Digital Sports Desk

Online Destination for the Best in Boston Sports

PGA Tour Brunch

Matsuyama Wins SONY Open in Playoff

by

HONOLULU – Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama came from behind to win his eighth career PGA Tour victory, tying K.J. Choi for most wins by a player from Asia. Matsuyama became the first two-time winner of the 2021-22 PGA TOUR wrap-around season (2021 ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP, 2022 Sony Open in Hawaii) and the the ninth consecutive Sony Open champion who competed in the Sentry Tournament of Champions the weekend beforehand.

Matsuyama closed with 63-63 (126), his career-low closing 36-hole score and became the first player to win a playoff with an eagle since J.J. Henry at the 2015 Barracuda Championship.

Runner-up Russell Henley was seeking to become sixth multiple winner of the event (Jimmy Walker/2014, 2015; Ernie Els/2003, 2004; Lanny Wadkins/1988, 1991; Corey Pavin/1986, 1987; Hubert Green/1978, 1979). Henley shot a (29) going out on his final round.

After going bogey-free for 54 holes for the first time in his career, Matt Kuchar (T-7) bogeyed No. 5 in the final round, ending a streak of 60 consecutive holes without a bogey (58 this week).

SONY Open in Hawaii | Final Leaderboard

*Hideki Matsuyama 66-65-63-63—257 (-23)

Russell Henley 62-63-67-65—257 (-23)

Kevin Kisner 68-64-65-64—261 (-19)

Seamus Power 63-68-65-65—261 (-19)

*Won with an eagle-3 on the first playoff hole (No. 18)

Henley Holds Lead at SONY Open

by

HONOLULU – Three-time PGA Tour winner Russell Henley is attempting to win his second Sony Open in Hawaii title (2013) and would become the sixth multiple winner of the event. He has a two stroke lead after posting a (67) on Saturday.

On the heels of the University of Georgia football team winning the National Championship for the first time since 1980, all 10 Georgia Bulldogs in the field made the cut, led by Henley, currently in 1st place (-18).

Hideki Matsuyama posted his 12th consecutive round in the 60s, the best active streak this season. He is two strokes off the lead

The only player without a bogey this week, 2019 Sony Open in Hawaii winner Matt Kuchar is bogey-free through 54 holes for the first time in his career and is T-3.

At 14-under 196, Irishman Seamus Power (T-3) tops previous-best low 54-hole score on Tour by two strokes (198/2016 World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba/T-28). He is seeking his second career Tour win (2021 Barbasol Championship) and sixth top-25 finish in his last seven starts.

SONY Open Leaderboard – After Third Round

Russell Henley 62-63-67 – 192 (-18)

Hideki Matsuyama 66-65-63 – 194 (-16)

Adam Svensson 64-67-65 – 196 (-14)

Seamus Power 63-68-65 – 196 (-14)

Matt Kuchar 64-65-67 – 196 (-14)

Haotong Li 63-65-68 – 196 (-14)

PGA Tour: Henley leads at SONY Open

by

HONOLULU – With his personal-best opening 36-hole score (125), the 2013 Sony Open in Hawaii champion Russell Henley carded the lowest opening 36-hole score on Tour since Justin Thomas opened with (123) en route to winning the 2017 Sony Open.

Henley recorded his fifth round of (63) or better at the to tie Matt Kuchar for most since 1983. This weeks cutline equaled the lowest cut in Sony Open history (5-under/1998)

World No. 1 amateur Keita Nakajima became the first amateur to make the cut at the Sony Open since 2015.

Two players are bogey-free through 36 holes: 2019 Sony Open champion: Kuchar and Corey Conners while Charles Howell III made the cut for the 21st time in as many attempts at this event.

Defending champion and first-round leader Kevin Na dropped to T-16 following a mediocre round of 1-over (71) while last weeks Sentry Tournament of Champions winner Cameron Smith missed the cut.

SONY Open Leaderboard – After Round Two

Russell Henley – 62-63—125 (-15)

Haotong Li – 63-65—128 (-12)

Matt Kuchar – 64-65—129 (-11)

Michael Thompson – 63-67—130 (-10)

PGA Tour: “61” is the Magic Number

by

HONOLULU – Sixty-one has been the magic number in the State of Hawaii. Last week at the Sentry, Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm and Matt Jones each carded a Kapalua course record (61) and Kevin Na posted a career-best (61) to take an opening round lead at the SONY Open.

Na leads all PGA Tour players for most rounds of 62 or better since hole-by-hole tracking began in 1983. He has (11) such rounds. Na also leads the field in Driving Accuracy as the only player to hit all 14 fairways in round one to mark the eighth time in his career he hit every fairway in a round.

The defending champion here at the SONY, Na is seeking to become the the first player to successfully defend a tournament title since Viktor Hovland at the 2020-21 World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba.

Jim Furyk’s (62) marks his lowest opening round on Tour and lowest round since his (58) in the final round of the 2016 Travelers Championship, the PGA Tour record for low 18-hole score. Furyk won the 1996 Sony Open in Hawaii which was his second of 17 PGA TOUR victories. He was 25 years, 9 months and 6 days when he won in 1996. He’s 51 now.

SONY Open Leaderboard – After Round One

Kevin Na 61 (-9)

Jim Furyk 62 (-8)

Russell Henley 62 (-8)

Five players 63 (-7)

PGA Tour: SONY Open in Hawaii Preview

by

The SONY Open in Hawaii

Honolulu, Hawaii – As the PGA Tour island-hops from Maui to Oahu for this week’s SONY Open in Hawaii, the early week focus has been on the passing of Tim Rosaforte, the popular Golf TV commentator and most accomplished reporters. Rosaforte passed away at the young age of 66 from an aggressive form of Alzheimer’s disease.

On the links, the question at the SONY Open is always whether the players who competed at the year-opening Sentry Tournament of Champions have an edge at this tournament. Aside from adjusting to the Hawaiian Islands time zone, the other key difference is the full field of PGA Tour pros vs the relatively calm group of 37 champions who competed last weekend.

Australia’s Cameron Smith took the honors at Kapalua, outlasting the birdie-making machine of Jon Rahm. Rahm is passing on competing this week.

Reigning champion Kevin Na shot all four rounds in the 60s last week but finished 13th in the ultra-competitive event. Last year here at Waialae Country Club, Na posted a third-round (61) to make the difference for his $1,188,000 take home, beating the T-2s of Chris Kirk and Joaquin Neimann by a stroke.

Preview | SONY Open in Hawaii

COURSE: Waialae Country Club – (Honolulu, Hawaii)

ARCHITECT: Seth Raynor

YARDS/PAR: 7,044 yards/Par 70

PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $7,500,000/$1,350,000

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Kevin Na

PAST RESULTS: (link)

PAST CHAMPIONS: (link)

FEDEx CUP Points / to Winner: 500

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @SONYOpenHawaii

OFFICIAL SITE: (SONY Open)

TV COVERAGE: Primetime Golf for the second week in a row. Not a bad thing. On Thursday, January 13 and Friday, January 14: TV coverage goes from 7:00pm to 10:30pm (ET) on Golf Channel.

On Saturday, January 15, Round 3 coverage 7:00pm to 10:30pm (ET) on Golf Channel. On Sunday, January 16: With NFL Playoff wild Card weekend, the PGA Tour will be on Golf Channel from 6:00pm to 10:00pm (ET)

PGA TOUR LIVE STREAMING on ESPN+: Streaming coverage will be featured on ESPN-Plus for the second week, starting Thursday at 12:00pm Noon (ET) and continuing through 10:30pm (ET) with Featured Hole and Featured Groups.

On Saturday, ESPN+ will stream coverage at 12:00pm Noon to 10:30pm (ET). On Sunday, ESPN+ coverage is online at 4:00pm ET and 10:00pm ET.

PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: SiriusXM Radio will have live radio coverage of the The SONY Open with Thursday and Friday broadcasts from 5:00pm to 10:30pm (ET). Weekend coverage on Sirius XM Radio runs from 5:00pm to 10:30pm on Saturday and from 5:00pm to 10:00pm (ET) on Sunday. PGA Tour Radio is available on Sirius 208/XM 92 or online via PGATour(dot)com.

How to Watch: In case of changes, visit: (PGATourCom)

The Basics:

The SONY Open Tee Times start Thursday at 7:10am (local)/12:10pm (ET) and going to 1:40pm (local)/6:40pm (ET).

Weather: Thursday’s forecast calls for mostly sunny skies. Temperature 75-degrees, but humidity 70% with winds 10 mph. Good weather (partly cloudy/sunny and low winds are expected all weekend. A 10% chance of rain. (link)

PGATourBrunch will post at Noon (ET) on Thursday.

Next Week: the American Express (LaQuinta)  – back to the Mainland (link)

Smith Takes PGA Tourney of Champs

by

Sentry Tournament of Champions – PGA Tour Wrap-Up

Cameron Smith won the 2022 Sentry Tournament of Champions by one stroke over World No. 1 Jon Rahm, Smith’s fourth PGA Tour victory in his 157th start.

Rahm finished runner-up for the eighth time in his 114th start and equaled the Tour record for most birdies (32) in a 72-hole event, tying Paul Gow (2001 B.C. Open) and Mark Calcavecchia (2001 Waste Management Phoenix Open)

Matt Jones (3rd) tied the 18-hole tournament scoring record with Sunday’s 12-under (61) and records the lowest 36-hole score to par (23-under) in consecutive rounds in TOUR history. Rahm and Justin Thomas had set course record (61) on Saturday.

Defending champion Harris English finished T-30, extending the lack of repeat winners at Kapalua. The last repeat winner of the event was Geoff Ogilvy (2010).

Sentry Tournament of Champions Final Leaderboard

Cameron Smith – 65-64-64-65—258 (-34)

Jon Rahm – 66-66-61-66—259 (-33)

Matt Jones – 70-67-62-61—260 (-32)

Patrick Cantlay – 66-67-66-67—266 (-26)

Sentry Tournament of Champions: Final

by

The Sentry Tournament of Champions: Final Round

Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii – Scoring conditions are off the charts at The Plantation Course, here at Kapalua. The reason? Low winds and great players, great even after the PGA TOUR holiday break.

At 26-under, Cameron Smith and Jon Rahm turned-in the second-lowest opening 54-hole score to par in PGA Tour history (Patrick Reed/27-under/2014 The American Express). Smith and Rahm set the Sentry Tournament of Champions 54-hole record at 26-under 193 (194/Ernie Els/2003).

Meanwhile, Rahm and two-time Sentry Tournament of Champions winner Justin Thomas each set the tournament record with matching 12-under (61s).

The third-round scoring average (67.711) was the lowest in a single round since the event moved to The Plantation Course in 1999.

A purse of $8,200,000 is on the line today with $1,476,000 and 500 FedEx Cup points going to the winner.

Tee times today at 7:50am (local)/12:50pm (ET) with the leaders at 10:55am (local)/3:55pm (ET).

Leaderboard After Round 3:

Cameron Smith 65-64-64 – 193 (-26)

Jon Rahm 66-66-61 – 193 (-26)

Daniel Berger 66-66-66 – 198 (-21)

The Basics:

Weather: The forecast for today calls for sunny skies. Temperatures ranging from 72-79 degrees, with a 2% chance of rain. (link)

PGATourBrunch will post a recap of the Sentry TofC at Noon (ET) Monday.

Later This Week: SONY Open in Hawaii  – The Tour stays in Hawaii (link)

Suscriptions: Feel free to forward this edition of PGA Tour Brunch to your friends and/or family who love pro golf. Through January 15th, we’re offering a New Year’s Discount.

Primetime, Weekend Play at Sentry Tournament of Champions

by

Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii – Cameron Smith equaled the Sentry Tournament of Champions 36-hole record (129) and holds second-round lead/co-lead for the second time in career at a tour stroke-play event. He’s 0-for-1 to date in the effort to hold lead.

Embed from Getty Images

Smith shot a nine-under (64) after posting a (65) on Thursday and has a three stroke lead over World No. 1 Jon Rahm and Daniel Berger (132/ (-14).

Smith (Australia) and Rahm (Spain), who will play together today in the final group, are among four international players in the Top 6 at the Tournament of Champions. Four-time PGA Tour winner Daniel Berger (T-2) of USA trails by three after matching 7-under (66s) in the first two rounds.

With low winds (6-12 mph), the second round scoring average (67.816) was the lowest since the event moved to the Plantation Course at Kapalua in 1999. Due to wet conditions, preferred lies were in effect for both the first and second rounds.

Leaderboard After Round 2:

Cameron Smith 65-64 – 129 (-17)

Jon Rahm 66-66 – 132 (-14)

Daniel Berger 66-66 – 132 (-14)

Patrick Cantlay 66-67 – 133 (-13)

Suscriptions: Feel free to recommend PGA Tour Brunch to your friends and/or family who love pro golf. Through January 15th, we’re offering a New Year’s Discount.

Get 20% off for 1 year

The Tour: Cameron Smith Leads in Maui

by

Kapalua, Hawaii – Cameron Smith shot an 8-under (65), three strokes off the course record and holds a one-stroke lead over reigning FedEx Cup champion Patrick Cantlay, World No. 1 Jon Rahm and four-time PGA Tour winner Daniel Berger.

Smith carded his third-ever opening-round lead/co-lead on Tour but is 0-for-2 to date.

FedEx Cup points leader, Talor Gooch, posted 5-under 68 in tournament debut. Gooch and nine other players in the Sentry field are making their Tournament of Champions debut.

Daniel Berger (T-2) opened with a score of 7-under (66) or better for the first time in his PGA TOUR career while 1994 and 1998 Sentry Tournament of Champions winner Phil Mickelson (T-25) posted 2-under (71) in first Kapalua start since 2001.

Justin Thomas (T-36) carded an opening-round (740, just his third over-par score in 25 rounds in the event (R2/R3/2018).

Due to wet conditions, preferred lies were in effect for the first round.

Leaderboard After Round 1:

Cameron Smith 65 (-8)

Daniel Berger 66 (-7)

Jon Rahm 66 (-7)

Patrick Cantlay 66 (-7)