First Tournament of the New Year TOC... '19 Billion Won Money Festival'

PGA Tour Hawaii 2023 'King of Kings Tournament' Opens
Total Prize Money Increased from $6.8 Million to $15 Million
'Long Hitter's Playground' Sets Record with Maximum 476 Yards

The PGA Tour kicks off 2023 in Hawaii.

According to the PGA on the 3rd, the 2022/2023 season Sentry Tournament of Champions (TOC) will be held over four days starting from the 5th at the Kapalua Plantation Course on Maui Island, Hawaii. As the first tournament of the new year, it is a "champion of champions" event featuring only 39 world-class players, including last season's winners.

Seventeen of the top 20 players in the world rankings have entered. World No. 1 Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) chose to rest. Cameron Smith (Australia), ranked third in the world and the defending champion, lost his eligibility after moving to LIV Golf, which is backed by Saudi Arabian capital.

The TOC has expanded this year to compete against the massive influx of LIV Golf. The total prize money increased by a staggering $6.8 million from last year's $8.2 million to $15 million (approximately 19 billion KRW). The winner's prize also rose from $1.476 million to $2.7 million (340 million KRW).

The Plantation Course, the battleground for the TOC, was once a pineapple plantation. The fairway width is generously around 50 yards. The steep downhill slope favors long drives. If the only defense, the wind, does not blow, players can enjoy powerful shots. It is currently the strongest PGA long-drive course. In 2004, Davis Love III (USA) recorded 476 yards. Justin Thomas (USA), the winner in 2017 and 2020, hit 449 yards. This year, drives over 400 yards are expected to pour in again.

Among the entrants are world No. 2 Scottie Scheffler, Patrick Cantlay, Thomas, 2016 winner Jordan Spieth, 2019 winner Xander Schauffele, Max Homa, Tony Finau, Will Zalatoris (all USA), Jon Rahm (Spain), and Viktor Hovland (Norway).

Korea is represented by three players: world No. 15 Kim Joo-hyung, No. 19 Im Sung-jae, and No. 38 Lee Kyung-hoon. Im Sung-jae performed well with a tie for 5th place in 2021 and a tie for 8th place last year. There has yet to be a Korean winner.