The PGA Tour gets 2025 underway with The Sentry, its $20m signature event in Hawaii that features a stacked field of 59 players.
The tournament is open to every PGA Tour winner in 2024 as well as the top 50 in the FedEx Cup and is headlined by the likes of Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas and Ludvig Aberg.
There are some notable stars missing this week, though, including the World No.1 and No.3. So, which big names are not teeing it up at Kapalua?
Scottie Scheffler
Scheffler won the PGA Tour Player of the Year trophy for the third consecutive year in 2024
The World No.1 and 2022, 2023 and 2024 PGA Tour Player of the Year has not been able to make the trip after a freak accident on Christmas Day that required him to have surgery on his hand. He is expected to be back later this month at the AmEx.
"On Christmas Day while preparing dinner, Scottie sustained a puncture wound to the palm of his right hand from a broken glass. Small glass fragments remained in the palm which required surgery. He has been told that he should be back to 100% in three to four weeks," Blake Smith, Scheffler's manager said.
In his most recent start last month, he won his ninth title of the year at the Hero World Challenge.
Rory McIlroy
McIlroy won The Showdown alongside Scottie Scheffler last month
The World No.3 has once again opted to skip The Sentry, having only ever played in the event in 2019.
McIlroy traditionally gets his year underway in the Middle East, as he'll do again this year when he tees it up in the Dubai Desert Classic in two weeks' time.
The Northern Irishman is seeking his third consecutive DDC win and fifth in total.
Tommy Fleetwood
Fleetwood will play for GB&I in the Team Cup next week
The Englishman is another who usually starts out the year in Dubai, which is where he now lives.
He'll make his first start next week in Abu Dhabi, though, as part of the GB&I squad for the Team Cup. Fleetwood was a playing captain two years ago and is back on the side, which is led by Justin Rose. He will then play in the Dubai Desert Classic before turning his attention to the PGA Tour.
Shane Lowry
World No.27 Lowry qualified for The Sentry but is not in the field
Lowry is not playing in next week's Team Cup but is expected to make his first appearance of the year in the Dubai Desert Classic.
His first start of 2024 came at the American Express, though, so he may opt to begin 2025 Stateside once again. We'll see.
Jordan Spieth
Spieth is currently recovering from wrist surgery
As Jordan Spieth was winless last year and finished 80th in the FedEx Cup, the Texan has not made the field this week.
Spieth made his final appearance of 2024 at the FedEx St Jude Championship in August before undergoing wrist surgery - with an exact return date currently unknown. He will likely be back later this month or sometime in February.
Tom Kim
Kim was winless in 2024
Korean star Tom Kim is another to have not qualified for this week's tournament.
Kim had his first full season without a win since turning pro in 2018 and also missed out on the Playoffs after finishing 59th in the FedEx Cup.
He recently finished 2nd at the Hero World Challenge so will be hoping to keep up his form and win at least one trophy in 2025.
Rickie Fowler
Fowler will be hoping to return to the winner's circle in 2025
After a superb 2023 year that saw him win the Rocket Mortgage Classic, contend at the US Open and make the US Ryder Cup team, Fowler was unable to follow it up in 2024.
He finished 101st in the FedEx Cup and went winless, while he recorded just one top-10 all year - coming in his final tournament at the Zozo Championship, where he was 4th.
Hopefully that's a sign that he can return to the winner's circle in 2025.
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