Sentry TOC: Leave The Format, Take The Trophy
Hey, how about that new trophy from the new sponsor! The Sentry Tournament of Champions wheeled out a candidate for best non-major trophy and a runaway winner in Dustin Johnson.Everything else was, I'm sad to say, pretty boring.
With the PGA Championship move to May 2019 in coordination with the PGA Tour, we know everything should be under review from the calendar to formats to the FedExCup.
An essential starting place for setting a new tone should commence in emergency fashion with the moribund Sentry Tournament of Champions.
Because this is the sensitive world of golf where the slightest critique brings an outpouring of defensive responses, hate mail and Twitter trolls, let me get the apologies out of the way. I apologize in advance to, among others, Kapalua resort, Maui, the Governor, the people of Hawaii, Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw, new sponsor Sentry, longtime ambassador Mark Rolfing, the Golf Channel, the 2018 field, Rickie's Hawaiian shirt, anyone who has ever played a tournament of champions, and most of all, the humpback whales.
No offense, but the 2018 Sentry TOC was drool-on-the-pillow, dull. The kind of power-nap material you wake up from and feel like you've been sleeping for days. I can attest from actual 2018 experience the first three rounds. And this is coming from someone who enjoys the course, the setting and the concept of starting the season with an all-winners field.
Outside of it's place as a calendar year starter with the previous year's tournament winners, the Tournament of Champions needs more than an infusion of tweaks. The event needs an entire re-imagining. A Keith Pelley-like intervention, minus the pyrotechnics.
Some thoughts:
—Format. As match play is normalized and more revered by fans and network execs, the longtime calls to move this to a match play format look more prescient than ever. The small field size is crying out for some sort of match format leading to a championship matches by finalists. Smart executives can figure out how to deal with a different field size each year, but an obvious remedy would be to exempt players from round one who win multiple events from a round or two. Or maybe pool play where those with more wins than one receive benefits. Hey, how about pool play divided by West Coast, Fall, Playoff, and other seasonal winners? Anything but 72-holes of stroke play where limited fields are more likely to give us runaway winners!
—Course. Kapalua’s Plantation course has gradually lost its bite. Whether a change in wind patterns, the softer turf, negative effects of various renovations, modern distances or our excess familiarity, the course no longer seems to induce the shotmaking and as many crazy ball-rolls that made it so much fun to see shot-shaping. I don't know the answer here.
—Playing window. The Monday finishes designed to avoid NFL Playoffs were tried and fizzled when contested up until just minutes before the Monday national title game in college football. (Or when they spilled into the game if there was a playoff.) Hawaii golf in January, on cable television, means prime time viewing flexibility that should allow for the PGA Tour to consider the calendar and adjust. This year would have been an interesting one to from Tuesday to Friday. Some years might force a Saturday start and Tuesday finish. Take advantage of prime time golf and more flexible sports viewers. Ponte Vedra, here is the future schedule of CFP playoff games.
—Broadcast. Many things have been tried over the years, from more profound first tee announcements (complete with videoboard intros) and extended interviews. Given the small field, the TOC seems ideal for more review of last year's winners or more previewing the upcoming season. Some experimental elements should be doable given the field size, particularly if it moves to match play. Understandably, the Hawaii location precludes some technical elements, but maybe strong second-set experience that reviewed the great moments of 2017 or included pundits analyzing things to look for in 2018 would liven things up. Shoot, why not use the opening week to do deeper dives into player bags when players are either using new stuff, or endorsing new brands?
Ultimately the event may forever lack energy and excitement because of the relaxed Hawaii vibe or the never-ending season or the wealth of strong events. But given the field quality in 2018 and the current opportunity for schedule re-imagination, the PGA Tour's “opening day” event desperately needs a bold intervention.
Reader Comments (28)
However, I think the deep dive in the season behind, ahead, at detailed what’s in the bag segment, etc would be great.
As for Plantation course, I think it's fine. People know it a bit better sure, but there is a lot to be said for familiarity. I know I want to see the tee shot on #6 on this course, for example. Not many courses I can say I care about that.
Maybe what's needed, instead of more tweaks, is a step back from the sensory overload. The event isn't just about a straight golf tournament. And that's ok.
Now look at it – Even Geoff has posted a comment: - “No offense, but the 2018 Sentry TOC was drool-on-the-pillow, dull. The kind of power-nap material you wake up from and feel like you've been sleeping for days. I can attest from actual 2018 experience the first three rounds. And this is coming from someone who enjoys the course, the setting and the concept of starting the season with an all-winners field”.
What an indictment to make about the Governing Body and The Links Trust who do the R&A’s bidding. What’s more, it was right under the nose of The R&A who have been responsible for many of the course changes over the years.
Yet the R&A still do not see, do not understand, listen or apparently just don’t give a F@&K
The R&A create and fester like parasites carrying plague driven rats, doing great damage to the game, courses, clubs and right down to the majority of honest golfers. They urgently need to be reformed, more for the sake of golf than the R&A itself.
TOC should be allowed to show its penal face again, that once made it The Course most designers and golfers wanted to recreate all around the World. A Golfer’s Course, A Duffer’s Course, A Designer’s Course while A Course for all Golfers and Players alike.
That is such a classic post. I love absolutely everything about it. Just so awesome in so many ways.
The
It somehow encapsulates everything that is wonderful and simultaneously unhinged about your singlemindedness. I say that with great affection for your curmudgeonly crusade.
Happy New Year!
TS
And even the majors I'll tune off except for the Masters unless it's close.
Then more guys will skip it and there’ll be something else to complain about
One thought though... Run 2 winners only events on the same course concurrently. PGAT & LPGA. Thur, Fri & Sat go 1 & 10 tee starts, LPGA on one side, PGAT on the other. Sunday do the same except last 4 LPGA groups, immediately precede last 4 PGAT groups off #1. Double the chance of some compelling competition while bringing some eye candy to the event as well...
Gosh... Hope I didn't break some PC code with that last line... :-)
Sentry TOC kapalua course is not a standard golf course, nor a standard Hawaiian golf course. Seems like they're playing on the side of a mountain. Is it called the Mauka Kapalua Golf Course? Ridiculous rolls after drives. DJ's 430 was aided by 100 yds of roll.