PGA TOUR
Sentry Tournament of Champions
Aussie Smith Outduels Rahm in Hawaii
Australia’s Cameron Smith is the first PGA Tour winner in 2022. The 28-year-old set the new PGA Tour record for the lowest 72-hole score in relation to par as he overcame world No. 1 Jon Rahm to win the Sentry Tournament of Champions by one shot. Another Australian Matt Jones finished in third place one shot further back. The invitation-only event is exclusive to winners of a PGA Tour tournament in the 2021 PGA Tour calendar year and featured 38 players in the field.
Smith, who now owns four PGA Tour titles, produced rounds of 65, 64, 64 and 65 to reach 34 under. The incredible tally bested the previous Tour record of 31-under set by Ernie Els in 2003. The Queenslander becomes the third Australian golfer to win at Kapalua, Maui after Stuart Appleby won three years in a row from 2004-2006 and Geoff Ogilvy went back-to-back in 2009 and 2010. Smith’s victory ends an 11-year consecutive winning streak at the event by American golfers that dates back to Ogilvy’s victory in 2010.
Smith and Rahm were paired together over the weekend. Smith earned his place in the limited field after winning the 2021 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Rahm’s invitation came courtesy of claiming the 2021 US Open.
Both players held the 54-hole lead at 26-under and were five shots clear of their nearest rival entering Sunday’s final round. The young Aussie took the lead at the 4th hole with a birdie and never looked back. With three more birdies on the front nine, he covered the outward nine in 4-under and held a two-shot over Rahm. The Spaniard reduced the lead to one shot after making a birdie at the par 3, 11th hole. And, then caught Smith at 30-under after draining his 15-foot birdie putt at the 13th hole. Smith answered the challenge and moved one shot clear moments later when he poured in his birdie attempt from seven feet at the same hole. The pair traded birdies at the 14th and 15th holes and pars at the 16th and 17th holes to allow Smith a one-shot buffer playing the final hole. Both players missed outside eagle attempts at the reachable par 5. Rahm tapped in for his seventh birdie of the day to sign for a 7-under 66 to get to 33-under. Smith poured in his birdie putt from 3.5 feet to seal the stunning win.
Jones, aged 41, produced a remarkable 23-under over the weekend to bolt up to outright third place. Jones, who secured his place in the field with after winning the 2021 Honda Classic, followed his 11-under 62 on Saturday with a 12-under 61 on Sunday. The dramatic final round included two eagles on the back nine and matched the course record set by Rahm and Justin Thomas in round three.
Reigning FedExCup champion Patrick Cantlay finished in outright fourth place at 26-under.
Cam Davis and Marc Leishman rounded out the top 10 to make it a great event for Australian golfers. Davis carded a final round 7-under 66. Leishman produced a 5-under 68. Both players finished at 23-under.
The PGA Tour remains in Hawaii for the Sony Open staged at Waialae Country Club, Honolulu. America’s Kevin Na is the defending champion.
Final Scores
Sentry Tournament of Champions
1. Cameron Smith -34
2. Jon Rahm -33
3. Matt Jones -32
4. Patrick Cantlay -26
T5. Daniel Berger -25
T5. Collin Morikawa -25
T5. Justin Thomas -25
Other Australians
T10. Cam Davis -23
T10. Marc Leishman -23
37. Lucas Herbert -8
Photo credit: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
