Despite notching an incredible PGA record low 34-under on a 72-hole par, the Tournament of Champions still wasn’t decided until Cameron Smith’s final hole Sunday.
But a birdie on 18 wrapped up Smith’s one-stroke victory and a final-round 65 (eight-under) for the Australian in Kapalua, Hawaii.
“Unreal round,” Smith said. “Something I’ll never forget.”
Smith hit eight birdies on the day, including four over the final six holes, to keep his competition at bay.
Séamus Power meanwhile closed out his week with a round of 67, which left him on 20 under par for the tournament and in a share of 15th place.
The win was Smith’s fourth on the Tour. His most recent victory prior to Sunday was at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans - coincidentally where he also earned his first championship - last spring.
World No 1 Jon Rahm of Spain and Australia’s Matt Jones, who had to settle for second and third respectively, each bested Ernie Els’ previous high-water mark of a 31-under, set at the 2003 TOC. Rahm finished 33-under, while Jones was 32-under.
Rahm, who finished with a seven-under 66 on Sunday, birdied his final hole to keep the pressure on Smith, before Smith matched his round.
Rahm scored 32 birdies over four rounds, tying another PGA Tour record. He tied Mark Calcavecchia (2001 Phoenix Open) and Paul Gow (2001 BC Open).
“I have every reason to be smiling,” Rahm said. “It’s a bittersweet moment.”
Jones added a third impressive performance, firing a scorching 12-under 61 on Sunday, a round which featured two eagles and eight birdies. After scoring a nearly as good 62 on Saturday, that gave Jones a PGA record of his own, the lowest 36-hole score at 23-under.
Patrick Cantlay finished in fourth place at 26-under after his final-round six-under-67.
Three golfers finished tied for fifth at 25-under. Collin Morikawa shot a 62 on Sunday, Justin Thomas recorded a 65 and Daniel Berger had a 69.
Kevin Kisner fired a final-round 65 to forge an eight-place tie with South Korea’s Sungjae Im (final-round 69) at 24-under.
Cam Davis (66) and Marc Leishman (68) rounded out the Top 10, finishing 23-under for the tournament.
Collated final round scores & totals in the USPGA Tour Sentry Tournament of Champions (USA unless stated, par 73):
258 Cameron Smith (Aus) 65 64 64 65
259 Jon Rahm (Spa) 66 66 61 66
260 Matt Jones (Aus) 70 67 62 61
266 Patrick Cantlay 66 67 66 67
267 Daniel Berger 66 66 66 69, Collin Morikawa 68 70 67 62, Justin Thomas 74 67 61 65
268 Sung Jae Im (Kor) 67 67 65 69, Kevin Kisner 69 68 66 65
269 Cameron Davis (Aus) 69 68 66 66, Marc Leishman (Aus) 69 67 65 68
270 Xander Schauffele 69 67 68 66
271 Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn) 69 65 68 69, Kevin Na 67 68 68 68
272 Talor Gooch 68 70 67 67, Max Homa 72 67 65 68, Seamus Power (Irl) 71 65 69 67, Patrick Reed 74 64 66 68
273 Sam Burns 72 64 68 69, Tony Finau 70 69 69 65
274 Stewart Cink 69 67 67 71, Jordan Spieth 71 69 68 66
275 Billy Horschel 72 67 70 66, Si Woo Kim (Kor) 71 65 69 70
276 Bryson DeChambeau 69 68 67 72, Garrick Higgo (Rsa) 68 69 69 70, Erik van Rooyen (Rsa) 67 70 70 69
277 Joel Dahmen 68 69 69 71, Brooks Koepka 68 68 72 69
278 Harris English 73 70 68 67, Viktor Hovland (Nor) 69 69 73 67, Phil Mickelson 71 69 70 68
279 Branden Grace (Rsa) 69 69 74 67, Kyoung-Hoon Lee (Kor) 72 71 69 67
282 Abraham Ancer (Mex) 72 69 71 70, Lucas Glover 74 69 70 69
284 Lucas Herbert (Aus) 69 73 68 74
285 Jason Kokrak 72 70 72 71
