Hyundai Tournament of Champions: Preview, Start Time and Schedule
The PGA Tour will officially kick off its 2012 on Friday when the Hyundai of Champions gets underway. This is an exclusive event and something of an All-Star Game on tour, as only golfers who won in 2011 are eligible to participate in 2012.
Jonathan Byrd is the defending champion. In 2011, his score of 24-under earned him a spot in a playoff with Robert Garrigus. Byrd won on the second hole.
One of 2011's major winners (Keegan Bradley) will be in the field. Eight players who participated in November's Presidents Cup will also participate.
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When: Friday, Jan. 6-Monday, Jan. 9
Where: Plantation Course at Kapalua. Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii
What They're Saying
Mike McAllister of PGATOUR.com wrote about Jonathan Byrd winning the tournament last year. It not only got him a win (and return visit), but also set the stage for a successful season.
"When Byrd won last year, he was obviously the first-week leader in the standings, and lasted another two weeks at the top. In fact, he was one of just seven players not ranked outside the top 30 of the standings in any week during the 2011 FedEx Cup season.
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Golfer to Watch
This is a hard list to find a good sleeper on, because the only way you even qualify for this tournament is to win a tournament the previous year. But keep an eye on Brendan Steele. He won the Valero Texas Open last year and had a strong performance in the PGA Championship before a final round fade.
It will be really interesting to see how the talented golfer bounces back. He'll be a good golfer to watch through the early season.
Tee Times
Notables First Round tee times.
| Golfer | Time (EST) |
| Bubba Watson | 4:55 p.m. |
| Keegan Bradley | 5:05 p.m. |
| K.J. Choi | 5:25 p.m. |
| Webb Simpson | 5:35 p.m. |
| Nick Watney | 5:35 p.m. |
| Bill Haas | 5:45 p.m. |
Full list at PGATour.com. Updated Daily.
TV Schedule
| Date | Live Time (EST) | Replay (EST) | Channel |
| Friday, Jan. 6 | 5:30 p.m. | 10:30 p.m. | Golf Channel |
| Saturday, Jan. 7 | 5:30 p.m. | 10:30 p.m. | Golf Channel |
| Sunday, Jan. 8 | 5:30 p.m. | 10:30 p.m. | Golf Channel |
| Monday, Jan. 9 | 4 p.m. | 9 p.m. | Golf Channel |
Prediction: Keegan Bradley
This is his first time on the course, but I love this kid's style. He plays an absolutely fearless brand of golf that's going to win him a lot of early season events. His length is immense and will help him navigate his way through the long course.
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