Why Rory McIlroy isn't playing in PGA Tour's Sentry Tournament of Champions
Rory McIlroy has chosen not to play in the PGA Tour's first "elevated" events at the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions in Maui.
Rory McIlroy has chosen not to compete at the Sentry Tournament of Champions on the PGA Tour.
This is despite the fact there is a stacked field in Maui and a prize purse of $15m on offer.
That represents almost double what it was in 2022 when it was won by a certain Cameron Smith with a record low score.
As many as 17 of the world's top 20 golfers will be pegging it up this week but McIlroy won't be there.
It's likely that the Northern Irishman is limiting his travel at the start of the year, owing to the fact that he's scheduled to compete at the Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour in late January.
McIlroy's decision not to play the Sentry TOC is hardly a surprise, considering he's only played in the tournament once despite being eligible on numerous occasions.
The only time McIlroy has played in this event came in 2019, where he finished T-4.
Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson routinely skipped this event over the years.
The latter only showed up last January as he was asked by the PGA Tour to participate in an event he hadn't played in a while in order to be eligible for his cash bonus from the inaugural Player Impact Program.
How times have changed.
Only a few months later Mickelson was making his debut in LIV Golf and we found out he was banned by his home circuit.
In case it passed you by, the 2023 Sentry TOC represents the first event to be played that has been given "elevated" status by the PGA Tour.
The winner will take home a cheque for $2.7m.
For McIlroy, his decision not to play this week will have ramifications.
He is now required to play in the rest of the tour's "elevated" events because he finished inside the top 20 of the 2022 Player Impact Program, won by Woods.
This means that we will likely see McIlroy make his PGA Tour debut in February at the WM Phoenix Open.
It will be the first time McIlroy has competed at TPC Scottsdale.
Who is playing in the 2023 Sentry TOC?
- Keegan Bradley
- Ryan Brehm
- Sam Burns
- Patrick Cantlay
- Corey Conners
- Tony Finau
- Matt Fitzpatrick
- Brian Harman
- Russell Henley
- Tom Hoge
- Max Homa
- Billy Horschel
- Viktor Hovland
- Mackenzie Hughes
- Sungjae Im
- Tom Kim
- K.H. Lee
- Luke List
- Hideki Matsuyama
- Collin Morikawa
- Trey Mullinax
- J.T. Poston
- Seamus Power
- Jon Rahm
- Chad Ramey
- Chez Reavie
- Xander Schauffele
- Scottie Scheffler
- Adam Scott
- J.J. Spaun
- Jordan Spieth
- Scott Stallings
- Sepp Straka
- Adam Svennsson
- Sahith Theegala
- Justin Thomas
- Aaaron Wise
- Cameron Young
- Will Zalatoris
Next page: 2023 PGA Tour schedule
Ben joined the GolfMagic team in September 2021, initially as a content executive.
These days, he assumes the position of content manager.
