Si Woo Kim Wins Sony Open

PGA TOUR

Sony Open

Si Woo Kim Wins Sony Open

Si Woo Kim outlasted Hayden Buckley to win the Sony Open in Hawaii. The 27-year-old Korean finished birdie, birdie at Waialae Country Club to narrowly edge Buckley by one shot. It was Kim‚Äôs fourth PGA Tout title.

Kim began the final round three shots behind Buckley. The 2017 PLAYERS champion made a fast start with birdies at the opening three holes and covered the front nine in 32 shots. Kim was flawless over the back nine producing three unanswered birdies to fire a 6-under 64 and match the low row for the final day. The recent Presidents Cup star hit the lead for first time all week with his birdie at 12^th hole to reach 16-under. He then closed the event with spectacular birdies at the 17^th and 18^th holes. At the par 3, 17^th green, Kim chipped in from 28 feet before making a steady two-putt birdie at the par 5, final hole. Kim‚Äôs clutch finish got him to 18-under.

Buckley finished in solo second place one shot back at 17-under. The 26-year-old American was looking for his maiden PGA Tour victory. Buckley took a two-shot lead into the final round after back-to-back 6-under 64s on Friday and Saturday. Now in his second PGA Tour season, it was the first time Buckley ever held the lead after any round. Buckley missed a birdie putt on the final green from 12 feet to force a playoff. He carded a final round 2-under 68 and eclipsed his previous best finish on the PGA Tour‚ÄîT4 Sanderson Farms Championship in October 2021.

American Chris Kirk claimed solo third place at 15-under. The 37-year-old closed with a 2-under 68. Fellow Americans Andrew Putnam and David Lipsky along with England‚Äôs Ben Taylor took a share of 4^th place at 14-under.

Australians Aaron Baddeley, Adam Scott and Cam Davis qualified for the weekend. Baddeley made the most of a late minute exemption to join the field at Waialae firing a pair of 65s on the weekend to march into a tie for 7^th place at 13-under. The 41-year-old Victorian has now enjoyed two top 10 results during the 2022/2023 PGA Tour wrap around season. Tour veteran Scott produced all four rounds in the 60s to reach 11-under and finish in a tie for 21^st place. Davis, aged 27, carded a final round 3-under 67 to get to 9-under and finish in a tie for 32^nd place.

Defending champion Hideki Matsuyama was unable to replicate his winning form from 12 months ago. The Japanese star finished back in the field in a tie for 48^th place at 7-under.

Jordan Spieth produced a first of its kind on the PGA Tour in three years. The 29-year-old American fired a near flawless 6-under 64 on Thursday and then signed for a 5-over 75 on Friday to become the first player since Matt Every in 2020 to go from leading the tournament on day one to missing the cut. The former world No. 1 crashed with six bogeys and just one birdie for the second round to miss the weekend by one shot. Before his misadventure in Hawaii, Spieth had enjoyed at least a share of the lead 11 times in his pro career going on to win three times, finishing second four times, scoring a third place and T8, T9 and T42.

The PGA Tour moves to California for next week‚Äôs The American Express to be staged at Pete Dye Stadium Course, La Quinta. America‚Äôs Hudson Swafford is the defending champion.

Final Scores

Sony Open

1. Si Woo Kim -18

2. Hayden Buckley -17

3. Chris Kirk -15

T4. Andrew Putnam -14

T4. David Lipsky -14

T4. Ben Taylor -14

T7. Aaron Baddeley -13

T7. Matt Kuchar -13

T7. Maverick McNealy -13

T7. Nate Lashley -13