KAPALUA, Hawaii, Jan. 3 (UPI) -- The 2007 golf season begins Thursday with the first round of the Mercedes-Benz Championship -- an event open only to last year's PGA Tour winners.
This tournament marks the start of a new era on the Tour, one in which a season-long points race will lead to a type of playoff that will, in turn, determine the year's champion.
Despite the anticipation for this new format, the first event of the season will be missing plenty of luster due to the absence of both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.
Woods, who has announced he and his wife are expecting their first child, said his game needs more work before returning to action.
Stuart Appleby has won this tournament three straight years. Among the challengers will be Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh, Adam Scott and Davis Love III.
