Si Woo Kim steals 2023 Sony Open in Hawaii title with clutch late birdies
The 2023 Sony Open in Hawaii went down to the wire at Waialae Country Club on Sunday.
In a span of about 30 seconds, a Hayden Buckley birdie on No. 16 was canceled out by a Si Woo Kim chip in on the 17th hole, leaving the pair all square at 17 under down the final stretch.
Kim made birdie on the par-5 18th to sign for a 6-under 64 – tied for the lowest round of the day – and take a one-shot advantage with Buckley just a couple hundred yards behind him in the fairway. Buckley’s approach missed the green and after he failed to get up-and-down to force a playoff, the 26-year-old American was forced to watch Kim celebrate his fourth PGA Tour victory and first since the 2021 American Express, where the Tour heads next week.
The Sony Open was Kim’s first start of the year after a successful start to the season last fall, where he made the cut in each of his four starts and earned a T-8 finish at the Shriners Children’s Open.
