Kuchar comes up clutch to win his first Sony Open title

Matt Kuchar’s fist started to rise before the ball began its descent.

When you know, you know.

And when Kuchar’s 11-foot birdie putt dropped into the cup on Waialae Country Club’s 16th green, the eight-time winner on the PGA Tour sensed his pursuit for his first Sony Open in Hawaii title was all but complete.

Kuchar arrived at the first tee on Sunday two shots ahead of Andrew Putnam but played his first five holes at 2 over par to drop a stroke behind. He still trailed after a birdie at the par-5 ninth, but that 10-foot putt seemed to energize the 40-year-old. He rolled in five more birdies in a sizzling back nine to finish the round at 4-under-par 66 and 22 under for the week.

When Kuchar tipped his cap to the crowd surrounding the 18th green after his seventh birdie of the afternoon, this one from just about 2 feet, he was four shots clear of Putnam and had his second win in his past three official starts this season.

He’d threatened at Waialae several times over 13 earlier visits stretching back to 2001 — his previous best a tie for third in 2015 when he closed with a 71. All of which made his 42nd walk up the 18th fairway to the calls of “Koooch” from the gallery that much more gratifying.

“It was really special. That was my first time really getting to enjoy the stroll up 18. I think most of my wins … (I) had to execute, had to par, birdie, whatever it may be on 18. Still, the tournament was in limbo,” Kuchar said.

“To be able to know the tournament was wrapped up, enjoy that walk, it was special. Can’t tell you how much I think of Waialae (Country) Club. Fantastic club, fantastic golf course. I’ve always enjoyed and had so much respect for this place.

“I’m thrilled to have my photo go up in the champions’ wall.”

Kuchar entered the week with $1.077 million in Sony Open earnings in his career and added $1.152 million more with Sunday’s win.

Putnam closed a solid week with a 68 to finish in solo second at 18 under and a career-best total of 262. He began the week with a 62 and remained in contention until Kuchar closed the deal by playing the back nine at 5-under 30 in what amounted to a match-play situation.

Kuchar, now in his 18th year, won six events between 2009 and ’14, but his victory at the RBC Heritage in April 2014 would be followed by a victory drought spanning more than four years. He made every U.S. Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup team from 2010-17 but wasn’t part of the roster for last year’s Ryder Cup in France.

He jump-started the new season with a win at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico in November and his victory this week boosted him to second in the FedEx Cup standings, trailing only Xander Schauffele, winner of the Sentry Tournament of Champions a week earlier. He entered the week 14th in the U.S. Presidents Cup standings and rose to seventh on Sunday.

“I was pretty frustrated,” Kuchar said of his dry spell. “I was definitely disappointed, frustrated. Yeah, I didn’t make (the) BMW (Championship), Ryder Cup. There were some big things that I missed out on. I was very frustrated.

“I didn’t ever give up hope. I think the frustrating thing was I felt like I was doing some good things and just not seeing results. That sometimes is hard to take, when you think you’re on the right course and the right path and not seeing results, to stick the course. (His wife) Sybi has been great at helping me stick the course and (coach) Chris (O’Connell) has been great. So nice to see it turn around.”

After making his way around the Kapalua Plantation course’s hilly layout at 6 under at the Tournament of Champions, Kuchar put together an efficient week on a far flatter track with 63s in the first two rounds and 66s in the final two to earn a return trip to Kapalua in 2020.

But his ever-present easy smile over the first three rounds gave way to consternation early on Sunday.

Kuchar drew a square around just one bogey on his first three scorecards of the week, but had three in his first five holes on Sunday, including a three-putt on the par-3 fourth. Putnam held steady; a par on No. 5 gave him the lead at 17 under.

“It was not the start I wanted by any means, but I knew I was playing good golf,” Kuchar said.

“Didn’t see any putts fall until the ninth, and I think that was just a crucial turning point for me. Making that putt on nine, stay within one of Andrew, and then played some great golf from then.”

Kuchar caught Putnam with a 4-foot birdie on No. 10 and went ahead with a 9-footer at No. 12. Putnam answered by dropping a 20-foot uphill birdie putt on No. 13 to tie again. But a drive into the rough off the 14th tee led to a pivotal bogey and Kuchar’s par gave him a lead he wouldn’t relinquish.

“It was the biggest draw I hit all week. A little surprising that it went that far left. Thought I hit a perfect shot,” Putnam said. “Yeah, just needed to make some better swings. Kuch was making birdies and played great coming down the stretch. I just couldn’t keep up with him.”

Kuchar built on the momentum shift by dropping a 12-foot birdie putt punctuated by a fist pump on No. 15. He stretched the lead to three shots with the putt on 16 with the celebration to match.

“I felt like a three-shot lead, two to go, knowing how good I was playing, I felt like if I get this putt to go in, tournament is mine. This is my tournament to win or lose at that point,” Kuchar said.

“I kind of enjoy the moment but not get overly high or overly low out there. I knew that putt on 16 was kind of the nail in the coffin.

“That was a great feeling to see the putt go in.”