The Sentry (formerly known as the Tournament of Champions) has been the PGA Tour's only winners-only event on the schedule. Until recently, the only way to earn a spot in the field was to win a PGA Tour-sanctioned official event since the previous Tournament of Champions was played.
The Tournament of Champions concept goes back to 1953, when it first hit the schedule. The original idea was to have the tournament be a showcase of winners. However, in 1986, the PGA Tour moved the Tournament of Champions to the very front of the schedule, showcasing it as the season-opening tournament.
After the 2013 season, the PGA Tour moved to a wrap-around schedule, meaning the Tournament of Champions was no longer the first event on a schedule that now ran from September (or October) through August (or September). The Sentry Tournament of Champions has remained in its same calendar spot -- the first tournament of the year -- as part of the Hawaii Swing with the Sony Open in Hawaii, which is the first full-field event of the year.
Starting in 2024, the tournament now invites both PGA Tour winners since the last version of the event, as well as all players who finished in the top 50 of the prior season's FedEx Cup points list.
Jack Nicklaus has won the tournament the most times, earning five wins in his career, with his last in 1977. Tom Watson and Arnold Palmer have three wins, tying for the second-most wins in the event with Stuart Appleby, who won three years in a row from 2004-2006, and Gene Littler, who won three in a row from 1955-1957. Tiger Woods has won the tournament twice, along with Steve Elkington, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Gary Player, Don January, Frank Beard, Geoff Ogilvy and Tom Kite.
The Sentry (Tournament of Champions) format
The Sentry is played over four days, and there is no cut for the qualifying field -- part of the reward for getting in the event and earning the opportunity to compete. At the end of the 72-hole event, the lowest score wins.
From 2012-2015, the tournament was played from Friday to Monday in hopes of the final round serving as a pre-game of sorts for the college football national championship game.
In 2023, the qualifying criteria for the tournament expanded to include all PGA Tour winners since and including the last Tournament of Champions and all players who qualified for the prior year's Tour Championship.
The Sentry host courses
- Desert Inn Country Club, Las Vegas, Nev.: 1953-1966
- Stardust Country Club, Las Vegas, Nev.: 1967-1968
- La Costa Resort and Spa, Carlsbad, Calif.: 1969-1998
- Kapalua Resort (Plantation Course), Maui, Hawaii: 1999-present
The Sentry past sponsors
The Tournament of Champions has seen a variety of title sponsors over the years:
- Mutual of New York (MONY): 1975-1990
- Infinite: 1991-1993
- Mercedes-Benz: 1994-2009
- Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS): 2010, 2017
- Hyundai (sublet from SBS): 2011-2016
- Sentry Insurance: 2018-present
In 2010, SBS signed a 10-year deal to sponsor the tournament. However, after the first year, they sublet out the sponsorship to Hyundai, who was title sponsor until their Genesis brand took over the sponsorship of the Los Angeles Open.
In 2020, Sentry signed a 10-year deal to sponsor the tournament through the end of the 2020s.
The Sentry Tournament of Champions history & results
| YEAR | WINNER | TOT | TO PAR | BY | MONEY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Jon Rahm | 265 | −27 | 2 | $2,700,000 |
| 2022 | Cameron Smith | 258 | −34 | 1 | $1,476,000 |
| 2021 | Harris English | 267 | −25 | PO | $1,340,000 |
| 2020 | Justin Thomas | 278 | −14 | PO | $1,340,000 |
| 2019 | Xander Schauffele | 269 | −23 | 1 | $1,300,000 |
| 2018 | Dustin Johnson (2) | 268 | −24 | 8 | $1,260,000 |
| 2017 | Justin Thomas | 270 | −22 | 3 | $1,220,000 |
| 2016 | Jordan Spieth | 262 | −30 | 8 | $1,180,000 |
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| 2015 | Patrick Reed | 271 | −21 | PO | $1,140,000 |
| 2014 | Zach Johnson | 273 | −19 | 1 | $1,140,000 |
| 2013 | Dustin Johnson | 203 | −16 | 4 | $1,140,000 |
| 2012 | Steve Stricker | 269 | −23 | 3 | $1,120,000 |
| 2011 | Jonathan Byrd | 268 | −24 | PO | $1,120,000 |
| 2010 | Geoff Ogilvy (2) | 270 | −22 | 1 | $1,120,000 |
| 2009 | Geoff Ogilvy | 268 | −24 | 6 | $1,120,000 |
| 2008 | Daniel Chopra | 274 | −18 | PO | $1,100,000 |
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| 2007 | Vijay Singh | 278 | −14 | 2 | $1,100,000 |
| 2006 | Stuart Appleby (3) | 284 | −8 | PO | $1,080,000 |
| 2005 | Stuart Appleby (2) | 271 | −21 | 1 | $1,060,000 |
| 2004 | Stuart Appleby | 270 | −22 | 1 | $1,060,000 |
| 2003 | Ernie Els | 261 | −31 | 8 | $1,000,000 |
| 2002 | Sergio García | 274 | −18 | PO | $720,000 |
| 2001 | Jim Furyk | 274 | −18 | 1 | $630,000 |
| 2000 | Tiger Woods (2) | 276 | −16 | PO | $522,000 |
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| 1999 | David Duval | 266 | −26 | 9 | $468,000 |
| 1998 | Phil Mickelson (2) | 271 | −17 | 1 | $306,000 |
| 1997 | Tiger Woods | 202 | −14 | PO | $216,000 |
| 1996 | Mark O'Meara | 271 | −17 | 3 | $180,000 |
| 1995 | Steve Elkington (2) | 278 | −10 | PO | $180,000 |
| 1994 | Phil Mickelson | 276 | −12 | PO | $180,000 |
| 1993 | Davis Love III | 272 | −16 | 1 | $144,000 |
| 1992 | Steve Elkington | 279 | −9 | PO | $144,000 |
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| 1991 | Tom Kite (2) | 272 | −16 | 1 | $144,000 |
| 1990 | Paul Azinger | 272 | −16 | 1 | $135,000 |
| 1989 | Steve Jones | 279 | −9 | 3 | $135,000 |
| 1988 | Steve Pate | 202 | −14 | 1 | $90,000 |
| 1987 | Mac O'Grady | 278 | −10 | 1 | $90,000 |
| 1986 | Calvin Peete | 267 | −21 | 6 | $90,000 |
| 1985 | Tom Kite | 275 | −13 | 6 | $72,000 |
| 1984 | Tom Watson (3) | 274 | −14 | 5 | $72,000 |
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| 1983 | Lanny Wadkins (2) | 280 | −8 | 1 | $72,000 |
| 1982 | Lanny Wadkins | 280 | −8 | 3 | $63,000 |
| 1981 | Lee Trevino | 273 | −15 | 2 | $54,000 |
| 1980 | Tom Watson (2) | 276 | −12 | 3 | $54,000 |
| 1979 | Tom Watson | 275 | −13 | 6 | $54,000 |
| 1978 | Gary Player (2) | 281 | −7 | 2 | $45,000 |
| 1977 | Jack Nicklaus (5) | 281 | −7 | PO | $45,000 |
| 1976 | Don January (2) | 277 | −11 | 5 | $45,000 |
| 1975 | Al Geiberger | 277 | −11 | PO | $40,000 |
| 1974 | Johnny Miller | 280 | −8 | 1 | $40,000 |
| 1973 | Jack Nicklaus (4) | 276 | −12 | 1 | $40,000 |
| 1972 | Bobby Mitchell | 280 | −8 | PO | $33,000 |
| 1971 | Jack Nicklaus (3) | 279 | −9 | 8 | $33,000 |
| 1970 | Frank Beard (2) | 273 | −15 | 7 | $30,000 |
| 1969 | Gary Player | 284 | −4 | 2 | $30,000 |
| 1968 | Don January | 276 | −8 | 1 | $30,000 |
| 1967 | Frank Beard | 278 | −6 | 1 | $20,000 |
| 1966 | Arnold Palmer (3) | 283 | −5 | PO | $20,000 |
| 1965 | Arnold Palmer (2) | 277 | −11 | 2 | $14,000 |
| 1964 | Jack Nicklaus (2) | 279 | −9 | 2 | $12,000 |
| 1963 | Jack Nicklaus | 273 | −15 | 5 | $13,000 |
| 1962 | Arnold Palmer | 276 | −12 | 1 | $11,000 |
| 1961 | Sam Snead | 273 | −15 | 7 | $10,000 |
| 1960 | Jerry Barber | 268 | −20 | 4 | $10,000 |
| 1959 | Mike Souchak | 281 | −7 | 2 | $10,000 |
| 1958 | Stan Leonard | 275 | −13 | 1 | $10,000 |
| 1957 | Gene Littler (3) | 285 | −3 | 3 | $10,000 |
| 1956 | Gene Littler (2) | 281 | −7 | 4 | $10,000 |
| 1955 | Gene Littler | 280 | −8 | 13 | $10,000 |
| 1954 | Art Wall, Jr. | 278 | −10 | 6 | $10,000 |
| 1953 | Al Besselink | 280 | −8 | 1 | $10,000 |
