KAPALUA, Hawaii — Jon RahmA bold new year began on the PGA Tour with a win at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, where he came from 7 shots behind to win. There was plenty of help from Collin Morikawa, who was a remarkable loser even by Maui standards.
Rahm was 6 strokes behind on the 13th Hole at Kapalua. He ran off three straight birdies, a 12-foot eagle and his final birdie to give him a 10-under score of 63.
Morikawa had completed 67 holes without a single bogey on Plantation Course. Then, it all went down with his wedges & his putter. These were the two areas which had helped him to a 6-shot advantage at the beginning of the day.
He blasted over the green from 25 yards short of 14th green. On the par-5 15th, he muffed his wedge from a tight lie with the grain into him. His wedge to 16th didn’t go far enough, and he rolled some 60ft back into fairway.
Morikawa looked in shock as he walked down 17th fairway. He had led by 7 shots during the final round, but suddenly found himself 2 shots behind.
He ended up setting a PGA Tour record of losing the largest 54-hole lead by 6 shots. This feat was accomplished by seven other players, most recently by Justin Woods. Dustin JohnsonIn the fall 2017 at the HSBC Champions, Shanghai.
He also became the first player in tour history to enter the final round with a lead of 6 or more strokes, shoot under par in the final round, and fail to win the event, per ESPN Stats & Information research.
Rahm finished at 27 under 265 to win by 2 strokes over Morikawa. Morikawa birdied 18 holes, his first birdie after No. 6 — to end with a 72.
Morikawa stated, Its going hurt, but its worth it. Were still in the very beginning of the season.
Morikawa had suffered a second similar collapse in less than a year. He finished 2021 at the Hero World Challenge with a 5-shot lead and had a chance to get to No. He was crowned the No. 1 player in the world after his victory. He shot 76 and was fifth.
Masters champion Scottie SchefflerHad a chance to reclaim No. He could return to No. 1 if he finishes in a tie for second or better. He settled for a 70 and tied seventh.
Rahm was able to redeem himself by finishing at 33 under par at Kapalua last year, a PGA Tour record that lasted only a few moments. Cameron SmithHe finished at 34-under to win by 1 stroke
Rahm is now at 60-under after his two previous Kapalua appearances. Rahm won his ninth PGA Tour victory and 17th worldwide. He is certain he will return to Maui in 2024.
Rahm has won three times in six international starts — he won last year in Spain and Dubai — and he returns home with $4.2million.
Rahm won $2.7 Million from the $15 Million purse at Kapalua. This was the first of the elevated” events on the PGA Tour schedule. He also received 25% of his Player Impact Program bonus cash — he was No. He finished 5th in the PIP for $6 Million.
Rahm has now won in every one of his seven years on the PGA.
Tom HogeHad a 64 and tied with Max Homa (66). Hoge left for Los Angeles to see his school, TCU play for the national title against Georgia. Hoge will then return to Hawaii for the Sony Open.
This report was based on information from The Associated Press.