Rory McIlroy’s decision to skip the Sentry 2025 field has left many golf fans wondering why. As it turns out, McIlroy has a history of skipping this event, and he did the same in 2024. It’s not like he’s obligated to participate, but his absence does raise some eyebrows. McIlroy is one of the biggest names in golf, and his presence at any tournament is always felt. So, what’s behind his decision to give The Sentry a miss?

It seems that McIlroy just isn’t a fan of Hawaii, and who can blame him? The guy’s from Northern Ireland, and the tropical climate of Hawaii is a far cry from the lush green hills he’s used to. McIlroy has said in the past that he prefers to start his season in more familiar surroundings, and that’s exactly what he’s doing. “I’d say my schedule will look pretty much the same as it did this year. I’ll most likely — I’m not a huge Hawaii guy, so I’ll probably not go to Hawaii.” 

He’ll be kicking off his season at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic from the 16th to the 19th of January, followed by  AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am from the 30th of January to the 02nd of February 2025.  It’s a smart move, really, I mean why travel all the way to Hawaii when you can stay closer to home and still get some quality golf in? McIlroy’s absence from The Sentry means he’ll be missing out on a whopping $20m prize purse.

That’s a lot of cash, but McIlroy’s got plenty of experience raking in the dough at other tournaments. Victor Hovland and Xander Schauffele are now the top contenders at The Sentry, and it’ll be interesting to see how they perform. But many of you might not know that Scottie Scheffler has stepped back from performing in the tournament as well, let’s find out why.

Scottie Scheffler takes an early exit from The Sentry 2025

We’re just days away from the start of the 2025 golf season, and already, two big names have withdrawn from the opening event. Viktor Hovland, a six-time PGA Tour winner, recently revealed on Instagram that he’s suffering from a broken toe. And now, the world’s number one golfer, Scottie Scheffler, has undergone surgery after a freak accident in his kitchen over Christmas. The incident occurred when Scheffler was enjoying his off-season celebrations, and an unfortunate incident occurred in his kitchen. This unexpected turn of events has left golf fans reeling, and the start of the new season is already shaping up to be an interesting one.

Scheffler “sustained a puncture wound to the palm of his right hand from a broken glass,” requiring immediate surgery. As a result, the PGA Tour has confirmed that Scheffler will miss the first few tournaments of the 2025 season, including the highly anticipated season opener, The Sentry. His manager, Blake Smith, expects Scheffler to make his return at the American Express tournament in California, scheduled for January 16-19. This means that Scheffler will have to wait a little longer to get his season underway, and fans will have to wait to see him back in action. The American Express tournament will mark Scheffler’s first appearance of the season, and all eyes will be on him as he looks to get his season off to a strong start.