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2020: Cameron Smith (-11, 269)
Defeated Brendan Steele on the first extra hole for his second win on TOUR. … Birdied the last hole to force playoff. … Played final group with Steele. … Began the day three shots back. … Highest winning score since 2012 (-13) because of wet, gusty conditions all week. … Circled 21 birdies (T-most entered 2021). … Led the field in Strokes-Gained: Putting and co-led in Putting: Birdie or Better Percentage. … Won in his fifth start at Sony. … T10 Australian PGA in his previous event entering the week. … Second win on TOUR after joining forces with Jonas Blixt to win the Zurich Classic.
Notables:
Brendan Steele (P2) co-led after 36 and was three clear after a 64 on Saturday in only his second visit to Waialae. … Webb Simpson (3rd) also made 21 birdies and was the only other player 10-under or better. … Kevin Kisner (T4) shared the low round of the week with 64 on Saturday. … 2010 winner Ryan Palmer (T4) joined Kisner in posting all four rounds in the 60s. … Lanto Griffin (T7) closed with 64 to join Ted Potter, Jr., (T7) on 8-under. … Cameron Davis (T9) shared the 36-hole lead with Steele. … Bo Hoag (T9) picked up his first and only top 10. … Henrik Norlander (T9) picked up his second top 20 finish in as many starts. … Preferred lies in closely mown areas used all four rounds. … Weather was wet, windy and gusting up to 40 MPH. … Scoring 70.51.
2019: Matt Kuchar (-22, 258)
Became second consecutive winner of Mayakoba to follow with a win at Waialae. … Won by four after leading by two after 54. … Finished the week in the top 10 of every statistical category minus Strokes-Gained: Around the Green. … Led the field with 24 birdies. … Kept the streak going of winners being inside the top five in Strokes-Gained: Putting as he was third. … The last six winners have finished T4 or better in Par-4 scoring as he was T2. … Opened 63-63, closed 66-66. … Made only one bogey in his first 54 holes. … T19 at Kapalua week before.
Notables:
Andrew Putnam (2nd) holed over 430 feet of putts, his career best, and carded 62 in Round 2. … Marc Leishman (T3) had 64 in both Rounds 2 and 4. … Chez Reavie (T3) opened 65-65. … Hudson Swafford (T3) opened with 65 and closed with 64. … Davis Love III (7th) closed 64-65. … Charles Howell III (T8) has never missed a cut here. … Brian Stuard (T8) also plays great at Mayakoba. … Sung Kang (T10) was only player in the top 15 to have a round in the 70s. … Sebastian Munoz (T10) picked up his first top 10 on TOUR. … Defending champ Patton Kizzire was T13. … Sungjae Im (T16) and Keith Mitchell (T16) posted the only two rounds OVER PAR in the top 20. … Stewart Cink (T20) posted 62 in Round 2. … Cameron Smith (T22) made 21 birdies, third-most. … Cut was 2-under 138. … Top 22 players 10-under or better. … Scoring 68.92.
2018: Patton Kizzire (-17, 263)
Defeated James Hahn on the sixth playoff hole. … Never led after any round but was only one back heading into Sunday. … Opened Round 3 with a double but posted 64, same as Round 2. … Mayakoba champion from November. … Only second start at Sony. … Hit it tight and made the ones that counted. … T15 at Kapalua previous week. … None of the last six winners have been better than T13 in fairways as he was T56.
Notables:
James Hahn (P2) fired the low round of the week, 62, to get into the playoff. … 54 hole leader Tom Hoge (3rd) made double on No. 14, shot 70 and missed the playoff by a shot. … After making the cut by a shot, Webb Simpson (T4) stormed home 63-65. … Brian Stuard (T4) posted nothing worse than 67. .. Brian Harman (T4) opened 64-63 and led by three after 36 holes. … Chris Kirk (T10) opened with 63 and the first round lead tied with 2009 champ Zach Johnson (T14). … Russell Knox (T10) moves his streak to four straight cuts made after 2020. … Kyle Stanley (T10) cashed in seven straight before last year. … Cut was 2-under 138. … Top 31 players 10-under or better. … Scoring 68.90.
Key stat leaders
Top golfers in each statistic on the 2019-2020 PGA TOUR are listed only if they are scheduled to compete this week. * – Top 10 finish here since 2016 or past champion
Rounds in the 60s
1 Mark Hubbard
1 Sungjae Im
3 Harris English
4 Daniel Berger
6 Hideki Matsuyama
6 *Brian Harman
9 Brendon Todd
9 Lanto Griffin
12 Collin Morikawa
16 Abraham Ancer
16 Talor Gooch
20 *Kevin Kisner
23 Harry Higgs
23 *Webb Simpson
23 *Henrik Norlander
23 *Sebastian Munoz
Strokes Gained: Putting
3 *Andrew Putnam
5 Kevin Na
6 *Matt Kuchar
8 Mackenzie Hughes
13 *Webb Simpson
14 JT Poston
15 *Kevin Kisner
17 Daniel Berger
18 Harris English
20 Brendon Todd
21 Richy Werenski
25 *Patton Kizzire
Strokes Gained: Approach
2 Collin Morikawa
3 *Russell Henley
5 Hideki Matsuyama
6 *Webb Simpson
13 Emiliano Grillo
14 *Jim Furyk
15 Joaquin Niemann
16 *Brendan Steele
20 Branden Grace
23 Matthew NeSmith
25 Harris English
26 *Russell Knox
27 *Jimmy Walker
Horses for Courses
Source: PGA tour
