SBS Tournament of Champions Preview: 2017 Tees Off

The holidays are over, football season is coming to an end and the days left until the the Masters are now in double digits. Yes, it's the time of year that reminds us that the color green still exists and for us in the northern states, we'll see that color on the ground in the coming months ... hopefully.

Although we can't get out and play ourselves, we can watch the best in the world go at it on the golf course the next few months. As always, we start in Hawaii, where last year's winners compete for what easily will be their best chance to grab a victory this season. With only 32 players in the field this week at the SBS Tournament of Champions, it will never get any easier to win.

That doesn't mean that it will be easy — after all, the field is composed of only those who won last year — but getting on top of 31 golfers is much easier than besting 120-140 golfers, which is the normal size of a PGA Tour field. That said, it will take someone on top of their game to win this week. If the wind is calm, the scores will be outrageously low. If the wind is high, it will be survival of the fittest.

A quick note about a slight change in the structure of the preview this season. I will no longer place golfers in the "Avoid" category if they are only a poor choice for one-and-done leagues. If I expect a golfer to play well, he will be on the "Consider" list, but I will note if he's not a good choice for a one-and-done pool.

This week: The SBS Tournament of Champions - Plantation Course at Kapalua - Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii

Last Year: Jordan Spieth shot a final-round 67 on his way to an eight-stroke victory over Patrick Reed.

PLAYERS TO CONSIDER

Patrick Reed

The first week of the new year is tricky because a lot of big names are going, but you don't necessarily want to burn anyone big out of the gate. Reed is on the fringe of someone you don't want to burn too early, but his track record here makes him a good enough pick to consider using right away. Reed finished runner-up last year and won the year before.

Hideki Matsuyama

Matsuyama finished 2016 as perhaps the hottest golfer. He slightly underperformed last year, but that was due to a balky putter, which he's since figured out. If his game looks anything like it did six weeks ago, Matsuyama should be a factor this week. The real question with a player of this caliber is -- do you want to use him Week 1?

Jordan Spieth

Proof that the format of this preview has changed. Spieth is the defending champion, and it wasn't even close last year. He destroyed the field in 2016 and finished runner-up in his previous start here. There's no doubt he will play well this week, but as with Matsuyama, the decision to use Spieth this early is difficult. I would save him for later in the season.

Brandt Snedeker

Snedeker has played this event three times and has two top-3s. His worst outing came in 2014 when he finished T11. Again with Snedeker, you have to weigh his value down the line vs. using him out of the gate. He should play well this week, but there are events down the line where he has a better track record. Tough call on Snedeker this week in one-and-done pools.

Vaughn Taylor

If you want to completely avoid using a big name this week, then Taylor might be your guy. He has little value for the remainder of the schedule and, if nothing else, he's guaranteed a paycheck this week. His track record here is also solid with two top-10s in two starts, though they did come about a decade ago.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

Greg Chalmers

With so many big names in the field this week, it's easy to fade a guy like Chalmers, who picked up an unexpected win last season at the Barracuda Championship. This will also be Chalmers' first time at this event, which makes him an easy fade.

Bubba Watson

In no way, shape or form, would I consider using Watson in a one-and-done pool this week. He has far too much value down the road to pull the trigger here. The interesting thing with Watson, though, is that he may not even be a good choice in other pools also. Watson has played this event five times and only once has he finished better than T10. That's not the type of production you expect from a guy like Watson.

Rod Pampling

Credit to Pampling, he made it back to this event after a decade away, but his prospects for this week, and this season for that matter, don't look good. Pampling's win last season at the Shriner's came out of nowhere, and his track record at this event is not good. If you are looking for a sleeper, look elsewhere.

James Hahn

With only 32 players in the field this week, it's tough to find five guys to avoid, but Hahn looks like an easy fade this week as he finished T31 in his only start here last year. To give some perspective, Hahn finished 33 strokes behind the winner, Jordan Spieth, last year.

Mackenzie Hughes

No "Avoid" list is complete without a first-timer, and of that group, I'm going to fade Hughes, who gained entry to this event by winning little more than a month ago. The problem, however, is that Hughes hasn't played since that win, and winning for the first time can have an adverse effect on certain guys. He's had six weeks to bask in the glow of that win — I wonder if he'll be ready to play this week.

ONE-AND-DONE GOLFER

Last week: Luke List (T13) - $99,750; Season - $427,274

This week: Vaughn Taylor - This is a pick based purely on the numbers. The smallest check anyone can cash this week is $60k. Unless you win or finish runner-up, your check is less than $500k. I'm going to use a guy I won't have any use for down the road and cash at least $60k, and hopefully more if he plays like he did in his previous two starts here.

YAHOO PICKS

Group A: Patrick Reed, Vaughn Taylor

Group B: Hideki Matsuyama, Jordan Spieth, Brandt Snedeker, Jimmy Walker

Group C: Jason Dufner, Pat Perez

SURVIVOR PICK

Last Event: Kevin Kisner - (MC); Streak - 0

This week: no cut