Myrtle Beach resident Dustin Johnson begins his 2011 season with Thursday's opening round of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort on the island of Maui.
The $5.6 million event, which pays $1.12 to the winner, is reserved for winners of 2010 tournaments and has just 34 players in the field, including seven first-time winners. Johnson tees off at 5:40 p.m. (EST) with Steve Stricker.
Johnson tied for 16th at Kapalua last year, nine shots behind winner Geoff Ogilvy with a 13-under-par 279, and finished 11th in his first visit in 2009. But as a 7,400-yard par-73 with four par-5s, Johnson's length and overall ability are bound to soon produce improved finishes.
"It's windy usually, which I don't mind," Johnson said. "But you've got to hit a lot of different golf shots. You hit almost every club in your bag. It's a lot of drivers for me, so it sets up good, and the fairways are fairly generous. They are nice. And I can drive it close to a few of the par-4s."
Golf Channel has coverage from 5:30-10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and final-round coverage Sunday from 6-10 p.m.
