Sentry Tournament Of Champions Winners And History

Sentry Tournament Of Champions Winners And History

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:

YearPlayerScoreTo parMargin
Sentry Tournament of Champions
2024Chris Kirk263-291 s hot
2023Jon Rahm265-272 shots
2022Cameron Smith258-341 shot
2021Harris English267-25Playoff (Niemann)
2020Justin Thomas278-14Playoff (Reed, Schauffele)
2019Xander Schauffele269-231 stroke
2018Dustin Johnson268-248 strokes
SBS Tournament of Champions
2017Justin Thomas270-223 strokes
Hyundai Tournament of Champions
2016Jordan Spieth262−308 strokes
2015Patrick Reed271−21Playoff (Walker)
2014Zach Johnson273−191 stroke
2013Dustin Johnson203−164 strokes
2012Steve Stricker269−233 strokes
2011Jonathan Byrd268−24Playoff (Garrigus)
SBS Championship
2010Geoff Ogilvy (2)270−221 stroke
Mercedes-Benz Championship
2009Geoff Ogilvy268−246 strokes
2008Daniel Chopra274−18Playoff (Stricker)
2007Vijay Singh278−142 strokes
Mercedes Championships
2006Stuart Appleby (3)284−8Playoff (Singh)
2005Stuart Appleby (2)271−211 stroke
2004Stuart Appleby270−221 stroke
2003Ernie Els261−318 strokes
2002Sergio García274−18Playoff (Toms)
2001Jim Furyk274−181 stroke
2000Tiger Woods (2)276−16Playoff (Els)
1999David Duval266−269 strokes
1998Phil Mickelson (2)271−171 stroke
1997Tiger Woods202−14Playoff (Lehman)
1996Mark O’Meara271−173 strokes
1995Steve Elkington (2)278−10Playoff (Lietzke)
1994Phil Mickelson276−12Playoff (Couples)
Infiniti Tournament of Champions
1993Davis Love III272−161 stroke
1992Steve Elkington279−9Playoff (Faxon)
1991Tom Kite (2)272−161 stroke
MONY Tournament of Champions
1990Paul Azinger272−161 stroke
1989Steve Jones279−93 strokes
1988Steve Pate202−141 stroke
1987Mac O’Grady278−101 stroke
1986Calvin Peete267−216 strokes
1985Tom Kite275−136 strokes
1984Tom Watson (3)274−145 strokes
1983Lanny Wadkins (2)280−81 stroke
1982Lanny Wadkins280−83 strokes
1981Lee Trevino273−152 strokes
1980Tom Watson (2)276−123 strokes
1979Tom Watson275−136 strokes
1978Gary Player (2)281−72 strokes
1977Jack Nicklaus (5)281−7Playoff
1976Don January (2)277−115 strokes
1975Al Geiberger277−11Playoff
Tournament of Champions
1974Johnny Miller280−81 stroke
1973Jack Nicklaus (4)276−121 stroke
1972Bobby Mitchell280−8Playoff
1971Jack Nicklaus (3)279−98 strokes
1970Frank Beard (2)273−157 strokes
1969Gary Player284−42 strokes
1968Don January276−81 stroke
1967Frank Beard278−61 stroke
1966Arnold Palmer (3)283−5Playoff
1965Arnold Palmer (2)277−112 strokes
1964Jack Nicklaus (2)279−92 strokes
1963Jack Nicklaus273−155 strokes
1962Arnold Palmer276−121 stroke
1961Sam Snead273−157 strokes
1960Jerry Barber268−204 strokes
1959Mike Souchak281−72 strokes
1958Stan Leonard275−131 stroke
1957Gene Littler (3)285−33 strokes
1956Gene Littler (2)281−74 strokes
1955Gene Littler280−813 strokes
1954Art Wall, Jr.278−106 strokes
1953Al Besselink280−81 stroke

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