Second Nicklaus award for Scheffler, Theegala leads at The Sentry

World no. 1 Scottie Scheffler won the Jack Nicklaus Award as the PGA Tour Player of the Year for the 2022-23 season while the promising Eric Cole was named Rookie of the Year for the Arnold Palmer Award.

In Hawaii, 2023 breakthrough winner Sahith Theegala led after the first day of the new season with a 9 under par 64, having knocked in six straight birdies on his way back to the clubhouse on Thursday.

Theegala, who is one of the rising stars on the PGA Tour, made 10 birdies, including six in a row from the turn as he chases a second victory following his breakthrough win at the Fortinet Championship last September.

He was especially pleased with his gain on the 12th hole. “I had a really gnarly 8- or 9-footer that I didn't know which way it was going to break, grain was going all over the place,” he said.

“I just aimed it dead centre and tried to hit it hard and hearted that putt, and that settled me down a little bit more, because I knew 13, 14, 15 were very gettable too, so to make that putt was nice.”

The young Indian-American was followed by a group of five players who were tied for second on 8 under 65s including Korean star Sungjae Im, and 2023 FedEx Cup champion Viktor Hovland of Norway.

Also in the pack at the first of eight Signature events and a $20 million prize purse were two-time major champion Collin Morikawa and resurgent Australian Jason Day this ensuring a star-studded leaderboard.

A further shot behind in tied seventh was Scheffler who became the first to win the Nicklaus Award back-to-back since Tiger Woods won the award for three straight years from 2005 to 2007.

Cole, the only rookie to advance to the 2023 BMW Championship, is at 35 the second-oldest player to win the Palmer Award established in 1990 after Todd Hamilton in 2004, who won the award at 39.

Both awards are decided by member votes with Scheffler receiving 38 percent of the vote ahead of Wyndham Clark, Hovland, Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm. Cole received 51 percent of the vote for the Palmer Award.

Scheffler had two wins in the 2022-23 season, successfully defending his title at the WM Phoenix Open and winning the Players Championship by five strokes. In 23 starts, he recorded 13 top-fives and 17 top-10s.

Meanwhile, the 25-year-old Im hit nine birdies to show his liking for the Plantation course in Kapalua, Maui where he holds two top-10s and a T13 finish last year.

Im’s compatriot Joohyung ‘Tom’ Kim sank an eagle and four birdies en route to a 68 while debutant Byeong Hun An, also from Korea, had seven birdies against two bogeys for joint 19th place.

Si Woo Kim returned a 70 for T37 while eight-time tour winner Hideki Matsuyama carded a 71 for tied 46th position.

Two-time winner Im said later, “first event and round of the new year, it was satisfying overall. This course fits me quite well and I'm able to make a good result every time I come back. I was confident from the first tee.

“With nine birdies and one bogey, I wish I can play in this similar manner for the rest of tournament!”