- The of the world’s top golfers committed to playing in the PGA season opener
- Rahm, who just bolted for LIV Golf, won’t get the chance to retain his victory
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Four of the world’s top golfers have committed to the season-opening Sentry tournament, the PGA Tour announced Wednesday, including one who would not have been invited under the event’s old rules.
Reigning FedEx Cup champion Viktor Hovland of Norway, current world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, Rickie Fowler and Hideki Matsuyama of Japan will all take part in the year’s first signature event, to take place Jan. 4-7 at Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii.
Formerly the Sentry Tournament of Champions, the event used to feature only Tour winners from the previous season.
Hovland won three times on Tour in calendar year 2023 (the Memorial, BMW Championship and Tour Championship) en route to winning the Cup.
Scheffler won the WM Phoenix Open and the Players Championship last spring and finished first at the unofficial Hero World Challenge earlier this month.
Jon Rahm, who recently defected to LIV Golf, will not be headed to Hawaii to defend his win
Tony Finau – who had been rumored to consider a LIV move – committed to the Sentry as well
Fowler won the Rocket Mortgage Classic in July for his first victory since 2019.
Matsuyama did not win last season and hence would not have made the field under the previous rules.
The new rules allow for anyone in the top 50 in the final FedEx Cup points last season to take part. Matsuyama finished 50th.
Spain’s Jon Rahm, the reigning Sentry champion, shocked the golf world last week when he announced he was leaving the PGA Tour for the Saudi-backed LIV Tour on a deal reportedly worth more than $300 million.
Tony Finau, a close friend of Rahm, announced Monday he was staying with the PGA Tour after much speculation that he would join Rahm on the LIV Tour.
In announcing his decision on Instagram, Finau added, ‘See y’all in Maui,’ a reference to the Sentry.