A total of 16 players are separated by five strokes with one round left to decide the champion of the The Sentry. Not even the oldest locals remember such a tight classification. The first title of the year on the PGA Tour is going to be decided by a clean fight. There is a lot of equality and we are talking about a course, the Plantation course at Kapalua, where it is not unusual to see rounds of ten and eleven under par. Without going any further, Jon Rahm signed last year ten less on Sunday to lift the trophy. Literally, anything can happen this Sunday.
To the equality, we must add the important names that are up there. Chris Kirk (-21) leads, a usual suspect in Hawaii, and in those five strokes are, among others, Schauffele (-19), Spieth (-19), English (-18), Day (-18), Scheffler (-18), Cantlay (-17), Morikawa (-17), Fitzpatrick (-17), Harman (-16), Hatton (-16) or Straka (-16). High voltage.
Kirk is no straw leader. Be very careful with the veteran golfer from Tennessee who is 38 years old and has five victories on the PGA Tour. He knows how to win. When he’s up, he’s reliable, although he hasn’t been seen in the high zones of the classifications for a while. In fact, since he won the Honda Classic last February, eight years after his previous victory, it’s as if he had lowered his arms. In the following 19 tournaments, he has only added one top 10.
Be that as it may, when he’s up, he’s dangerous and has been threatening to win in Hawaii for two years. In 2022 he finished second in the Sony Open and in 2023 he finished third after playing in the star match. There is a love affair and he trusts that the third time will be the charm.
Kirk has a one-stroke lead over Akshay Bhatia (-20), the big surprise of the week. It’s his first appearance at Kapalua and he’s only 21 years old. It’s true that his evolution as a player has been extraordinary, but he wasn’t in many pools to be where he is after 54 holes. We’ll have to see if the altitude doesn’t give him a headache this Sunday.
Meanwhile, a dangerous trio has placed two strokes away, formed by Byeong Hun An, Jordan Spieth and Xander Schauffele. The latter two already know what it means to win this tournament. Another who has won here and who has given himself an option tomorrow with the best round of the day (64) is Harris English. Many familiar faces and many powerful players in the high zone. Of course, Scheffler must be taken into account, who has given himself an option on Sunday despite having suffered a completely disastrous Saturday in every way. Somehow, they have left him alive after making 71 strokes.
The playing conditions this Saturday have been more complicated. The wind has blown with more force, an unusual wind on this course, and there are some players who have paid the price: Hatton (72 strokes), Sungjae Im (73), Hovland (72), Todd (73), Young (74) and Aberg (77), author of the highest round of the day.
