Sentry Tournament of Champions Winners and History
The Sentry Tournament of Champions is the PGA Tour’s traditional season opening event with a field composed exclusively of winners from the previous season. Since the wraparound season was implemented, however, the Tournament of Champions now find itself positioned nearly a quarter of the way through the season.
The tournament previously was known as the SBS Tournament of Champions (2010,2017), the Hyundai Tournament of Champions (2011 – 2016), the Mercedes-Benz or Mercedes Tournament of Champions (1994-2009), the Infinity Tournament of Champions (1991 – 1993), the MONY Tournament of Champions (1975 – 1990) and the Tournament of Champions (1953 – 1974). There was no title sponsor in its initial incarnation.
I was surprised, when researching this piece, just how far back the SBS Tournament of Champions extends. The first winner was Al Besselink in 1953 at the Desert Inn Country Club in Las Vegas Nevada. It remained there until the 1967 and 1968 tournaments, when it was played at Las Vegas’ Stardust Country Club. The following year, it moved to the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California. In 1999, the event moved to the The Plantation Course at Kapalua, Hawaii, where it remains to this day.
Jack Nicklaus (who else?) holds the record for most tournaments won, in 1963, 1964, 1971, 1973 and 1977. Four others—Stuart Appleby, Gene Littler, Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson have three victories each. Interestingly, Appleby (2004, 2005 and 2006) and Littler (1955, 1956 and 1957) won theirs in consecutive years.
Ernie Els holds the tournament scoring records, with an aggregate score of 261 and 31 under par in 2003. The -31 is a PGA TOUR record.
Sentry is a mutual insurance company based in Wisconsin. Founded in 1904, it currently is one of the nation’s largest mutual insurance companies, with 2017 assets of nearly $16 billion.
A list of Sentry Tournament of Champions winners follows:
| Year | Player | Score | To par | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sentry Tournament of Champions | ||||
| 2024 | Chris Kirk | 263 | -29 | 1 s hot |
| 2023 | Jon Rahm | 265 | -27 | 2 shots |
| 2022 | Cameron Smith | 258 | -34 | 1 shot |
| 2021 | Harris English | 267 | -25 | Playoff (Niemann) |
| 2020 | Justin Thomas | 278 | -14 | Playoff (Reed, Schauffele) |
| 2019 | Xander Schauffele | 269 | -23 | 1 stroke |
| 2018 | Dustin Johnson | 268 | -24 | 8 strokes |
| SBS Tournament of Champions | ||||
| 2017 | Justin Thomas | 270 | -22 | 3 strokes |
| Hyundai Tournament of Champions | ||||
| 2016 | Jordan Spieth | 262 | −30 | 8 strokes |
| 2015 | Patrick Reed | 271 | −21 | Playoff (Walker) |
| 2014 | Zach Johnson | 273 | −19 | 1 stroke |
| 2013 | Dustin Johnson | 203 | −16 | 4 strokes |
| 2012 | Steve Stricker | 269 | −23 | 3 strokes |
| 2011 | Jonathan Byrd | 268 | −24 | Playoff (Garrigus) |
| SBS Championship | ||||
| 2010 | Geoff Ogilvy (2) | 270 | −22 | 1 stroke |
| Mercedes-Benz Championship | ||||
| 2009 | Geoff Ogilvy | 268 | −24 | 6 strokes |
| 2008 | Daniel Chopra | 274 | −18 | Playoff (Stricker) |
| 2007 | Vijay Singh | 278 | −14 | 2 strokes |
| Mercedes Championships | ||||
| 2006 | Stuart Appleby (3) | 284 | −8 | Playoff (Singh) |
| 2005 | Stuart Appleby (2) | 271 | −21 | 1 stroke |
| 2004 | Stuart Appleby | 270 | −22 | 1 stroke |
| 2003 | Ernie Els | 261 | −31 | 8 strokes |
| 2002 | Sergio García | 274 | −18 | Playoff (Toms) |
| 2001 | Jim Furyk | 274 | −18 | 1 stroke |
| 2000 | Tiger Woods (2) | 276 | −16 | Playoff (Els) |
| 1999 | David Duval | 266 | −26 | 9 strokes |
| 1998 | Phil Mickelson (2) | 271 | −17 | 1 stroke |
| 1997 | Tiger Woods | 202 | −14 | Playoff (Lehman) |
| 1996 | Mark O’Meara | 271 | −17 | 3 strokes |
| 1995 | Steve Elkington (2) | 278 | −10 | Playoff (Lietzke) |
| 1994 | Phil Mickelson | 276 | −12 | Playoff (Couples) |
| Infiniti Tournament of Champions | ||||
| 1993 | Davis Love III | 272 | −16 | 1 stroke |
| 1992 | Steve Elkington | 279 | −9 | Playoff (Faxon) |
| 1991 | Tom Kite (2) | 272 | −16 | 1 stroke |
| MONY Tournament of Champions | ||||
| 1990 | Paul Azinger | 272 | −16 | 1 stroke |
| 1989 | Steve Jones | 279 | −9 | 3 strokes |
| 1988 | Steve Pate | 202 | −14 | 1 stroke |
| 1987 | Mac O’Grady | 278 | −10 | 1 stroke |
| 1986 | Calvin Peete | 267 | −21 | 6 strokes |
| 1985 | Tom Kite | 275 | −13 | 6 strokes |
| 1984 | Tom Watson (3) | 274 | −14 | 5 strokes |
| 1983 | Lanny Wadkins (2) | 280 | −8 | 1 stroke |
| 1982 | Lanny Wadkins | 280 | −8 | 3 strokes |
| 1981 | Lee Trevino | 273 | −15 | 2 strokes |
| 1980 | Tom Watson (2) | 276 | −12 | 3 strokes |
| 1979 | Tom Watson | 275 | −13 | 6 strokes |
| 1978 | Gary Player (2) | 281 | −7 | 2 strokes |
| 1977 | Jack Nicklaus (5) | 281 | −7 | Playoff |
| 1976 | Don January (2) | 277 | −11 | 5 strokes |
| 1975 | Al Geiberger | 277 | −11 | Playoff |
| Tournament of Champions | ||||
| 1974 | Johnny Miller | 280 | −8 | 1 stroke |
| 1973 | Jack Nicklaus (4) | 276 | −12 | 1 stroke |
| 1972 | Bobby Mitchell | 280 | −8 | Playoff |
| 1971 | Jack Nicklaus (3) | 279 | −9 | 8 strokes |
| 1970 | Frank Beard (2) | 273 | −15 | 7 strokes |
| 1969 | Gary Player | 284 | −4 | 2 strokes |
| 1968 | Don January | 276 | −8 | 1 stroke |
| 1967 | Frank Beard | 278 | −6 | 1 stroke |
| 1966 | Arnold Palmer (3) | 283 | −5 | Playoff |
| 1965 | Arnold Palmer (2) | 277 | −11 | 2 strokes |
| 1964 | Jack Nicklaus (2) | 279 | −9 | 2 strokes |
| 1963 | Jack Nicklaus | 273 | −15 | 5 strokes |
| 1962 | Arnold Palmer | 276 | −12 | 1 stroke |
| 1961 | Sam Snead | 273 | −15 | 7 strokes |
| 1960 | Jerry Barber | 268 | −20 | 4 strokes |
| 1959 | Mike Souchak | 281 | −7 | 2 strokes |
| 1958 | Stan Leonard | 275 | −13 | 1 stroke |
| 1957 | Gene Littler (3) | 285 | −3 | 3 strokes |
| 1956 | Gene Littler (2) | 281 | −7 | 4 strokes |
| 1955 | Gene Littler | 280 | −8 | 13 strokes |
| 1954 | Art Wall, Jr. | 278 | −10 | 6 strokes |
| 1953 | Al Besselink | 280 | −8 | 1 stroke |
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