2022 is sort of over and lots of sports activities have wrapped up for the winter. Golf, nevertheless, just isn’t one in every of them.
Whereas newbie gamers might have hung up their golf equipment for the colder months, the PGA Tour is simply getting began with occasions just like the Presidents Cup, the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP, and the Hero World Problem already accomplished.
After a brief break for Christmas, professional golfers can be again in motion earlier than most of us have cleaned away the mess from our New Yr celebrations with motion persevering with all through the month of January and till the top of the season in the summertime.
Naturally, essentially the most consideration for the subsequent yr can be on the key tournaments just like the Ryder Cup, the Open Championship, and the PGA Championship. These occasions sometimes have the most important prize purses, the largest TV audiences, and carry essentially the most status.
The most important occasions appeal to far more consideration too. For instance, you’ll be able to already discover golf betting odds for the US Masters which doesn’t tee off till April. At current, Rory Mcllroy is the favorite with Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith very shut behind.
Nonetheless, smaller occasions which are happening earlier than then are but to have their odds launched.
That doesn’t imply these tournaments aren’t price watching. The truth is, they’re usually nice alternatives to see high gamers extra relaxed whereas they play and recent expertise showcase their expertise as they work to climb the greasy pole of golf.
All through January, there can be loads of these thrilling competitions to maintain followers entertained.
Match of Champions
The Match of Champions can be one of many first competitions to get underway within the New Yr. Held at The Plantation Course at Kapula, in Hawaii, this occasion has been the standard calendar-year-opening event within the PGA Tour since 1953.
As its identify suggests, it’s a competitors that’s open solely to champions. This used to imply solely gamers who had gained a event within the earlier yr, however it now additionally contains gamers that certified for the earlier Tour Championship too.
This implies the par-73 course on the island of Maui will see lots of the world’s finest golfers go for glory throughout its 18 holes.
The Match of Champions will happen on from the fifth to the eighth of January 2023.
The American Specific (Desert Traditional)
The Desert Traditional is a golf event that’s been happening every January since 1960. Over time, it’s had a couple of totally different names however is at the moment known as The American Specific, because it has been because the bank card firm took over the title sponsorship deal in 2020.
Will probably be performed on the La Quinta Nation Membership in California, utilizing the PGA West course, as has been the case for the Desert Traditional since 2016. Prior to now, it was frequent to see movie star gamers participating within the occasion, however this custom has slowly pale away to change into a extra typical PGA Tour occasion.
There does stay a pro-am factor, nevertheless, with 156 skilled gamers being chosen utilizing the usual rankings system plus winners of the occasion earlier than 1999 and within the final decade, winners of The Gamers Championship earlier than 1996, and golfers who competed within the final Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup.
Final yr, Hudson Swafford picked up his second win within the event with a rating of 265, 23 underneath par and two strokes forward of fellow American Tom Hoge.
He’ll be hoping to say a 3rd victory once more this yr when it tees off once more on sixteenth January.
Abu Dhabi Championship
The Abu Dhabi Championship just isn’t a part of the PGA Tour, as a substitute making up a part of the European Tour.
The occasion will happen because the beautiful Yas Hyperlinks course, on Yas Island, close to the Yas Marina racing circuit, Etihad Area, and Ferrari World theme park. It’s, subsequently, a well-liked vacation spot for golf followers who additionally need to use the chance to discover a few of the different points of interest on provide within the Emirate.
It’s one of many greatest occasions on the European Tour, thanks, partially, to the big prize purse and different charges paid to high golfers.
Final yr’s event was gained by Belgian Thomas Pieters who led from Rafa Cabera-Bello and Shubhankar Sharma by a single stroke to go 10 underneath par. This yr’s occasion will run from the nineteenth to the twenty second January.