On Sunday at Sentry Field, there was a sprint to the end as many players lost their fitness. But it was 54-hole leader Chris Kirk who was able to top them all.
He led the field going into the final round at Kapalua's Plantation Course on Maui, Hawaii. Kirk, who won his sixth PGA Tour victory, shot an 8-under 65 with no bogeys and finished with a total of 29 under.
His eight birdies on Sunday were impressive, but it was the birdie on No. 17 that sealed the deal. Was he just glad he didn't get the honor in that hall? iconic moment It wouldn't have happened.
Thankfully, one of the players he played with, Akshay Bhatia, took the time to understand the wind, so Kirk's decision changed from the 7-iron and he said, “Choke up with the 5-iron.'' “It was to be.
“Man, that shot on 17 was crazy. Definitely one of the best shots of my career,” he said. “I'm so proud of that shot. I'm so proud that I made the right decision. Let's talk about a shot that's hard to commit to.” Trying to draw a 7 But then you end up hitting a 5, that never happens. That will never happen. ”
Kirk was pressured all day Sunday by people. Saheth Segala, Jordan Spieth and others would take the lead or share it, but they couldn't protect it.
Segala was one of the players who challenged Kirk all day. He had chances to win, but a poor tee shot on the 17th and a lip-out mistake on the 18th for birdie ultimately cost him the tournament. He finished the day with a 10-under 63, one stroke behind Kirk.
But by the time Kirk reached 17, that birdie was all he needed to secure the victory.
“This is the only time I've ever won a tour tournament by making a key putt. It was an amazing, amazing feeling,” Kirk said. “No matter how I was feeling, no matter how nervous I was, nothing was going to stop me from hitting a great shot, no matter how nervous I was, nothing was going to stop me from hitting a great shot or making a great putt. And I'll never forget that shot on number 17.'' For a long time. “
The former Georgia Bulldog put a lot of work into his game and his mindset heading into this season this offseason. These changes allowed him to start the year with his 1-0 record.
“It's surreal. It's really unexpected,” Kirk said. “I had a really great offseason and did a lot of good work and felt good this year, but I never would have expected to shoot 29 under. Yeah, it's unbelievable. I’m still soaking it in a little bit.”
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Kirk's short game was on point, with the 38-year-old leading in strokes gained and scrambling around the greens, making 11 of 12. He also finished first in total strokes gained, gaining 10.459 strokes over the other competitors.
The ability to pick up those shots came when he needed it most.
Kirk won the Honda Classic last February, qualifying him for this year's race, and is now able to rebook. The 38-year-old first learned he was coming to Maui to participate in the 2025 Sentry.
He was also the early 2024 FedEx Cup leader, scoring 700 points in the year's first signature event. Kirk will be competing in the Sony Open in Honolulu, Hawaii next week, starting his quest for yet another victory in paradise.
Savannah Lee Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation's Playing Through.If you want to know more about golf, please follow us. @_PlayingThrough On all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirls and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
