It will be raining birdies at the opening event of the PGA Tour season according to the Racing Post’s golf tipster, Steve Palmer.

The Sentry, which features a field of 61 players, takes place from today (2 January) on The Plantation Course at Kapalua. The Hawaiian track is characterised by fairways “like airport runways” and greens that are “the biggest on tour”.

As a result, Palmer explained, the winning score at the event is expected to be close to 28 under par. Last year, Chris Kirk won the event with a score of -29 and the record score to par is 34 under, carded by Australia’s Cameron Smith in 2022.

Young gun’s the best bet

Laying out his best bets for the event on the Sweet Spot, Palmer picked out two of the PGA Tour’s rising stars – starting with last year’s runner-up Sahith Theegala.

The 27-year-old, currently at 28/1, broke through in the 2023 season with a victory at the Fortinet Championship and followed this up with a strong showing in 2024, earning himself a place on the 2024 US Presidents Cup team.

On his chances, Palmer said: “He’s well suited to the assignment. He’s got those magic fingers that you need [for the course]. His short game skills are top notch and the crazy dimensions of the course excite rather than intimidate him. 

“His main weakness is not a serious issue at Kapalua. He can hit the odd wild drive and there’s a significant margin of error off the tee at The Sentry.”

Palmer’s other pick for the tournament is the 22-year-old American Akshay Bhatia, currently at 35/1.

Like Theegala, Bhatia made his breakthrough in 2023, this time at the Barracuda Championship, and then followed it up last season with a win at the Texas Open.

Bhatia “loves the shotmaking artistry required at coastal venues”, according to Palmer, who points to the youngster’s previous victory in the Bahamas on the Korn Ferry Tour – the feeder series for the PGA Tour.

He finished 14th at the tournament on debut last year and could be one of the most in-form golfers on the planet currently, registering top-five finishes in his last three starts worldwide. 

‘Gentle loosener’ for Schauffele

Elsewhere, Xander Schauffele, the two-time major winner in 2024, is the favourite for the event at 13/2, however, the 2019 Sentry champion hasn’t competed professionally since the Zozo Championship in October.

As a result, Palmer doesn’t believe Schauffele is “hungry enough” for The Sentry and expects it to serve as a “gentle loosener” for the American as he looks ahead to the rest of the 2025 season.