The most interesting sub-plot during this week’s Sentry Tournament of Champions is the possibility of somebody other than Jon Rahm ending the week as the world number one.
Morikawa Guns for Top Spot in ‘Home Game’
Collin Morikawa has got so close behind Rahm in the rankings that the Californian can usurp the Spaniard at the summit if he bosses the Sentry in Hawaii.
Morikawa blew a golden chance of going number one when he squandered a five-shot lead in the final round of the Hero World Challenge just before Christmas. Morikawa looked set to follow his DP World Tour Championship success with another one in The Bahamas, but a Sunday 76 meant Viktor Hovland won the Hero and Rahm stayed atop the rankings.
Morikawa would dearly love to become the planet’s premier player in Hawaii, where he has lots of family and has been a regular visitor through his life. He first played on the Plantation Course at the age of nine. Rahm is 15/2 to win the Sentry, while Morikawa can be backed at 10/1.
Thomas Hunting a Kapalua Hat-Trick
Justin Thomas has won two of the last five editions of the Sentry Tournament of Champions and the former world number one is an 8/1 chance to complete a hat-trick of triumphs on Sunday.
Thomas has been playing golf in front of the cameras fairly recently – he finished third when competing alongside his father in the PNC Championship pairs event in the middle of last month – so he could have an edge over others in terms of being less rusty.
Thomas has twice finished third in the Sentry, in addition to his victories, so his course credentials are excellent. The main reason for leaving Thomas alone at short odds this week is his continued putting woes. There is no doubt he is one of the best ball-strikers on the circuit, particularly when approaching the greens, but the Kentucky man has failed to hole his fair share on the greens for a long time.
With benign weather expected in Hawaii this week – and extremely low scoring – Thomas will not get away with having a cold putter.
Refreshed Cantlay Can Return Strongly
In contrast to Thomas, Patrick Cantlay can go into the Sentry Tournament of Champions full of faith in his short-game. Cantlay ended last year looking imperious on the greens – he produced record-breaking putting figures when winning the BMW Championship with a 27-under-par total, then repelled Jon Rahm at East Lake on his way to the FedEx Cup title.
Further clutch putts from Cantlay were seen at the Ryder Cup – at which the Californian made his debut against the Europeans. Cantlay relished the Cup combat and went unbeaten through the event, signing off by thrashing Shane Lowry in the Sunday singles.
The 14/1 about Cantlay winning the Sentry seems enormous, given he is the world number four and the FedEx Cup champion. The layers clearly think rust – he has not competed for three months – will be enough to stop him.
*All odds correct at time of writing.