Head-to-head matchups to watch across January golf tournaments

Returning from the winter break, the PGA Tour will move into the 2025 season with a full schedule right from the first weekend in January. The bookies already have their favorites with tournament winner odds, but the full field won’t be finalized until the week before the tournament. By then, we can expect to see lines available on the head-to-head market, which pits two golfers against each other for who will have a higher finishing position.

Here are some head-to-head matchups to watch out for.

Scottie Scheffler vs. Rory McIlroy – Sentry Tournament (Jan 2-5)

Scottie Scheffler is the No. 1 golfer in the Official World Golf Ranking and the top favorite to win at the plantation course at Kapalua. He’s played in this tournament three times before finishing T-13, T-7, and T-5. Rory McIlroy will be coming into somewhat unfamiliar territory, having skipped out on The Sentry for several years now. However, we saw Chris Kirk win it last year with long-shot odds of +20,000. McIlroy is among the top golfers and a perennial contender on the Tour. With his improved putting game and ability to handle pressure, this matchup will be an intriguing showdown. The Sentry opens on Jan 2 through 5.

Collin Morikawa vs. Tom Kim – Sony Open (Jan 9-12)

The Waialae Country Club, where the Sony Open is held, is a more unforgiving course than Kapalua. It demands more accuracy and this makes it perfect for head-to-head matchups between strategic players like Morikawa and Kim. Morikawa will also be participating in the Sentry Tournament the weekend prior to The Sony Open, while this will be Kim’s first event of the year. The 22-year-old is already a three-time winner on the PGA Tour. Morikawa’s experience against Kim’s youthful exuberance will make this an interesting one to watch.

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Xander Schauffele vs Tony Finau – Farmers Insurance Open (Jan 22-25)

Schaufele is another big name on the PGA Tour. A head-to-head against Scheffler in the Sentry is another chance to measure up Schaufelle’s early season form. However, within the demanding setup of the Farmers Insurance Open, a matchup with Tony Finau will prove just as demanding for these challengers and exciting for fans. Finau could have an edge on the longer holes thanks to his powerful driving. Schaufelle’s greatest strength here is his familiarity with the course. He’s the local favorite for this reason. The Farmers Insurance Open is scheduled for the penultimate weekend in January at the scenic Torrey Pines.

It’s easy to speculate which head-to-head matchups the bookies will focus on. It’s usually the big names and promising new ones. The kind of course also matters since some players excel in certain settings than others. Other events in January include the American Express ( Jan 16-19) and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, which runs into the start of February.