Nothing is the same on the PGA Tour any more, and this season’s return to a calendar year schedule – starting with The Sentry in Maui, the first of the new so-called signature events with a $20 million purse – has a standout field headed by world number one Scottie Scheffler and last year’s FedEx Cup champion Viktor Hovland.
Among them too is Séamus Power.
The 36-year-old Waterford’s man return to action after a long spell of injury is most welcome: Power suffered a hip injury during the Scottish Open back in July, missed the cut (when hampered by the injury) in the 151st Open at Hoylake and only reappeared twice thereafter, for the FedEx St Jude Classic and the BMW Championship in Chicago.
Power’s absence – which meant he was unable to defend his Bermuda Championship title in November – from playing on the PGA Tour has, in fact, extended to four months and 16 days during which time he has fallen out of the world’s top-50 and currently lies in 82nd position.
The good news for Power as he gets his season under way is that a career-best 41st on the 2023 FedEx Cup standings has guaranteed him a place in all four Majors this season along with entry into all of the new signature tournaments.
Speaking at the time of learning the extent of the injury, Power explained: “Because there’s so many muscles connected in there so that it takes a lot of the force of the swing on the way back, something was kind of fatigued in there and they’re trying to figure out exactly what it is.”
A subsequent MRI scan showed no need for surgery but a requirement for rest, which Power adhered to and he now makes his return following the four months-plus absence from competition in a tournament that offers $3.6 million to the winner.
Although world number two Rory McIlroy has opted to start his year’s work in Dubai next week and world number three Jon Rahm has defected to LIV Golf, there remains a top-class field in Hawaii with Scheffler and world number four Hovland joined by Swedish star Ludvig Aberg, who is competing in The Sentry for the first time after a remarkable rookie season in 2023.
No less than 21 players from the world’s top 25 are in the field, which includes a number of first-timer appearances, among them for Irish Open winner Vincent Norrman.
The field of 59 is the largest in the tournament’s history, breaking the mark of 42 set in 2021. Previously, the field was reserved only for winners of events in the previous season but has also been opened up this time to players who finished in to the top 50 on the FedEx Cup standings.
Of this event kicking off the year’s work, Mackenzie Hughes had the feel of the locker room when he remarked: “I hate to use the word celebration but you’ve had a great year and this is where you get to start. Obviously it feels a bit different with the criteria being changed but it still feels really special, just starting here is like the best way to kick off your season.”
The Sentry, Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii, January 4-7
Course: Plantation Course at Kapalua (Par 73, 7,596 yards).
Purse: $20 million (Winner: $3.6 million)
Irish in field: Séamus Power
Ones to watch: World number one Scottie Scheffler won his previous event (Hero World Challenge). Viktor Hovland won his previous two PGA Tour events and is looking to become the first player to win three consecutive events since Dustin Johnson in 2017. Collin Morikawa held a six-shot lead entering the final round last year before finishing second, and won his most recent official start at the Zozo Championship.
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