Jack Nicklaus (2)	279	−9	2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Al Geiberger Template:Flagicon Doug Sanders	12,000
1963	Template:Flagicon Jack Nicklaus	273	−15	5 strokes	Template:Flagicon Tony Lema Template:Flagicon Arnold Palmer	13,000
1962	Template:Flagicon Arnold Palmer	276	−12	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Billy Casper	11,000
1961	Template:Flagicon Sam Snead	273	−15	7 strokes	Template:Flagicon Tommy Bolt	10,000
1960	Template:Flagicon Jerry Barber	268	−20	4 strokes	Template:Flagicon Jay Hebert	10,000
1959	Template:Flagicon Mike Souchak	281	−7	2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Art Wall Jr.	10,000
1958	Template:Flagicon Stan Leonard	275	−13	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Billy Casper	10,000
1957	Template:Flagicon Gene Littler (3)	285	−3	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Billy Casper Template:Flagicon Jimmy Demaret Template:Flagicon Dow Finsterwald Template:Flagicon Billy Maxwell	10,000
1956	Template:Flagicon Gene Littler (2)	281	−7	4 strokes	Template:Flagicon Cary Middlecoff	10,000
1955	Template:Flagicon Gene Littler	280	−8	13 strokes	Template:Flagicon Jerry Barber Template:Flagicon Pete Cooper Template:Flagicon Bob Toski	10,000
1954	Template:Flagicon Art Wall Jr.	278	−10	6 strokes	Template:Flagicon Al Besselink Template:Flagicon Lloyd Mangrum	10,000
1953	Template:Flagicon Al Besselink	280	−8	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Chandler Harper	10,000

Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.

Tournament highlights

• 1953: Al Besselink wins the inaugural Tournament of Champions (TOC) by one shot over Chandler Harper.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1955: Gene Littler is victorious at the TOC for the first time. He wins by 13 shots over Pete Cooper, Jerry Barber, and Bob Toski.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1957: For the third consecutive year, Gene Littler is victorious at the TOC. He finishes three shots ahead of Billy Casper, Jimmy Demaret, Dow Finsterwald, and Billy Maxwell.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1959: Mike Souchak wins by two shots over Art Wall Jr. in spite of his shooting a final round 77.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1960: Jerry Barber shoots 268, a TOC tournament mark for its time in Las Vegas, four shots ahead of Jay Hebert.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1962: Arnold Palmer earns his first TOC title. He birdies the 72nd hole to finish one shot ahead of Billy Casper.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1963: Jack Nicklaus wins the TOC for the first time. He finishes five shots ahead of Tony Lema and Arnold Palmer.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1966: Arnold Palmer successfully defends his TOC title by defeating Gay Brewer 69 to 73 in an 18-hole playoff. For Brewer, it's his second 18-hole playoff loss in a week. In the tournament prior to the TOC, The 1966 Masters Tournament, Brewer was defeated by Jack Nicklaus.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1967: Frank Beard prevents Arnold Palmer from winning a third straight TOC. He holes a seven-foot par putt on the 72nd hole to win by one shot over Palmer.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1969: Gary Player wins in the United States for the first time since his 1965 U.S. Open triumph. He finishes two shots ahead of Lee Trevino.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1972: Bobby Mitchell wins the TOC with a Template:Convert birdie putt on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff with Jack Nicklaus.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1973: Jack Nicklaus wins the TOC for a fourth time, one stroke ahead of Lee Trevino.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1977: Jack Nicklaus collects his fifth and final TOC title with a birdie at the third hole of a sudden-death playoff to defeat Bruce Lietzke.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1978: Just like the week previous at Masters, Gary Player comes back from seven shots behind to win, two shots ahead of Andy North and Lee Trevino.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1980: Tom Watson wins by three shots over Jim Colbert. The original margin of victory was five shots but Watson was penalized two shots by tour officials after he was overheard giving advice to his playing partner Lee Trevino.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1981: Lee Trevino earns his first PGA Tour victory in California, two strokes ahead of Raymond Floyd.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1982: Ron Streck comes to the 72nd hole tied with Lanny Wadkins but three-putts to seemingly lose by one shot. After play is finished, Streck is assessed a two-shot penalty for moving a tree branch in his face on the 70th hole. The penalty drops Streck into a four-way tie for second along with Andy Bean, David Graham, and Craig Stadler and costs him over $14,000 in prize money.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1985: Tom Kite shoots a first round 64 on his way to a six-shot triumph over Mark McCumber.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1986: Calvin Peete shoots a tournament record 267 and finishes six shots ahead of Mark O'Meara.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1991: Tom Kite wins his second TOC after Lanny Wadkins three-putts the 71st green from just Template:Convert.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1995: Steve Elkington birdies the second hole of a sudden-death playoff to defeat Bruce Lietzke.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> During the final round, 54-hole leader John Huston putted his ball into a lake.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1997: Tiger Woods, the PGA Player of the Year for 1997, birdies the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to defeat Tom Lehman.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 1999: David Duval wins the first edition of the tournament played in Hawaii, nine shots ahead of Mark O'Meara and Billy Mayfair.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 2000: Tiger Woods wins his fifth consecutive PGA Tour event. He sinks a Template:Convert birdie putt on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff to beat Ernie Els.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 2003: Ernie Els shoots a tournament record 261 on his way to an eight-shot victory over Rocco Mediate and K. J. Choi.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 2006: Stuart Appleby defeats Vijay Singh on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff and joins Gene Littler as the only winners of the tournament for three consecutive years.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 2010: Geoff Ogilvy successfully defends his tournament title, one stroke ahead of Rory Sabbatini.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 2025: Hideki Matsuyama set the record for the lowest 72-hole score with a 35 under par. During the final round at the fifth hole, Taylor Pendrith made the first albatross in event history.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

External links

• Coverage on the PGA Tour's official site