Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Kirk had to outlast the rest of The Sentry’s field, but it was enough for him to win his sixth PGA Tour win and first of the 2024 season
There was a sprint to the end as so many players at The Sentry field went low on Sunday. However, it was the 54-hole leader, Chris Kirk, who was able to outlast them all.
He led by one entering the final round at Kapalua’s Plantation course in Maui, Hawaii. To earn his 6th PGA Tour win, Kirk posted a bogey-free 8-under 65 to finish at 29-under overall.
While his eight birdies were impressive on Sunday, it was the one on 17 that sealed the deal. He was just glad he didn’t have the honor on that hole or the iconic moment wouldn’t have happened.
Thankfully, one of the guys he played with, Akshay Bhatia, took his time to understand the wind, and it switched Kirk’s decision from a 7-iron and he decided to “choke up on a 5-iron.”
“Yeah, that shot on 17 was crazy, one of the best shots of my career, for sure,” he said. “I’m very proud, very, very proud of that shot, that I was able to make the right call — talk about a tough shot to commit to. When you’re about to pull 7 and end up hitting 5, that doesn’t happen ever. That never happens.”
Kirk had people press him all day long on Sunday. Sahith Theegala, Jordan Spieth, and others would take or share the lead but couldn’t hold onto it.
Theegala was one of the players who challenged Kirk throughout the day. He had a shot at the win, but a poor tee shot on 17 and a lip-out miss on 18 for birdie ultimately cost him the tournament. He finished his day with a 10-under 63, one shot back of Kirk.
But by the time Kirk got to 17, that birdie was all he needed to secure the win.
“That’s the only time I’ve made a significant putt to win a TOUR event, and that was an amazing, amazing feeling,” Kirk said. “No matter how I felt, no matter how nervous I was, there was nothing stopping me from hitting great shots, hitting great putts. I was able to remind myself that before every shot, and that one on 17, I’ll remember for a long time.”
The former Georgia Bulldog did a lot of work this offseason with his game and his mindset to prepare for this season. Those changes helped him start the year 1-0.
“It’s unreal. It’s just so unexpected,” Kirk said. “I had a really great off-season, and I got a lot of good work done and felt good about the year, but you never really expect to go shoot 29-under. Yeah, it’s unbelievable. Still kind of soaking it in.”
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Kirk’s short game was on point as the 38-year-old led the field in strokes gained around the green and in scrambling as he was successful 11-of-12 times. He was also No. 1 in strokes gained total, picking up 10.459 strokes on the other players.
The ability to pick up those shots came when he needed it most.
Kirk won the Honda Classic last February to earn a spot in this year’s field, and now he can rebook his reservation. The 38-year-old is the first to know that he will be in Maui for the 2025 Sentry.
He is also the early 2024 FedEx Cup leader, earning 700 points in the first Signature event of the year. Kirk is in the field for the Sony Open in Honolulu, Hawaii, next week, where he will tee it up in paradise looking for another victory.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
