Sony Open in Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
Second- and third-round leader and World No. 32 Matt Kuchar battled to a 4-under-par 36-30=66 in Sunday’s final round at Waialae Country Club for a 72-hole tally of 22-under 258, good for a four-shot win over playing competitor and runner-up Andrew Putnam (68), and five better than Marc Leishman (64), Hudson Swafford (64), Chez Reavie (67) and open-qualifier Corey Conners (64), who all shared 3rd place.
The 40-year-old, a pre-tourney 40/1 outright, bags his ninth PGA TOUR title in 430 events (419 pro), second of the season in four starts, joining his one-shot win at the Mayakoba Golf Classic two starts ago, where he led/co-led after each of the first three rounds.
Kuchar’s victory at Mayakoba was his first in 4 years, 7 months. Here’s what he said after that victory:
“It’s an amazing feeling to win a PGA TOUR event. It’s a hard thing to do… being four years removed from my last victory. I realize how difficult it is to win on the PGA TOUR.”
The Georgia Tech alum went 116 starts between wins No. 7 and 8.
He’s now bagged two trophies in his last three starts.
Final Leaderboard (pre-tourney odds outright):
1- (-22, 258) Matt Kuchar (40/1)
2- (-18, 262) Andrew Putnam (55/1)
3- (-17, 263) Marc Leishman (16/1)
3- (-17, 263) Hudson Swafford (200/1)
3- (-17, 263) Chez Reavie (80/1)
3- (-17, 263) Corey Conners (200/1)
FUN FACT: Kuchar’s four-shot win was his largest margin of victory, previously two shots (x3).
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Playing his 18th (consecutive) season on TOUR, this is just the second time Kuchar has won more than once in a season, joining 2013, when he also won twice (in 23 events).
Overall, it’s his 100th top 10 in 430 events (23.2%), 31 of which are podiums (1st- 9; 2nd- 10; 3rd- 12).
DID YOU KNOW: With over $46.2 million in earnings, Kuchar ranks 10th on the Career Money List.
He improves to 3-for-13 when leading/co-leading after 36 holes, converting two straight, and 4-for-8 when leading/co-leading after 54, also converting two straight.
With a Strength of Field rating of 338 (up from 311 last year), the Sea Island, Georgia, resident banks 50 world-ranking points and jumps 10 spots to 22nd in the Official World Golf Ranking. His career high is 4th after the 2014 Greenbrier. The Florida native also bumps seven places to 2nd in the FedExCup standings, 44 points behind leader Xander Schauffele (idle).
With the two wins, he is the second multiple winner on the season (Schauffele).
Kuchar improves to 4-for-4 with three top 25s and two top 10s, and checked in off a T19 at last week’s Sentry TOC (72-73-72-69), where he was the only player to record multiple bogey-free rounds (x2).
Season Form: 1-19-1-57
Field Scoring Average:
This was the 54th playing of the Sony, all 54 at Waialae CC:
Scorecard Yardage: 7,044
Par: 70 (35-35)
Cumulative scoring averages:
R1: 69.64
R2: 68.90
R3: 68.32
R4: 68.18
Total: 68.92
Kuchar: 63-63-66-66 for 17.046 SG: Total
FUN FACT: Of Kuchar’s nine total wins, this was his first on a par 70.
Courses:
- Par 70: 1 win: Sony
- Par 71: 3 wins: Mayakoba, RBC-Heritage, The Barclays
- Par 72: 5 wins: Memorial, WGC-Match Play, THE PLAYERS, Turning Stone, Honda Classic (TPC Heron Bay)
This was Kuchar’s 14th Sony, first since a T13 in 2016, and notches his seventh top 25, sixth consecutive, and sixth top 10, five in his last six. It’s also his fifth top 5, bettering a T3 two tries ago in 2015, where he was a 36-hole co-leader.
Sony Form: 1-13-3-8-5-5-MC-MC-65-MC-MC-MC-4-MC
FUN FACT: Kuchar is the second straight Sony winner to have also won the Mayakoba in the same season, joining Patton Kizzire (2018). Overall, he’s the third if you add-in Johnson Wagner, though his win in 2012 was before the advent of the wraparound season, winning at Mayakoba the previous season (2011).
FUN FACT: Kuchar is the sixth consecutive Sony winner to play the Sentry TOC the week prior. Russell Henley (2013) is the last who didn’t. Overall, 15 of the last 21 Sony winners also played on Maui.
Leader/co-leaders by Round:
R1: Adam Svensson (finished T43): 0-for-1 as 18-hole leader/co-leader
R2: Matt Kuchar (Won): 3-for-13 as 36-hole leader/co-leader
R3: Matt Kuchar (Won): 4-for-8 as 54-hole leader/co-leader
Kuchar’s Position by Round:
R1: 3 (2 back)
R2: 1 (leader by 1)
R3: 1 (leader by 2)
FUN FACT: In Kuchar’s 16 rounds played this season, he’s now led or co-led after seven of them, the seven being tops on TOUR by three over Gary Woodland, Charles Howell III and Cameron Champ.
Leaders in Strokes Gained Stats:
SG: Off-the-Tee
1. Abraham Ancer (5.661)
2. Bryson DeChambeau (4.870)
3. Sungjae Im (4.616)
4. Adam Hadwin (3.707)
5. Dylan Frittelli (3.293)
7. Matt Kuchar (3.159)
SG: Approach-the-Green
1. Ted Potter, Jr. (8.225)
2. Chez Reavie (8.204)
3. Corey Conners (7.062)
4. Scott Piercy (6.377)
5. Hudson Swafford (6.014)
7. Matt Kuchar (5.498)
SG: Around-the-Green
1. Stewart Cink (5.079)
2. Ian Poulter (4.421)
3. Sung Kang (4.298)
4. Harris English (3.807)
5. Sebastian Munoz (3.419)
29. Matt Kuchar (1.349)
SG: Putting
1. Andrew Putnam (10.894)
2. Brian Gay (10.889)
3. Matt Kuchar (7.038)
4. Brandt Snedeker (6.565)
5. Brian Stuard (6.391)
SG: Tee-to-Green
1. Chez Reavie (12.992)
2. Bryson DeChambeau (10.504)
3. Matt Kuchar (10.008)
4. Hudson Swafford (9.976)
5. Keith Mitchell (9.936)
Draw:
A total of 81 pros from a field of 142 pros and two amateurs made the 36-hole cut of 2-under 138:
32 (of 72) EARLY/late
49 (of 72) LATE/early
71 players made the secondary 54-hole cut of 2-under 208
12 players finished in the top 10:
EARLY/late (2):
Andrew Putnam (2nd); Bryson DeChambeau (T10)
LATE/early (10):
Matt Kuchar (Won); Marc Leishman (T3); Hudson Swafford (T3); Chez Reavie (T3); Corey Conners (T3); Davis Love III (7th); Brian Stuard (T8); Charles Howell III (T8); Sebastian Munoz (T10); Sung Kang (T10)
*Note: Kuchar is second straight LATE/early winner at the Sony, but won the Mayakoba two starts ago as an EARLY/late, so he can win from both sides.
5
5 (of 10) tourneys so far this season with a traditional draw:
Winners:
EARLY/late: 3
LATE/early: 2 (Kuchar)
Low Rounds:
R1: 61: Adam Svensson*
R2: 62: Stewart Cink
R3: 63: Keith Mitchell, Bryson DeChambeau, Emiliano Grillo
R4: 64: Marc Leishman, Hudson Swafford, Corey Conners, Sung Kang, Carlos Ortiz
*career low
Bogey-free Rounds:
R1: (5): Adam Svensson (61); Matt Kuchar (63); Patton Kizzire (67); Abraham Ancer (68); Stewart Cink (68)
R2: (11): Dominic Bozzelli (64); Sungjae Im (64); Kyle Stanley (64); Andrew Putnam (65); Roger Sloan (65); Sangmoon Bae (65-MC); Patrick Reed (66); Scott Brown (66); Ryan Blaum (66); Julian Etulain (67); Joey Garber (67)
R3: (5): Keith Mitchell (63); Charles Howell III (64); Brian Stuard (64); Brandt Snedeker (65); Matt Kuchar (66)
R4: (8): Marc Leishman (64); Hudson Swafford (64); Sung Kang (64); Sebastian Munoz (65); Patton Kizzire (65); Brian Stuard (66); J.T. Poston (66); Ryan Armour (66)
Multiple Bogey-free Rounds (3 players):
Kuchar, Stuard, Kizzire (x2)
FUN FACT: For emphasis, Kuchar was the only player at last week’s Sentry TOC with multiple bogey-free rounds with two (R3/R4), and had two more this week (R1/R3).
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Season Winners (10):
5 winners were in their 20s
3 were in their 30s
2 were in their 40s (both by Kuchar age: 40)
Kevin Tway (Safeway): age 30
Marc Leishman (CIMB): age 34
Brooks Koepka (CJ CUP): age 28
Xander Schauffele (WGC-HSBC): age 25
Cameron Champ (Sanderson Farms): age 23
Bryson DeChambeau (Shriners): age 25
Matt Kuchar (Mayakoba): age 40
Charles Howell III (RSM): age 39
Xander Schauffele (Sentry TOC): age 25
Matt Kuchar (Sony): age 40
FUN FACT: In the last 36 PGA TOUR events, there’s been just three wins by players age 40 or older. Kuchar (x2), and Tiger Woods (age 42) at the 2018 TOUR Championship.
Last Season:
20s: 17
30s: 24
40s: 6
How Kuchar Won on Sunday:
After kicking off with 63-63-66, he led Putnam by two and hit 10 (of 14) fairways and 16 greens in regulation, outflanking three first-half bogeys with seven birdies, three in his final four holes.
Kuchar got off to a shaky start with par-bogey-birdie-bogey (3-putt from 47’6”) and thru four holes, was caught by Putnam. He squared another bogey at 5 (back to back), now one back of Putnam.
The deficit stayed that way at the turn, with both players getting up-and-down for sandy birdies at the par-5 ninth, though Kuchar’s was the more difficult, dropping a 10-foot 6-incher that set him in motion.
OUT: 1-over 36 (2 birdies, 3 bogeys); one back
Kuchar regained a share of lead with birdie-3 at 10 (back to back) from 3'11", now even-par on the day and 18-under total. Birdie-3 at 12 from 9'4" and he takes back the lead by one over Putnam.
Fairway bunkered at par-4 13th but made par, but Putnam birdied. All square.
Par at 14 and Putnam bogeyed (failed sand save), now 1 ahead.
Birdie-3 at 15 from 12'6", now 2 ahead with four to play. Went back to back with birdie-3 at 16 from 11'1", now 3-under on the day and up 3 with two to play.
Added a closing birdie-4 for the final margin, his 258 aggregate a career low.
IN: 5-under 30 (5 birdies, NO bogeys)
Kuchar posted 0.632 SG: Off-the-Tee, 1.400 SG: Approach, -0.434 SG: Around, and 0.585 SG: Putting with 30 total putts. After playing his first eight holes in 2-over, he played his final 10 in 6-under.
For the week, Kuchar tallied one eagle and 24 birdies against four bogeys and ranked No. 1 in Birdie or Better %, Birdie-to-Bogey Ratio, Greens in Regulation and the All-Around, and was T1 in Total Birdies. See his full stats at the bottom.
Runner-Up:
Andrew Putnam: First things first. The 3rd-year man ranks No. 1 this season in SG: Putting (2.211 avg.). He was 2nd at last week’s Sentry TOC (6.791) and 1st this week at 10.894, and is now inside the Top 50 in OWGR.
OWGR: 45 (UP 22); career high
FEC: 10th (UP 21); career high
Playing out of the final threesome and beginning solo 2nd, two back, the Pepperdine alum carved out a 2-under-par 33-35=68 to end four in arrears.
He opened par-par-birdie-par to tie Kuchar; took the lead by one thru five (Kuchar bogey), and the margin stayed that way at the turn.
OUT: 2-under 33 (2 birdies, NO bogeys)
Putnam parred the 10th, Kuchar birdied, tied again. He missed the green two times at the par-3 11th, but canned a 19’1” par-saver from the fringe.
Pars the 12th, but Kuchar birdies. One back. Birdie-3 at 13 from 20’6”, now tied on 19-under.
Failed sand save at 14, one back, and then Kuchar birdies 15, now two back, right where he started the day.
Kuchar birdies 16 and 18 for the final margin.
IN: even-par 35 (1 birdie, 1 bogey)
The 29-year-old, chasing his second TOUR title in 58 events, first since the 2018 opposite-field Barracuda nine starts ago (as the 54-hole leader), settles for his second runner-up, joining a solo 2nd at the 2018 FedEx St. Jude Classic, where he was a 54-hole co-leader, shot 2-over 72, and lost by six to 54-hole co-leader Dustin Johnson.
He’s now 5-for-5 on the season with three top 25s, three straight, and two top 10s, both doubling as top 5s. Putnam ranks T5 on TOUR in Consecutive Cuts Made with 12.
Season Form: 2-14-4-29-50
The state of Washington native landed nine (of 14) fairways and 13 greens in regulation, losing strokes off-the-tee and on approach, and eking out a 0.186 SG: Putting with 28 total putts.
He ended the week with 22 birdies against four bogeys on laps of career-low 62, 65-67-68, and was held back by a 60th-place ranking in SG: Off-the-Tee (-1.260).
Sony Form: 2-69-MC
Season Leaders in Top-10 Finishes:
3: Marc Leishman, Charles Howell III, Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Champ, Scott Piercy
2: 18 players, including Kuchar and Putnam
Consecutive Top 10s on TOUR:
4: Justin Rose (3-4-P2-2)
3: Bryson DeChambeau (10-7-1)
2: Marc Leishman (3-4)
2: Xander Schauffele (1-1)
2: Webb Simpson (8-3)
2: Patrick Cantlay (2-7)
2: Ryan Palmer (7-3)
2: Tiger Woods (1-6)
Kuchar’s Career:
Starts: 430 (419 pro)
Cuts Made: 314 (73.0%)
WDs: 2
Top 25s: 185 (43.0%)
Top 10s: 100 (23.2%)
Top 3s: 31 (7.2%)
Wins: 9 (2.09%)
9 wins
2019: Sony Open (leader by 2)
Shot: 4-under 66
Winning Margin: 4 shots
Career Start: 430
Event Type: FULL FIELD
2019: Mayakoba (leader by 4)
Shot: 2-under 69
Winning Margin: 1 shot
Career Start: 428
Event Type: FULL FIELD
2014: RBC Heritage (come from behind, 4-shot deficit)
Shot: 7-under 64
Winning Margin: 1 shot
Career Start: 312
Event Type: FULL FIELD
2013: the Memorial Tournament (leader by 2)
Shot: 4-under 68
Winning Margin: 2 shots
Career Start: 292
Event Type: FULL FIELD
2013: WGC-Match Play (6-seed)
Winning Margin: Beat Hunter Mahan 2-and 1
Career Start: 283
Event Type: LIMITED FIELD
2012: THE PLAYERS (come from behind, 1-shot deficit)
Shot: 2-under 70
Winning Margin: 2 shots
Career Start: 266
Event Type: FULL FIELD
2010: The Barclays (come from behind, 5-shot deficit)
Shot: 5-under 66
Winning Margin: PLAYOFF
Career Start: 228
Event Type: FEC Playoffs
2009: Turning Stone Championship (co-leader)
Shot: 3-under 69
Winning Margin: PLAYOFF
Career Start: 205
Event Type: FULL FIELD
2002: The Honda Classic (come from behind, 3-shot deficit)
Shot: 6-under 66
Winning Margin: 2 shots
Career Start: 28
Event Type: FULL FIELD
Wins by Season:
2019: 2
2018: 0
2017: 0
2016: 0
2015: 0
2014: 1
2013: 2
2012: 1
2011: 0
2010: 1
2009: 1
2002: 1 (first-time member, not rookie)
2001: 0 (11 non-member starts)
Updated Top 10 FEC Standings (points):
1. Xander Schauffele (1,094)
2. Matt Kuchar (1,050); UP seven
3. Marc Leishman (794)
4. Gary Woodland (773); DOWN two
5. Charles Howell III (736); DOWN one
6. Bryson DeChambeau (660); UP one
7. Kevin Tway (641); DOWN two
8. Brooks Koepka (593); DOWN two
9. Cameron Champ (592); DOWN one
10. Andrew Putnam (516); UP 21; career high
Kuchar’s Weekly Stats (ranking of 71 players):
Eagles: 1 (T9)
Birdies: 24 (T1)
Bogeys: 4 (T3)
Birdie or Better: 34.72% (1st)
Birdie to Bogey Ratio: 6.25 (1st)
Par-3 Scoring: 2.81 (T5)
Par-4 Scoring: 3.77 (T2)
Par-5 Scoring: 4.00 (T4)
Driving Distance (all drives): 292.0 yards (20th)
Driving Accuracy: 40/56 (T4) at 71.43%
GIR: 60/72 (1st) at 83.33%
Proximity to Hole: 28’6” (8th)
Putts per GIR: 1.617 (5th)
Total Putts: 112 (T13)
Putts by Round: 27-25-30-30
Scrambling: 9/12 (T9) at 75.00%
All Around: 1st
