Matt Kuchar celebrates after winning the Sony Open at Waialae

Honolulu - The final round of the Sony Open didn't quite start out the way

54 hole leader Matt Kuchar had hoped. Frustrated after making 3 bogeys in

his first five holes, Kuchar found himself one down at the turn. But a back

nine 30 (5 under par) was the type of rally he needed to right the ship and

win pulling away. After a sloppy front side, Kuchar was mistake free the rest

of the way. In fact, the 40 year-old former Georgia Tech standout gave himself

looks at birdie on the remaining 13 holes, closing with a final round 66 to

finish at 22 under par (four shots clear of runner up Andrew Putnam). The

win was Kuchar's ninth career title on the PGA Tour.

With the victory, Kuchar became the first multiple winner on tour this season.

He won earlier in the fall at the Mayacoba Golf Classic in Mexico back in

November. (After Saturday's third round, a story began to emerge regarding

Kuchar's alleged paltry payout to a local caddie after the victory in Mexico.

Tour player Tom Gillis accused Kuchar of paying the caddie known as "El Tucan"

the sum of $3,000 after winning $1.296 million. Kuchar denied the allegation

saying, "It wasn't 10 percent, but it wasn't $3,000 either. It's a not a story.")

Andrew Putnam, who briefly took the lead when Kuchar faltered on the front

nine couldn't help but feel like an opportunity slipped by after finishing

with a final round 2 under par 68. "I'm feeling a little let down right now,"

Putnam said. "I'm sure when I think about it, a lot of good things happened.

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."

Marc Leishman, Hudson Swafford, Chez Reavie and Corey Conners all finished

tied for third at 17 under par. 54 year old Davis Love lll fired a final round 65

to finish solo seventh at -16.

Scores:

https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2019/sony-open-in-hawaii/leaderboard.html

Xander Schauffele celebrates after winning at Kapalua

Maui, Hawaii - It took a course record tying 62 to get it done at the PGA Tour's

season opening event at Kapalua, and it was Xander Schauffele who pulled it

off to edge out 54 hole leader Gary Woodland by a single stroke at the Sentry

Tournament of Champions.

Woodland started out the day with a three stroke cushion over Rory McIlroy,

but it was Schauffele who stole the show on the par 73 Plantation Course. An

11 under par performance (23 under par - 269 total) that was as impressive

as it sounds.

Xander Schauffele started the final round five back, and after an opening bogey,

winning seemed highly unlikely. Things changed quickly from there, Schauffele

ran off three straight birdies and pitched in for eagle at the 9th, then he holed

out from 107 yards on the 12th. He stayed hot coming in, making birdies on the

14th, 15th, 17th and 18th to tie four other players who had previously shot

62 (on Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw's first ever design endeavor). 54 hole leader

Gary Woodland stood just short of the 18th green only needing to get up &

down to force a playoff, but his chip came up about 12 feet short. When his putt

to tie broke away from the cup on the low side, it was over. Despite his final

round 68, and being the only player in the field to shoot all four rounds in the

60's, Woodland was a stroke short. "This one will sting," Woodland said.

For Schauffele it was an epic round, and his fourth PGA Tour win of his career.

He now leads the Fedex Cup standings and afterward, he realized what it all

meant. "It means I get to come back, which is even better."

Defending Champion Justin Thomas finished third at 18 under par.

Scores: https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html

Patton Kizzire and Brian Harman celebrate after winning the QBE Shootout

Naples, Florida - On a rain-soaked Sunday at Tiburon Golf Club at Ritz Carlton

Resort, Patton Kizzire and Brian Harman outlasted the 12 team field at Greg

Norman's QBE Shootout - posting a final round 61 (30 under par - 186 total)

to beat Emiliano Grillo and Graeme McDowell by a single stroke.

Kizzire drained a 15 foot eagle putt on the par 5 seventeenth propelling the

team to victory. Kizzire and Harman grew up playing junior and college golf

against each other. Harman from Savannah, Georgia and Kizzire from Tuscaloosa,

Alabama. Harman was a standout for the Georgis Bulldogs, while Kizzire

played for SEC rival Auburn, now as teammates, they proved to be a formidable

duo. "We knew we needed at least birdie and eagle was a bonus," Kizzire said.

"He had a great iron shot in there close and freed me up, and I hit a good one,

too. We both had looks at it. I putted first and made it. That was huge."

Scores: https://qbeshootout.com/tournament-info/leaderboard/