In the final tournament of the Hawaii swing, it was Si Woo Kim who claimed the title, in an impressive and gripping final round that concluded with the 27-year-old birdieing the final two holes to lift the Sony Open trophy and a fourth PGA Tour trophy. To win.
Starting three strokes behind overnight leader Hayden Buckley, Kim was looking to secure his first PGA Tour title since January 2021 and, when he scored three straight birdies to open his final day, it was clear the South Korean meant business. .
Throughout the final round, we would see a straight-up battle between Kim and Buckley, as both traded birdies with each other. Despite closing out his front nine with two birdies and two bogeys, Kim was still just one shot behind his American opponent with nine holes remaining.
Once again, nothing could separate them as they moved down the stretch, with Buckley keeping his slim one-shot lead intact with just a handful of holes remaining.
Ultimately though, Kim’s experience shone through and, on the 17th hole, the crucial moment occurred, when the 27-year-old chipped from the green to birdie and tie alongside Buckley. That was followed by a crucial birdie on the par-5 18th, meaning Buckley would need a birdie to force a playoff, or an eagle to win outright.
Kim claims his first PGA Tour title since the 2021 American Express
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Unfortunately, the 26-year-old couldn’t make it either, as Buckley couldn’t get up and down from the green as he failed to secure his first PGA Tour title.
Speaking about his win, Kim stated: “It’s like the first time, winning my first event…it can’t get any better than this. It’s really exciting and there’s a lot of the season left. I’m trying to get more confident and then with luck, more victories”.
However, for Buckley it was heartbreak, as the American felt he was “in control of the tournament most of the time” but “missing at 15 from three or four feet really hurt.”