The lowest round in the history of the PNC Championship (54), the best overall result since the tournament began (113), and the largest margin seen in Orlando (7). Thus, in three simple lines, the exhibition put on by Matt and Cameron Kuchar (-33) at the Ritz Carlton to win the PNC Championship for the first time in their career is summarised.
A full-fledged exhibition. They started as leaders this Sunday after a great initial 57, but this Sunday they shattered the statistics with a round of 18 under par. It’s clear that the scramble format helps achieve low scores, but signing for 54 is quite a feat. Two eagles, fourteen birdies, and two solitary pars.
Fourth time was the charm for the father-son duo who also started strong two years ago but let a three-shot lead slip away on Sunday. This year, not only did they win, but they also dominated the course. Only the 12th hole managed to hold out both days without the Kuchars being able to take a shot off it. It marks thirty years since the first edition of the tournament won by Raymond Floyd, and the duo surely wants to emulate that hat-trick of victories with which the tournament began back in 1995. Without a doubt, Matt is one of the great kings of team tournaments. He adds his seventh team victory, like three Franklin Templeton, the now-defunct team tournament on the circuit. In fact, his last victory, although unofficial, was precisely in 2020 in one of those events.
The victory also had a clear emotional tint. This year, Peter, Matt’s father and Cameron’s grandfather, passed away, and the emotion of the son and grandson was palpable on the 18th green. Matt couldn’t hold back the tears: “Dad, I know you’re pumping your fist in the sky, this victory is for you.” Peter played the tournament alongside Matt and Cameron and even acted as their caddie. A circle closes, and they take the trophy from the Langer family, who have five trophies to their name and had won the last two years.
Cameron, for his part, will be able to start university next autumn without the thorn of not having won the tournament, quite the opposite, with the peace of mind of having records that we’ll see when they can be surpassed again.
Among the names of the day, Lee Trevino (-17) cannot be missed. The winner of six Majors continues to compete at 86 years old, and the duo delivered no less than ten under par this Sunday, finishing T16 tied with Jim Furyk and Annika Sorenstam. Lee provided one of the tournament’s highlights by holing out from a hundred metres for a spectacular eagle. What he had, he retained, and Trevino remains a genius of this sport.
However, he gave another exhibition at the end of his round. He is aware that each day brings him closer to leaving this world, and the purpose with which he lives is one that leaves a mark: “The reason I keep playing this sport, promoting it, and touching it as I do now is because the Lord, for some reason, gave me tremendous talent, and it seems I’ll meet Him very soon, and I don’t want Him to be disappointed.” The awareness of doing something great, which goes beyond his own interests… yet, his humour will never fail him, and he added: “Do you know why I don’t want to disappoint Him? If He gets disappointed, I’ll probably have to be Arnie’s caddie (referring to Arnold Palmer),” he concluded with laughter. It may seem like just another statement, but at a time when golf is more divided than ever, Trevino reminds us of the core element behind this sport.
Among the other teams that participated this week in Orlando, the second place of the Dalys stands out, finishing tied with the team of Davis and Dru Love (-26). One shot behind were the Korda family and the Strickers (-25).
