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A18 SPORTS
Tuesday 14 January 2020
Cameron Smith wins

Sony Open in another

Hawaii comeback

By DOUG FERGUSON He twice pulled within shot
AP Golf Writer of the lead at various points
HONOLULU (AP) — Two Sunday, but it looked like a
weeks in Hawaii brought lost cause when Steele had
rain, unusually strong wind, a two-shot lead with two
playoffs and two play- holes to play.
ers who thought victory “I thought I had to birdie
was out of reach until the 17 and then do something
winner’s lei was draped really good on 18,” Smith
around their necks. said. “You never know
Cameron Smith was the what can happen.”
latest Sunday at the Sony Just about everything did
Open. He might have been in the final hour, which is
even more surprised than about how long it took to
Justin Thomas, who got a play the last two holes. It
second chance when he rained every day since
won a playoff at Kapalua. Tuesday, and the rain was
“Two or three holes left, I re- so steady on Sunday the
ally didn’t think there was PGA Tour moved the hole
much of a shot,” Smith said location from its tradition-
after his playoff victory over al spot to higher ground,
Brendan Steele on rain- and the green still had to Cameron Smith holds the champions trophy after the final round of the Sony Open PGA Tour golf
soaked Waialae Country be rolled with sponges be- event, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu.
Club. “I knew I had to play tween groups. Associated Press
some good golf. It just kind Steele missed a 6-foot par hit the metal railing atop lining the 10th fairway. After less would spin back to the
of all fell into place.” putt on the 17th, and his a massive video screen, a free drop, he hit wedge lower tier. Instead, it sailed
Smith was 4-over par just lead was down to one shot. sailed well to the right of off the muddy lie to 30 feet, over the green, he chipped
two holes into the tourna- In the group ahead, Simp- the corporate tents and taking a reasonable birdie some 15 feet by the hole
ment Thursday, and his fo- son’s wedge into the par- was lost, presumably in a putt out of the equation. and missed his par putt.
cus turned to making bird- 5 18th skipped off sheen back yard. He had to go His par gave him a 71 and And there was Smith, who
ies that would give him of water and settled 15 back to the bunker and opened the way for Smith. an hour or so earlier had
a chance to salvage his feet behind the hole for a made bogey for a 68. The 26-year-old Australian stood on the 17th tee won-
round and raise money for birdie attempt he narrowly Steele was trying to figure delivered with a long bun- dering how he could win
the wildfires in his native missed. He shot 67. out what happened to ker over the forming pud- from two shots behind, and
Australia. Smith and Marc Palmer never even had Palmer, and then he did dles to 8 feet, and Smith now was two putts and
Leishman had pledged that opportunity. His fair- the opposite. He pulled a poured it in for a 68 to force 10 feet away from a PGA
$500 for every birdie to help way metal from a bunker 2-iron so wildly to the left the second straight playoff Tour victory he could call
raise money. sailed so far right that he
that it was near the ropes in Hawaii, and the third his own. He twice won the
straight dating to end of Australian PGA Champion-
3-and-out: PGA Tour moving Byron last year. ship. He shared a team title
Steele, who led by as many with Jonas Blixt three years
Nelson from Trinity Forest as three shots when he ago in New Orleans.
holed a bunker shot for “My first individual win on
birdie on the 11th, made no the PGA Tour, it’s definitely
DALLAS (AP) — The PGA Tour will move the hosts the event, that those issues couldn't excuses for his approach to going to be one I never for-
Byron Nelson away from Trinity Forest Golf be remedied easily. The start of the third the 18th. get,” Smith said. “Given the
Club after the tournament is played there round in last year's tournament was de- “Lie was good, water was conditions and how tough
for only the third time this May. layed six hours by heavy rains and play fine,” he said. “It’s just a it was, I’ll draw back on this
The links-style course south of downtown was suspended by darkness, leading to 2-iron to win a golf tourna- in the future.”
Dallas was built in 2014 on the site of a 27 holes on the final day for the leaders. ment. Just a hard shot.” For the week, Smith made
former landfill. The Nelson moved there in There were also weather issues in 2018, Equally hard was the play- 21 birdies for $10,500 to-
2018 after 35 years at the TPC Four Seasons when the final round had a four-hour rain off hole, which was No. ward the Australian fires
in suburban Irving, Texas, about 25 miles delay and it was nearly dark for the final 10 because of the water relief fund, along with other
away. The PGA Tour hasn't said where the putt of the tournament. The Salesmanship on the 18th green. Steele contributions from the PGA
Nelson will be played after this year's tour- Club's Momentous Institute, a nonprofit again looked to have the Tour and $125,000 from the
nament. that provides education and therapeutic advantage with a great International team at the
Disappointing attendance at Trinity For- services for about 5,500 children and fam- drive that left him 88 yards Presidents Cup.
est and decreased revenues for charity ily members each year, benefits from the away in the fairway, with It was personal for Smith.
were significant factors in the decision. Nelson's net proceeds. After peaking at Smith over by the trees His uncle lives in New South
The course has an unusual look for a PGA more than $6 million a year when at Four in the right rough. Smith Wales and lost everything
Tour venue because it has no trees. Trinity Seasons, last year's tournament netted less chased a shot low and but a shed.
Forest officials said in a release that PGA than half of that. Three-time major cham- onto the green to 10 feet. “We’re a tight-knit family
Tour officials cited weather issues during pion Jordan Spieth, who played his first Steele, so used to having and it hit everyone pretty
the first two years that exposed deficien- PGA Tour event as a 16-year-old at Four a blast of wind in his face hard,” he said. “It’s good
cies with tournament infrastructure, and Seasons, is a member of Trinity Forest. So on that hole, tried to get a to do something good,
that it was determined by the course and is CBS NFL broadcaster and former Dallas shot to the back tier toward and hopefully puts a smile
the Salesmanship Club of Dallas, which Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.q the pin, because anything on their face.”q