Saturday, December 28, 2013

TOC field at Kapalua announced

Masters champion Adam Scott headlines the field for next week's Hyundai Tournament of Champions, the first PGA Tour event of 2014 -- although no longer the first event of the season.
 
The PGA Tour went to a wraparound schedule in October, which means the Tournament of Champions at the Kapalua Resort on Maui will be the seventh event of the 2013-14 season.
The format for the 72-hole tournament that begins on Jan. 3 remains the same -- only winners of official PGA Tour events during 2013 are eligible. There were 35 such winners, and 30 of them have signed up for the $5.7 million tournament.
 
As expected, both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will skip the event. Neither has played it in years, with Woods last competing in 2005 and Mickelson in '01.
 
Woods is expected to make his season debut next month at the Farmers Insurance Open. Mickelson already has committed to that event, as well as the week prior at a European Tour stop in Abu Dhabi.
 
FedEx Cup and Tour Championship winner Henrik Stenson is also taking a pass at Kapalua, as is U.S. Open champion Justin Rose and RBC Heritage winner Graeme McDowell. The latter three all had hectic schedules on the European Tour at the end of 2013.
 
The tournament boasts 13 first-time winners, including 2013 rookie of the year Jordan Spieth. Others competing are PGA champion Jason Dufner, Webb Simpson, Matt Kuchar, defending champion Dustin Johnson, Zach Johnson and Brandt Snedeker.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Golf: Henrik Stenson is looking to break his major duck after a record-breaking year on tour

 
Henrik Stenson is looking to add a major title to his growing CV after a record-breaking year on both sides of the Atlantic.
 
The Swede dominated the sport from the summer, chalking up seven top 10s from his final nine events on his way to securing the Race To Dubai title and the FedEx Cup.
 
Stenson also topped up his bank balance to the tune of 1m euros with victory in the DP World Tour Championship at Dubai November but it his showing in the majors which gives him hope for the coming year.
 
Second to Phil Mickelson in The Open at Muirfield was followed by a third-placed showing at the USPGA and he believes he now has the game to see him break his duck in 2014.
 
"From the US Open onwards I was on a really, really good run," he told Sky Sports News.
 
"Obviously my game was in good shape but my attitude and state of mind was phenomenal and the success I have had is down to the mental state I was in over that period.
 
"But you have to have a good golf game to back it up as well, and it all came together for me in 2013.
 
"I took so many positives out of my second place at The Open and third at the US PGA and that is what I will be trying to build on for next year, try to up my game that little bit more to put myself right in the mix."

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