Until the merger between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour is done, the rumors of players switching will never rest. Fans’ concern about Viktor Hovland is justified because if he switched to LIV, he would not be featured at the signature event. Now that the Sentry is a PGA Tour event, it features the top 50 players’ FedExCup points, which includes Hovland, and the previous season’s PGA Tour winners.

But, following Viktor Hovland’s league switch rumors, will he be participating? Well, there have been many concerns about him not participating in the events due to injuries, however, rumors of him being offered a hefty contract from LIV Golf have raised a question against him. Following this, his statement also showcased no clarity in terms of which league he prefers, but he did express his views on wanting more transparency from the organization.

However, there is good news for the fans. As per the post shared on Instagram by the Sentry’s official handle, it shared that the 2022 Hero World Challenge Champion will be featuring the event yet again. Despite the rumors, this is a great sign for the PGA Tour and fans that the 6X PGAT winner is still staying with the league.

Further, the post caption shared with excitement for his return, “Viktor returns! 🌺Norway native Hovland will make his fifth consecutive appearance at The Sentry after finishing in the top 50 of the 2024 FedExCup standings (No. 12). The 2023 FedExCup Champion captured two top-10 finishes in 16 events last season, including a third-place finish at the PGA Championship and a T2 finish at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.” 

But days after the official return announcement was made, the news of Viktor Hovland’s toe fracture came in. Just a few days away from the tournament, the golfers shared an Instagram post with an X-ray image, writing “Bed frame 1 – 0 me.” NBC Sports reported about the injury, sharing that Hovland had an ‘unpleasant encounter’ with the edge of the bed. The news of Hovland accepting the invite was joyous but not for long as such injuries take at least 4-6 weeks to recover, which means he will be missing out on the tournament.

The 2023 FedExCup Champion will not be making his 5th appearance at the Signature event this year, as the fans will have to wait a little longer for it. In the last three seasons, the Norwegian has recorded an average of -14. Though Viktor Hovland is not participating in the competition, the path to victory will not be an easy one as the list of golfers featuring the events is just making it an ideal golfing event and a pure delight for the fans.

Who are the top names competing at the Sentry after Viktor Hovland’s exit?

The professional will be competing against some of the top players of the course. Similar to Viktor Hovland, the competition list had the 7-time winner, PGA Tour player of the year for 2024, and the world no. 1 Scottie Scheffler. However, Scheffler has participation has been withdrawn due to injury. “On Christmas Day while preparing dinner, Scottie sustained a puncture wound to the palm of his right hand from a broken glass,” Scheffler’s manager, Blake Smith, said in a statement released Friday. “Unfortunately, he will have to withdraw from The Sentry. His next scheduled tournament is The American Express,” his manager added. This certainly narrows down the field for Hovland but the competition doesn’t get any easier.

Other notable entries include two-time major champion and world ranking #2 Xander Schauffele. The 31-year-old has had an incredible 2024 season and will look to carry on his form to 2025. Xander Schauffele won The Open Championship of 2024, where he finished 9-under with 69-72-69-65 overall. One of his best performances in 2024 was winning the PGA Championship at the Valhalla Golf Club. Beating BrysonDeChambeau by a margin of just one stroke, he won the event with 21-under par.

This for sure isn’t going to be an easy win for any of the players, as each professional would want to start their season with the Signature event title. Who do you think will take the 2025 Sentry title? Share your picks with us in the comments section below.