Biggest Storylines Heading into Hyundai Tournament of Champions
The Hyundai Tournament of Champions gets started Friday, January 9, at the Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort when a limited field composed of winners from last year's events tee it up for a four-day showdown.
The biggest storylines heading into the tournament revolve around the return of high-caliber professional golf, the quality of the field and the unique venue that is the Plantation Course.
Another notable element of the Tournament of Champions is that it's on during prime time and ends on Monday for optimum viewing.
Click through for a breakdown of the biggest storylines heading into the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
Golf Is Back...in Prime Time!
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Golf fans haven't been treated to an official PGA Tour event since the OHL Classic at Mayakoba in early November.
It's rough, I know.
Thus, one of the biggest storylines of this tournament is the fact that it's a tournament...and it's on in prime time!
Golf fans rejoice! Real live golfers will be hitting actual golf shots of significance for the first time in two months. The longest break in the PGA Tour calendar is ending, and all is again right with the world.
And, in addition to airing in prime time on Golf Channel beginning January 9, the tournament finishes on a Monday evening. So you won't have to debate whether you'll watch the NFL Playoffs or golf on Sunday.
Will the Johnson Era at Kapalua Continue?
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A player with the last name Johnson has won the Hyundai Tournament of Champions the last two years.
Zach Johnson won at Kapalua in 2014, finishing at 19 under, and Dustin Johnson was victorious at the Plantation Course in 2013.
With Dustin Johnson still sitting on the sidelines, Zach Johnson will be the sole bearer of the Johnson torch at Kapalua. The Iowa native tied for eighth at the Hero World Challenge in his last start, so he's on his game as he heads back to the tournament he won last year.
Will a Johnson win at Kapalua for the third consecutive year? Only Zach Johnson can determine that.
Someone Will Win a PGA Tour Event Two Years in a Row
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It's difficult to understate the significance of this: Following the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, the winner of the tournament will have won PGA Tour events in two consecutive PGA Tour seasons.
There are many metrics of success in professional golf, but truly elite players win (often multiple times) every year. When all is said and done Monday in Hawaii, someone will have sent a signal that his 2014-2015 season could be a very significant one indeed.
A golfer like John Senden, Robert Streb or Kevin Stadler would see his stock rise substantially with a victory. Indeed, it would be life-changing.
Furthermore, the tournament winner gets one additional year of eligibility on tour with the win (as with any tour victory). Thus the winner will have a minimum of two years of eligibility on the PGA Tour. He'll be freed up to focus more on preparing for and winning significant tournaments than on his cash flow from week to week.
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Low Scores, Long Drives Ahead
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The Plantation Course at Kapalua is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular venues on tour. The Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw design is noted for its dramatic scenery and spectacular ocean views. Its wide fairways, with substantial changes in elevation from tee to fairway, allow for booming drives with serious roll.
Thanks to its relatively slow bermuda greens, the Plantation Course consistently ranks as one of the easiest venues on tour, so there will be birdies aplenty at the Hawaiian golf oasis.
Over the last five years, the average winning score to par has been 20.8 under. Translation: There won't be any shortage of excitement coming to you from Hawaii.
A Field Full of Winners
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It's easy to earn an invitation to the no-cut Hyundai Tournament of Champions in beautiful Maui, Hawaii. All a golfer has to do is win a PGA Tour event, and that books him passage to next year's event.
In other words, an elite field will be putting pegs in the ground on the island of Maui.
Every player in the field was brilliant for at least one week last season. And a while a few notable winners from this past season won't be competing in Hawaii, the potential field of 38 is full of the tour's best golfers.
Zach Johnson, Billy Horschel, Chris Kirk, Patrick Reed, Geoff Ogilvy, Bubba Watson, Camilo Villegas, Jimmy Walker, Hunter Mahan, Hideki Matsuyama, Matt Kuchar, Jason Day and Adam Scott are all expected at the West Maui mountain-region par-73 track.
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