Xander Schauffele storms to Sentry TOC win after stunning 62

US Tour
  • January 7, 2019

There was no stopping Xander Schauffele at Kapalua on Sunday as he powered to a one-stroke victory at the Sentry Tournament of Champions after a sensational final-round 62.

The 25-year-old former PGA Tour Rookie of the Year drained eight birdies, made two eagles and dropped just one shot to equal the course record at Kapalua and snatch victory away from overnight leader Gary Woodland.

Both of his eagles came after holing out from off the green, and four of his birdies came in his final five holes.

Scauffele was then left to wait and see if his 11-under-par round and 23-under-par total would be enough to deny Woodland, who ultimately finished one shot behind after a closing 68.

Woodland had a birdie putt on the 18th green to force a play-off, but it slid past the hole.

It’s Schauffele’s second victory of the season and fourth in the last 18 months, and moved him to No 6 in the world.

“This is the stuff you dream about,” he said. “But to actually pull it off, it feels awesome. I could see myself doing it, but it’s hard to believe just sitting here and talking about it.”

On holing out twice for eagle, once from just off the green and then again with a wedge in hand from 107 yards out, and adding eight further birdies, Schauffele added: “It was a crazy day. I knew it was going to be a birdie fest at the end. We kept our head down and made a run for it.”

Woodland, who led after the second and third rounds, admitted the loss hurt.

“This one will sting,” he said.

“I don’t think it will ever be easy because I still believe I was playing well enough to shoot 66 today. You have an iron into the par 5 in the middle of the fairway on the last hole, you expect to make birdie. I had killed the par 5s all week this week, which is what you’ve got to do out here. So I knew what he was doing and the competitor in me knew I needed to do one better. And unfortunately, I didn’t get it done.”

It was also a disappointing day for Rory McIlroy, who played his way into the final group on Saturday but ended the week eight shots off the pace after a lackluster final-round 72.

“I gave myself plenty of chances, just couldn’t get anything to drop,” he said.

Justin Thomas was five shots back in third place after a well-played 65, with Dustin Johnson and Marc Leishman completing the top five.

Brooks Koepka closed with a 69 to finish 24th, which wasn’t enough to prevent Justin Rose from returning to No 1 in the world.

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