The PGA Tour is back.
The latest: A new season begins with The Sentry, hosted at Kapalua Plantation Course in Hawaii. The first of eight signature events features a 60-man field but two big names — Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy — won’t be playing.
Check out our The Sentry odds and best bets for the PGA Tour tournament beginning on Jan. 2.
The Sentry odds
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Xander Schauffele tops the odds board after adding two majors to the trophy cabinet last season.
Shauffele had 11 straight top-20 finishes before his T41 at the ZoZo Championship in October. He was T10 at the Sentry last year and runner-up to Justin Thomas in 2020.
Speaking of JT, he’s second on the odds board. The former World No. 1 has a great history here and is searching for his first win since the PGA Championship in 2022.
There are a handful of big names coming in with 20-to-1 odds or shorter, including Hideki Matsuyama, who I’m picking to win (more on that later).
Four Canadians are playing this week with Corey Conners leading the way on the odds board.
The Sentry best bets
Matsuyama to win (+1,800) & top-20 finish (-137): Full disclosure: There’s always a risk Hideki will tweak his back and pull the chute mid-event.
But I won’t be scared and think this is a perfect spot for the 32-year-old to pick off another win.
Matsuyama has struggled at Kapalua in recent years but still has three top-five finishes at this venue on his ledger. It’s a perplexing resume because this course should fit his eye.
The plantation course is often compared to Augusta National thanks to its wide fairways and wild undulations.
Players need an elite second-shot game to compete at either venue. Matsuyama won the green jacket in 2021 and is one of the best ball strikers on the planet.
He also has a win, a T2 and a T3 in his last six starts. That math checks out to me.
Pendrith to win (+5,500) & top-20 finish (+150): I’m taking a flier on Canadian Taylor Pendrith, who is playing some great golf right now.
Elite iron play has propelled him to six top-20 finishes in his last seven starts.
Pendrith ranks third in strokes gained: approach (+0.97) in this field behind only Matsuyama and Thomas over the last 20 starts, according to DataGolf.
He can bomb the ball off the tee and his accuracy issues with the big stick won’t matter here. The plus-money odds to finish in the top 20 are nice but I have to sprinkle his 55-to-1 odds to win.
Greyserman top-20 finish (+125): Does Greyserman have the clutch gene? It doesn’t look like it.
The 29-year-old let multiple tournaments slip away in the fall but put himself in a position to win, which is what’s important here.
He has four top-five finishes in his last six starts (three runner-ups), never finishing worse than T33.
Greyserman is an elite putter and a respectable iron player. I like his chances of finishing in the top third of this field.
Golf picks made at 12:54 p.m. on 12/31/2024.
Avery joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2022 before stepping into a full-time role soon after. He loves betting on and analyzing golf — mainly because it’s easier than actually playing — but is a fan of all sports, from the NFL to the UFC.