American Express – PGA Tour in Hawaii winners and losers: Joaquin Niemann, Collin Morikawa off to robust begins in 2021

Perhaps it is due to the vacation layoff, however seemingly yearly a handful of actually fascinating tales emerge from the two-tournament PGA Tour cease in Hawaii. The occasions — the Event of Champions at meaty Kapalua and the Sony Open at tiny Waialae Nation Membership — couldn’t be extra completely different aesthetically, and but we usually get some type of really feel for a way not less than a number of the remainder of the 12 months goes to go for a number of the gamers concerned.

In 2017, Justin Thomas received each occasions, and he went on to win his first main in addition to the FedEx Cup and 5 whole tournaments on the PGA Tour. The 12 months earlier than that, Jordan Spieth received the Event of Champions by eight, which was foreshadowing for the place he would quickly be in at Augusta Nationwide, the place he led by 5 going to the again 9 earlier than his epic collapse. Even final 12 months, Cameron Smith received the Sony Open, carried it all year long and ultimately completed T2 on the Masters in November.

These are the obvious tales, however there are extra nuanced examples, too. Earlier than we transfer ahead with The American Express this week again on the mainland, let us take a look at a number of the winners and losers from Hawaii and contemplate what it means for the remainder of 2021.

Joaquin Niemann: Two weeks in the past presently, Niemann — then the 45th-ranked golfer on this planet — was thought-about to be an excellent younger participant. Now? After a pair of runner-up finishes, he is ranked No. 25, which has reminded of us of the fact that he simply turned 22, and the ceiling has nonetheless not been constructed on the remainder of his profession. The ultimate tally from his playoff loss to Harris English and one-stroke defeat to Kevin Na: 50 birdies, 2 eagles and 21.2 strokes gained in opposition to two high quality fields. Verdict: Winner

Justin Thomas: On Friday night time at Kapalua, J.T. went to mattress a number of again of the lead and sitting at 11 beneath at a course the place he’d received twice earlier than. It felt like he was going to begin 2021 the best way he began 2020 and proceed his preposterous trajectory by profitable for the 14th time in his profession. Then Saturday occurred. Thomas muttered a homophobic slur to himself, which was picked up my microphones close by, and regardless of a contrite apology, he was later dropped by his attire sponsor, Ralph Lauren. J.T. is self-aware and sensible sufficient that this can probably be a professional second of change, progress and maturity — which for all of us is usually a much bigger win than really hoisting a trophy — however he needs to be bummed about the best way 2021 has began. Verdict: Each

Hideki Matsuyama: The No. 20 participant on this planet technically performed the weekend at each occasions, however his putter has perhaps by no means been worse for a two-tournament stretch (which is saying one thing). He completed second to final at Kapalua and T19 at Waialae, however he misplaced — are you prepared for this? — over 13 strokes on the greens over the course of eight rounds. To contextualize that, Matsuyama misplaced simply 29 strokes all final season over the course of 74 rounds. Verdict: Loser

Scores: The scoring at each tournaments was uncontrolled with scoring averages dipping properly beneath 70 to begin the 12 months. Whereas each fields had been stronger than regular, this isn’t my favourite model of what skilled golf may very well be. Kapalua was lengthy however fairly tender, and Waialae was the other, brief and mildly agency. Neither monitor supplied a lot of a check of ability in opposition to one of the best on this planet, which continues to be a theme because the ball goes farther than ever and folk organising the programs are both unwilling or incapable of offering a powerful check for one of the best golfers on this planet. Verdict: Loser

Chris Kirk: His story of restoration from alcoholism is extremely encouraging, and a T2 end on the Sony Open on Sunday on his final begin on a medical exemption allowed him to maintain his card. A medical exemption means you might have a sure variety of begins to rack up a sure variety of FedEx Cup points to retain your PGA Tour card. In Kirk’s case, he wanted 148.9 FedEx Cup points on the Sony and netted 245. I cherished listening to his perspective after closing along with his fourth straight 65.

“I feel that there have been various years there the place I simply wasn’t very proud of who I used to be and what I used to be doing, and I used to be simply type of attempting to cover from that,” Kirk stated. “I selected alcohol to type of get me away from the place I used to be. , plenty of mendacity and hiding and the life that you just reside in that state of affairs. However I feel the largest perspective for me is like I used to be saying, I can get up day by day and I am completely happy that I’m who I’m, and I’ve nothing to cover. , I simply really feel like I am doing one of the best I can and having fun with life. It is so simple as that.” Verdict: Winner

Collin Morikawa: I had some questions on him after he completed 2020 with only one prime 10 on the PGA Tour following his victory on the PGA Championship at Harding Park, however he answered all of them resoundingly with a pair of T7s in Hawaii. Morikawa made 50 birdies whole on the two venues and gained almost a stroke and a half per spherical along with his method photographs, which is definitely his bread and butter. Whereas I feel the profession goes to be spectacular, I used to be starting to waffle on what 2021 may seem like, however he quelled any considerations with a pleasant eight-round displaying on two very completely different tracks. Verdict: Winner