The PGA Tour kicks off its 2022 tournament season this week with the Sentry Tournament of Champions. There are some exciting headlines ahead of the tournament. Even in the professional golf world, things don’t always go smoothly, so Viktor Hovland misses his golf clubs and Xander Schauffele only makes it into the starting field with a little persuasion.
Viktor Hovland: “My thugs are still in Seattle!”
Viktor Hovland vented his frustration on Monday with an Instagram story. The winner of the World Wide Technology Championship traveled to the tournament in Hawaii early on, but did not get any additional training rounds for it. Because his equipment, including all clubs, has been in a warehouse of his airline since his flight. As the Golf News Network reports, there is no equipment backup at this particular tournament, as is customary at other major events. Meanwhile, according to his Instagram story, the thugs have arrived. But the next setback follows immediately. His driver broke while transporting the play equipment. The situation is reminiscent of his bad luck before the World Wide Technology Championship, when his driver broke while training on the range.
PGA Tour: Olympic winner can play
Xander Schauffele won the Olympic Games last year and thus achieved one of the greatest triumphs in golf. However, according to the PGA Tour’s announcement, he did not qualify for the Sentry Tournament of Champions 2022. Only players with a win in a FedExCup relevant tournament are allowed to participate in this tournament.
For Schauffele to be able to compete, it took some advocates from the professional camp of the PGA Tour. Schauffele owes it to these players that he is allowed to compete. After all, with his victory at the Olympics, he also won 50 world ranking points, more than has been awarded for many PGA Tour events. Schauffele himself did not want to ask for this chance at first. “This year I am particularly lucky,” he said on Tuesday in Hawaii. “The Olympics weren’t on the list and the tour was nice enough to put it on the list with the help of some players who stood up for me.” He went on to say, “It’s nice that they recognize the Olympic gold medal as a winning title and here I am. I’m so excited to be back.”
Patrick Cantlay Cantlay back from his golf break
After winning the Tour Championship and the Ryder Cup, the world number four took a break from golf. He even missed the Hero World Challenge in December, and now he is returning following exactly 100 days without professional golf. In Hawaii he tees with the other winners of the PGA Tour.
