While most of the continental United States is celebrating the New Year and is battling cold weather. The winners of PGA Tour events in 2013 are gathering in sunny Hawaii for the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
Previously the first official tournament of the new season, it has been played on the Plantation Course of Kapalua Resort on Maui since 1999. With the new wrap-around schedule, the 2014 PGA Tour season began in October at the Frys.com Open and this is just another stop in paradise along the PGA Tour trail.
The Hyundai Tournament of Champions is a limited field event, only winners of PGA Tour tournaments last season are invited.
Dustin Johnson is the defending champion and a few of the familiar names in the field this year include, Adam Scott, Russell Henley, Matt Kuchar Kevin Streelman, Jordan Spieth, Bill Haas, Billy Horschel and Jason Dufner.
Most years the big news at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions is the players that choose to stay home and not bother to travel to Hawaii. Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson, and Justin Rose all had wins in 2013, but will be no-shows at Kapalua.
No. 2 ranked Adam Scott and No. 7 Matt Kuchar are the only two players of the top-10 on the Official World Golf Rankings that will play this week.
The team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw designed the Plantation Course and it was opened in 1991. It flows over 7,452 yards of hilly terrain with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean.
Elevated tees, trade winds and firm, fast fairways yield long drives and an abundant quantity of birdies and eagles.
The Hyundai Tournament of Champions offers a $5.7 million purse to the field in the no-cut, 72-hole event. $1.0 million goes to the winner.
It begins on Friday, January 3 and will conclude on Monday, January, 6, to avoid competition with the NFL Playoffs for television audience.
The tournament will be broadcast on the Golf Channel and always offers outstanding views of palm trees swaying and whales blowing off steam in the warm waters surrounding Maui.