WOODS AND MICKELSON SKIP TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

FROM THE GOLF TALK CENTRAL WEBSITE
By JASON SOBEL

It no longer marks the beginning of the US PGA Tour schedule, but some things haven't changed at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions to be played in Hawaii from January 3 to 6.
Once again, the event will be without its two biggest drawing cards, as Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will each skip the festivities despite gaining eligibility as winners during the 2013 season.
When the field list was made official at 5 pm Friday, it also failed to include the names of Graeme McDowell, Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson, each of whom had already divulged he would begin the 2014 campaign at a later date.
The field includes 30 winners from both the 2013 season and the beginning of 2013-14, including defending champion Dustin Johnson and Masters champion Adam Scott, who will make his first appearance at Kapalua since 2011.

KAPALUA, Maui, Hawaii – The 2013 calendar year was full of fresh faces that took the US PGA Tour by storm, from 2013 Rookie of the Year Jordan Spieth to multiple-winner Harris English, they are all in the field for the 2014 Hyundai Tournament of Champions. 
Thirteen players total hoisted trophies for the first time in their career throughout 2013 and they will all make their debut in Maui for the winners-only tournament this January. 
The Hyundai Tournament of Champions returns to The Plantation Course at Kapalua from Jan. 2-6, 2014.
The first-time winners from the 2013 calendar year include:

• Russell Henley, Sony Open in Hawaii
• John Merrick, Northern Trust Open 
• Michael Thompson, The Honda Classic 
• Scott Brown, Puerto Rico Open
• Kevin Streelman, Valspar Championship 
• Billy Horschel, Zurich Classic of New Orleans 
• Derek Ernst, Wells Fargo Championship 
• Sang-Moon Bae, Byron Nelson Championship 
• Harris English, FedEx St. Jude Classic 
• Ken Duke, Travelers Championship 
• Jordan Spieth, John Deere Classic 
• Patrick Reed, Wyndham Championship 
• Jimmy Walker, Frys.com Open 

The group of first-time winners own 14 US PGA Tour victories, and collected 46 top-10 finishes during the 2013 season. Harris English is the only multiple-winner, thanks to his second career victory at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba in November 2013.
Three first-time winners, Jordan Spieth, Billy Horschel and Kevin Streelman finished inside the top 30 on the FedExCup points list at the end of the 2013 season. These three players, as well as Jimmy Walker, are also currently ranked in the top 50 on Official World Golf Rankings heading into the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
Also in the group is 2013 Rookie of the Year Jordan Spieth, who made history at the John Deere Classic when, at age 19 years, 11 months, 18 days, became the youngest winner on the US PGA Tour since Ralph Guldahl won the 1931 Santa Monica Open at age 19 years, 2 months, 4 days. 
Spieth picked up eight additional top-10 finishes during the 2013 season and was the youngest player in TOUR history to qualify for the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola, where he finished T2 which led to a seventh place finish in the FedExCup. 
For the first time, US PGA Tour fans will choose a featured pairing in the first round of a tournament at the 2014 Hyundai Tournament of Champions. Fans can visit PGATOUR.com’s Social Hub to vote for 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott; 2012 FedExCup champion Brandt Snedeker; or six-time US PGA Tour winner Matt Kuchar, and the winning player will be paired with defending champion Dustin Johnson in the first round. Fans can vote by visiting PGATOUR.com/socialhub until December 30 and the pairings will be revealed on January 1