PGA TOUR
Shriners Children’s Open
Kim Outlasts Cantlay To Win Shriners Children’s Open
Tom Kim outplayed Patrick Cantlay in a final round showdown to win the 40th edition of the Shriners Children’s Open in Las Vegas by three shots. The pair was tied for the lead playing the 72nd hole at TPC Summerlin. Cantlay made a triple bogey seven at the final hole after requiring two penalty drops.
Kim, who was born in South Korea, became the first player since Tiger Woods to win twice on the PGA Tour before turning 21. He won the Wyndham Championship in August. The animated 20-year-old went bogey-free for week. The last player to go bogey-free for the tournament and win was JT Poston in 2019.
Kim and Cantlay took a three-shot lead into the final round after superb scores on Saturday. Kim fired a sizzling 9-under 62. Cantlay went two better recording a remarkable 11-under 60. The last time he shot 60 on the PGA Tour was as an amateur at the 2011 Travelers Championship.
While the pair were unable to produce the same barrage of birdies on Sunday, the contest was entertaining all the same. On two occasions Kim moved clear by two shots only to find the persistent Cantlay join him back in the lead after scoring consecutive birdies at the 11th and 12th holes and then at the 15th and 16th holes. Both players managed a par at the long par 3, 17th hole to set up an enthralling final hole tied for the lead at 24-under. Minutes later the battle was all but over with Cantlay missing the 18th fairway to the left and resting in heavy scrub. His effort to advance the golf ball failed with him needing to take an unplayable drop. The American then dunked his recovery shot into the water in front of the green. Game over! Kim made a solid par at the final hole to remain at 24-under. Cantlay holed a 35-foot putt for a triple bogey to fall back to 21-under.
America’s Matthew NeSmith claimed a share of second place with Cantlay at 21-under. It was the 29-year-old’s best finish on the PGA Tour besting his third place result at the 2022 Valspar Championship. NeSmith produced a bogey-free final round 5-under 66 for back-to-back top 10 results. The world No. 162 finished in a tie for ninth at last week’s Sanderson Farms Championship.
America’s Tom Hoge (64), Chile’s Mito Pereira (67) and Korea’s SH Kim (66) took a share of fourth place at 20-under.
Defending champion Sungjae Im backed up last year’s stunning victory with a solo 7th place finish. Im got to 19-under for the event after firing a 4-under 67 final round.
Jason Day was the best-placed Australian finishing in a tie for 8th place at 18-under with Si Woo Kim. It was the first time the 34-year-old enjoyed a top 10 result at an individual event on the PGA Tour since The Farmers Insurance Open (T3) in January. Day carded a final round 8-under 63, which was the equal best score on Sunday. The brilliant round included 29 shots on the back nine and an incredible run of nine birdies at his final 12 holes. It was Day’s 84th Top 10 finish on the PGA Tour.
The PGA Tour moves to Japan for next week’s ZOZO Championship to be staged at Narashino Country Club in Chiba. Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama is the defending champion.
Final Scores
Shriners Children’s Open
1. Tom Kim -24
T2. Patrick Cantlay -21
T2. Matthew NeSmith -21
T4. SH Kim -20
T4. Tom Hoge -20
T4. Mito Pereira -20
7. Sungjae Im -19
T8. Jason Day -18
T8. Si Woo Kim -18
Other Australians
T20. Lucas Herbert -14
T37. Cam Davis -12
T69. Harrison Endycott -7
MC. Ryan Ruffels
Photo credit: Orlando Ramirez /Getty Images
