Patton Kizzire wins Sony Open in Hawaii

The young American came through a six hole playoff against James Hahn to claim the title

Patton Kizzire wins Sony Open in Hawaii
Patton Kizzire wins Sony Open in Hawaii
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Patton Kizzire came through a six-hole playoff against fellow American James Hahn to win the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae GC in Honolulu. It was his second PGA Tour title of the season.

The Sony Open in Hawaii had to be settled in a playoff after Patton Kizzire and James Hahn finished 72 holes tied on 17-under-par. Kizzire prevailed at the sixth extra hole to claim his second victory of the 2017-18 PGA Tour wraparound season.

James Hahn played a superb final round of 62 at Waialae GC to set a clubhouse leading score of 263. He had to wait nearly an hour to see if the 54-hole leaders could match him. Tom Hoge could have surpassed the number had it not been for a double bogey on the 16th. Kizzire needed a birdie at the last to claim the victory outright but his chip from short of the par-5 ran past the hole and he missed the birdie effort.

Kizzire tapped in for par to tie Hahn’s score and extra holes were required to decide the winner.

Both men made two pars and two birdies on the par-5 last – Hahn twice had putts to win that didn’t drop – and both made pars on the par-3 17th. For the sixth extra hole they returned to the par-3 and this time Hahn was unable to save par and Kizzire was champion.

3 Talking points from the Sony Open in Hawaii

1 – This was Kizzire’s second win of the season following the OHL Classic. He is now leader by 452 points on the FedEx Cup standings. “I'm just going to keep working hard. I want to get the third win. The first win was big, and this one is even bigger… Our ultimate goal is to be No. 1 at the end of the year.”

2 – James Hahn was left dejected after the playoff defeat. Despite his superb final round 62, he was struggling to find the positives. “I'd rather lose by 100 than lose by 1. I'd rather miss the cut than lose in a playoff. It just doesn't sit well with me. I feel really defeated right now.”

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3 – Scotland’s Russell Knox was the best placed non-US player. He started the round within four of the leader Tom Hoge and was still in the hunt with six to play. But dropped shots at the 15th and 16th holes saw him fall back into a tie for 10th place.

Sony Open in Hawaii Waialae CC, Honolulu, Hawaii Jan 11-14 Purse: $6,200,000 Par: 70

1 Patton Kizzire (USA) 67 64 64 68 263 $1,116,000 2 James Hahn (USA) 67 69 65 62 263 $669,600 3 Tom Hoge (USA) 65 65 64 70 264 $421,600 T4 Webb Simpson (USA) 67 70 63 65 265 $256,267 T4 Brian Harman (USA) 64 63 68 70 265 $256,267 T4 Brian Stuard (USA) 67 66 67 65 265 $256,267 T7 Ollie Schniederjans (USA) 66 65 67 68 266 $193,233 T7 Ben Martin (USA) 69 66 66 65 266 $193,233 T7 Gary Woodland (USA) 67 67 68 64 266 $193,233 T10 Chris Kirk (USA) 63 67 67 70 267 $148,800 T10 Kyle Stanley (USA) 64 67 65 71 267 $148,800 T10 Russell Knox (Sco) 69 64 65 69 267 $148,800 T10 Ryan Blaum (USA) 66 68 68 65 267 $148,800

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage

Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?