The PGA Tour season resumes this week at Kapalua. Here’s what You Oughta Know heading into the SBS Tournament of Champions. Stats courtesy Golf Channel research department:
Jason Day is back
• The world No. 1 has been out since withdrawing from the Tour Championship in September with a back injury.
• Day will have a new look as he signed an apparel deal with Nike. He will continue to play TaylorMade equipment.
• In the last three seasons, Day has the most wins of any player:
Jason Day: 8
Jordan Spieth: 7
Rory McIlroy: 4
Dustin Johnson: 4
• One reason why Day is No. 1? He’s improved his strokes gained-putting stat over recent years:
2016: +1.13 (1st)
2015: +0.59 (6th)
2014: +0.32 (29th)
2013: +0.37 (30th)
• Last season, Day won wire-to-wire (no ties) twice. He became only the fourth player to do that since 1970, joining Tiger Woods (twice), Tom Watson and Johnny Miller:
2016: Jason Day (Arnold Palmer Inv., The Players)
2002: Tiger Woods (U.S. Open, WGC-Cadillac Champ.)
2000: Tiger Woods (U.S. Open, WGC-Bridgestone Inv.)
1980: Tom Watson (Hyundai TOC, AT&T Byron Nelson)
1974: Johnny Miller (Tucson Open, RBC Heritage)
Jordan Spieth is the defending champion
• He won last year by eight strokes. At 30 under par, Spieth’s total was the second-lowest winning score to par in PGA Tour history in a 72-hole event. Ernie Els in 2003 posted 31 under at Kapalua.
• Spieth’s 67.0 scoring average is the best all-time at Kapalua (minimum of eight rounds).
Dustin Johnson has never posted a score worse than par at TOC
• The U.S. Open champ has played 23 rounds at Kapalua with a scoring average of 69.3. He won the tournament in 2013.
• DJ has won in nine straight seasons, which is more than twice as long as the second-longest active streak:
Dustin Johnson: 9
Patrick Reed: 4
Jason Day: 3
Rory McIlroy: 3
Ryan Moore: 3
Jimmy Walker: 3
Bubba Watson: 3
Hideki Matsuyama has plenty of momentum
• Matsuyama finished 2016 out in style:
Hero World Challenge: Won
Taiheiyo Masters: Won
WGC-HSBC Champions: Won
CIMB Classic: 2nd
Japan Open Golf Champ.: Won
Tour Championship: 5th