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The two PGA Tour events in Hawaii were all about redemption.
Harris English flirted with putting his clubs in the garage until further notice and Chris Kirk was down to needing at least a two-way tie for third or lose his tour status. Throw in Kevin Na — who trailed by three with six to play on Sunday — and you have a lot of feel-good stories in times when you need them most.
English and Kirk are just two of nine Georgia Bulldogs who have some kind of tour status. They lived up to their mascot the past two Sundays in the Hawaiian islands where English won the Sentry Tournament of Champions on Maui and Kirk was a runner-up to Na at the Sony Open in Hawaii, producing three “winners” in only two events.
Just 18 months ago, English found himself in the Korn Ferry Tour championship in a position to regain his valued PGA Tour card when five bogeys over the last seven holes dashed those hopes in dramatic fashion. It was one of those moments in time driving home when you have to take a hard look at yourself and prove you belong.
Instead of throwing his clubs in the garage and leaving them there, English kept them in the trunk and began the quest once more. He ended a seven-year drought with his second tour win, beating hard-luck Joaquin Niemann in a playoff with a 6-foot birdie at the Plantation Course’s famed 18th. Falling as low as No. 342 in the world in 2019, English exits the 50th state ranked 16th and on his way to a possible Ryder Cup selection.
The 2019 season proved pivotal to Kirk as well, although in a different way. In May of that year, he decided he was at the wrong end of the bottle. Battling depression and using alcohol as a way out, Kirk turned his life over to a higher power. Ranked as low as No. 522 last summer, Kirk’s second-place tie with Niemann (yeah, same guy), leaves him with full status once more and a world-wide ranking of No. 128.
It was hard to tell on Sunday who was happier — Kirk or Na. Na secured his fifth PGA Tour victory with a tap-in birdie at the last hole of Waialae Country Club (really the ninth, but who’s counting). Here is a man who has had his own well-documented travails. And like his fellow tour colleagues above, Na has overcome them to be a viable force on tour.
He said Sunday that he always thought a victory here was possible for him, but it never could be arranged. A missed 6-foot birdie putt at 11 and a three-putt bogey from 40 feet on 12 could have sent him down the leaderboard for good. But Na responded with three consecutive birdies and hit a 5-wood from the rough on 18 to just over the back of the par-5 hole to set up an easy up-and-down for the win.
And let’s not forget the 22-year-old Niemann. He had a chance to win these two events back-to-back. Only Ernie Els and Justin Thomas have turned that trick since these two tournaments were joined at the hip in 1999. And it will remain that way for at least another year. The consolation prize for finishing second twice is not too bad for the young lad from Chile. He pocketed $1,369,400 for his efforts.
It’s no substitute for winning. That’s what it’s all about out here. But it cushions the disappointment somewhat and leaves Niemann with his own small shot at redemption at his next stop down the road.
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