JUSTIN COULD TAKE TOP SPOT FROM HIS SOFA
JUSTIN ROSE could regain golf’s world No.1 spot without hitting a shot when the PGA Tour returns today.
The Englishman is one of three notable qualifiers opting not to play in the first event of 2019, the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.
American Brooks Koepka begins the new year top of the rankings but could quickly lose his spot again to Rose if he fails to post a strong finish on the Plantation Course at Kapalua, host of the tournament since 1999.
And Koepka will face stern competition from a field which consists only of PGA Tour winners from the previous calendar year.
Of the 37 qualifiers, 34 have made the trip to Hawaii with Tiger Woods, who qualified with his win at the Tour Championship in September, and Phil Mickelson the only others apart from Rose electing to not take part.
Defending champion Dustin Johnson leads the way as he looks to win the event for a third time, something only five players have done in the 66-year history of the tournament.
Johnson will play the first two rounds alongside Bryson DeChambeau, who hopes to continue a red-hot stretch that has included three wins in his last five PGA Tour starts.
Former world No.1 Rory McIlroy, who has qualified on six previous occasions, will make his debut this time as he prepares to switch his focus more to the PGA Tour.
The Northern Irishman, one of nine newcomers, plans to reduce his European Tour commitments in an effort to add to his four major titles.
In recent seasons McIlroy has begun his playing year during the European Tour’s series of tournaments in the Middle East.
But that comes after he announced in November he would be focusing on the PGA Tour until the end of August.
The Northern Irishman, who has now set up home in Florida, has committed to playing only two European Tour events for 2019 but must play four outside the Majors and World Golf Championship to retain his Tour membership.
European Golfer of the Year Francesco Molinari will also feature in the 34-strong field, along with England’s Paul Casey, who will make his first appearance in the tournament since 2010.