HAWAII: Collin Morikawa was off to a red-hot start during the first round of the first tournament of the 2024 season, taking the early lead of The Sentry on the Plantation Course at Kapalua in Maui, Hawaii.
Morikawa was 4-under par through nine holes following an eagle 3 at the par-5 ninth, then recorded birdies at Nos. 10 and 12 to reach 6 under.
Camilo Villegas was close behind at 5 under through 12 holes, while Xander Schauffele was 4 under through 12. Luke List was at 4 under through 11 holes.
Villegas was a modest 2 under through nine holes then birdied each of his first three holes on the back nine.
The PGA Tour is moving back to a season contained with the same calendar year, leaving its former "wraparound" schedule that started its season in the fall and proceeded through the next summer. To bridge the gap this past fall and winter, a FedEx Cup Fall campaign was launched.
The event was previously known as the Sentry Tournament of Champions and was only available to players who had won on tour the previous season. Going forward, it's open to the top 50 finishers in the previous year's FedEx Cup standings, along with anyone who won a tournament that year. The field will feature a record 59 participants, with no cut.
Notably absent: 2023 Sentry champion Jon Rahm. The Spanish two-time major winner sent shockwaves through the sport when he changed allegiances from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf last month, for a contract reportedly in excess of US$300 million.
Rahm won this event last year with Morikawa as the runner-up.
Canadian Mackenzie Hughes only made the Sentry field because his FedEx Cup finish was bumped up from No. 51 to No. 50 after the PGA Tour suspended Rahm. Hughes was 2 under through nine holes Thursday. --Field Level Media