Tournament Notes and Quotes
Harris English birdied the first playoff hole (par-5 18th) to defeat Joaquin Niemann and win the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua (Maui, Hawaii). The victory came in his 193rd start since his last tour win.
Both English and Niemann failed to win in 2020, but qualified for the Sentry Tournament of Champions via the 2020 TOUR Championship – a result of changes to the schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Having two-plus years of job security out here is awesome because you're kind of on a one-year contract (on tour). Playing against some of the best guys in the world and when you win, you get some more years out here. So I'm very happy with that. I'm happy with my team, like I said. I like where my golf game's going. It's been an awesome ride so far and it's awesome to get some validation like today,” said English of his playoff win.
Justin Thomas finished third in his bid to become the first repeat winner of the event since Geoff Ogilvy in 2010.
Ryan Palmer, who shared the 54-hole lead with Harris English, finished fourth.
Runner-up Joaquin Niemann (64), Abraham Ancer (66), Bryson DeChambeau (66), Xander Schauffele (66), Lanto Griffin (67), Hudson Swafford (68), Sebastian Munoz (68), and Marc Leishman (69) all played bogey-free in the fourth and final round.
The cumulative scoring average (69.315) was the second lowest at The Plantation Course since 1999. (69.159/2003).
Sentry Tournament of Champions - Final Leaderboard
Harris English 65-67-66-69—267 (-25)*
Joaquin Niemann 69-67-67-64—267 (-25)
Justin Thomas 65-69-68-66—268 (-24)
Ryan Palmer 67-67-64-71—269 (-23)
*defeated Niemann with a birdie-4 on the first extra hole (No. 18)
Full Final Leaderboard (link)
What They’re Saying
Harris English Wins in Playoff (Associated Press)
English Ends Long Draught (Golf Week/USA Today)
PGA of America Pulls Tournament from Trump Bedminster (ESPN)
This Story Returns: Tiger Woods Almost Quit Golf to Become NAVY SEAL (Sportscasting)
2012 on WSJ:
This Day in Golf History
January 11, 1998 - Phil Mickelson posted a one-shot lead over Tiger Woods and Mark O’Meara to win the season-opening (then sponsor) Mercedes Tournament of Champions at LaCosta. It was Mickelson’s 2nd win in five years at LaCosta, nearby his home base at Rancho Santa Fe. David Duval failed in his attempt to become the first player since Ben Hogan to win an event four consecutive times back in 1953. (Item is courtesy of Randy Walker, author of On This Day in Golf History, available via Amazon.com and by clicking HERE.)
Looking Ahead - SONY Open in Hawaii
Event Home Page (link)
Last Year’s Result - (link to 2020 leaderboard)
Tournament Past Results Over the Years - (link)
Parting Putt
Highlights From Round 4 of Sentry Tournament of Champions