William Knibbs shot a one-under-par 71 to win his first-ever national title at the Half Moon Golf Course in Montego Bay on Sunday.
Knibbs was the only golfer to post a score under par over the three days of competition. He shot scores of 73 and 74 on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
At the end of day one, Knibbs shared the lead with Sebert Walker Jr and Rocco Lopez but fell to third on the second day. On Sunday, he shot his best round to rally and win by four shots over last year’s winner Justin Burrowes, who ended the championship tied for second Walker Jr.
They both ended with overall scores of 222 each.
“(It feels) great. It’s beyond anything in my wildest dreams. It is my first time winning the national championship. The last three years I came second, twice in a play-off and once by one shot,” said the elated champion, who said the conditions were challenging.
“It was very hot, very humid but it was windy at the same time. The person who made the least mistakes ended in a place to win so I am just lucky that I was this person.”
A disappointed Burrowes said he was unable to put everything together for this championship.
“Today it wasn’t the best result but I gave it my best shot so I can’t really complain. The conditions were pretty tough today. It was very hot. It was pretty windy at times and I just couldn’t get it going on the greens,” said the dethroned champion who shot 76 on Sunday.
“My putting wasn’t so great so it’s hard to really shoot a good score if you are not making many putts. William Knibbs played really well in the end and I am just happy for him to be honest.”
Meanwhile, Walker Jr. put together his best performance to date at the senior level. On Sunday, he led by a stroke at the halfway mark but had three bogeys on the back nine for a score of 77. “Today’s performance wasn’t the best. I had a solid day again similar to my first two days, however, I couldn’t quite get anything going at all,” he said.
“I needed to make more birdies just like over the first two days. It was a little tougher day and not having those birdies to help with the bogeys, really escalated the score. It was a solid performance nonetheless. I am still proud of how I played. I am not quite happy with the finish but proud of how I played. It was a good tournament overall.”
Day-one joint leader Lopez was just one stroke behind in fourth with a score of 223. He shot 75 on the final day.
Former national champion Sean Morris, who played with an injured finger, shot an 80 and posted a three-day total score of 229. Mark Newnham shot a 79 on Sunday to close with a score of 233.
The Men & Men Senior category: 7-12 handicap went to Kemar Brown – 234 (77). Shamar Wilson – 237 (80) was second while Tommy Lee -245 (80) was third.
In the Ladies section of the two-day championship, Emily Mayne (162) won the title over Michelle Hamilton (177).
The top three in the Men Super Senior category were Opton Marshall (172), Howard McKenzie (193) and Linval Freeman (197).
In the Juniors Boys (14-15), Aman Dhiman (154) won over Trey Williams (171) and Noah Azan (176). The two golfers in the Boys 11-13 section were Ryan Lue (180) amd Aaron Ghosh (182).
Mattea Issa (182) and Annoushka Khatri (198) were the girls in the 11-13 category.
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Steele posts lowest round of PGA Tour career to lead Sony Open
Brendan Steele recorded the lowest round of his PGA Tour career as he claimed a two-stroke lead after the third round at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
American golfer Steele – who lost a play-off at last year's tournament – posted a nine-under-par 61 to rise six positions to the top of the leaderboard in Honolulu on Saturday.
A three-time Tour champion, Steele was flawless at Waialae Country Club, where he drained nine birdies, including his final two holes to be 18 under overall.
Steele holds the outright 54-hole lead for the second consecutive season at the Sony Open in Hawaii. He could become the first player to lose a play-off and win the same event the following season since Ryuji Imada in 2008.
Kevin Na (61) and Joaquin Niemann are Steele's nearest challengers heading into the final round of the tournament.
Na equalled his career low-round, while the American is now tied with Brandt Snedeker and Justin Thomas for the most rounds (four) of 61 or better on Tour since 2014.
Peter Malnati (64), Charley Hoffman (64), Russell Henley (65), Chris Kirk (65) and Stewart Cink (65) are three shots off the pace.
Overnight leader and Canadian Nick Taylor, meanwhile, dropped down the leaderboard following his two-under-par 68.
Taylor ended the round tied for ninth on 14 under, alongside Marc Leishman (65), Keith Mitchell (63) and Daniel Berger (64).
Taylor pushes ahead at halfway mark of Sony Open in Hawaii
Nick Taylor climbed into a two-stroke lead at the halfway mark of the Sony Open in Hawaii after carding an eight-under 62 on Friday.
The Canadian kick-started his second round with an eagle at the 18th hole – his ninth – before getting to 12 under at Waialae Country Club.
Taylor was one under through eight holes in his round before chipping in for the eagle, and he picked up another five shots on the back nine.
A two-time winner on the PGA Tour, Taylor is two shots clear of Stewart Cink (63), Webb Simpson (65), Russell Henley (64), Vaughn Taylor (66) and Chris Kirk (65).
Henley is a former champion of the event, lifting the trophy in 2013, while Kirk was runner-up a year later.
On what is a congested leaderboard, another eight players are just a shot further back.
Joaquin Niemann (69) and Peter Malnati (69), who shared the overnight lead with Jason Kokrak (71), are among them, alongside Charley Hoffman (65), Collin Morikawa (65), Marc Leishman (65), Hideki Matsuyama (65), Billy Horschel (66) and Brendan Steele (66).
Steele was runner-up last year and is again well-placed to contend after posting rounds of 65 and 66.
Horschel, meanwhile, is the only player in the field bogey-free through 36 holes. It is the third time in his PGA Tour career he has been bogey-free through two rounds.
Defending champion Cameron Smith carded a four-under 66 to sit at seven under – in a tie for 19th in a group that includes Kokrak.
Niemann continues good form to share lead at Sony Open in Hawaii
Joaquin Niemann is part of a three-way tie for the lead after the opening round of the Sony Open in Hawaii.
The Chilean carded an eight-under 62 at the Waialae Country Club on Thursday to lead alongside Peter Malnati and Jason Kokrak.
Coming off a play-off loss to Harris English at the Tournament of Champions, Niemann's fine start to 2021 continued.
The 22-year-old made seven birdies, a bogey and an eagle, the latter coming with a chip in at the 18th.
Kokrak produced a bogey-free opening round, while Malnati mixed nine birdies with one bogey.
At the 17th, Kokrak almost produced a hole-in-one, only to see his shot lip out as he was forced to settle for a birdie.
Vaughn Taylor, Jim Herman, Aaron Baddeley, Patton Kizzire, Daniel Berger and Kim Si-woo are two shots adrift of the leaders.
The champion in 2018, Kizzire made a 45-foot eagle putt from off the green at the ninth, while Baddeley – runner-up in 2003 – is also in contention.
A group of 13 players are at five under, including last year's runner-up Brendan Steele, 2014 runner-up Chris Kirk and 2012 U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson.
Defending champion Cameron Smith opened with a three-under 67 to be in a tie for 40th.
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