04 October 2021: At 21-under through 63 holes, Sahith Theegala had an arm on the rooster at the Sanderson Farms Championship. The 23-year-old was flawless this week, making just a solitary bogey until then, back in the second round. But then, nine proved plenty to play. Even as Sahith endured a rough patch from the 10th through 13th, Sam Burns pounced with a string of four birdies in six holes on the back nine to clinch his second PGA TOUR victory.
After landing in the greenside bunker on the par-3 10th hole, Sahith missed a seven footer, for just his second bogey of the week. His problems compounded when he sailed a 7-iron into the water at the par-5 eleventh, before missing from four feet.
At the 13th he three-putted from 18 feet to slip further down the pecking order. To his credit, he came through the final five holes in 1-under par to secure T8 and a spot in the CJ Cup next week.
Korea’s Si Woo Kim produced his career fourth hole-in-one on the PGA TOUR for a tied eighth finish at the Sanderson Farms Championship on Sunday which maintained his solid start to the new 2021-22 Season.
The 26-year-old Kim hit the magical ace with a four iron on the par-3 7th hole at Country Club of Jackson in Jackson, Mississippi en route to a final round of 6-under 66 and 19-under 269 total that left him three strokes behind winner Sam Burns.
In the season-opening event two weeks ago, the three-time PGA TOUR winner finished T11 at the Fortinet Championship and enjoyed his first top-10 of the new season following an impressive final round here which saw him hit 12 fairways and 17 greens in regulation. Kim opened with two birdies from 17 feet and two feet respectively before holing out his tee shot on the seventh to turn in 34. He made three more birds against a lone bogey coming home. “I did not know it went in. It was hard to see it,” said Kim of his hole-in-one.
“Unfortunately, the camera did not get the moment. I cannot keep it and share it with golf fans. However, it definitely helped to keep the score low.”
Kim’s ace saw him establish himself as the leading Korean with the most holes-in-one on TOUR, with countrymen Sungjae Im, Sung Kang and K.J. Choi having registered two each in their careers. He also moved up to eighth place in the latest FedExCup standings.
Chinese Taipei’s C.T. Pan finished a further shot back on 18-under in equal 11th place after signing off with a 68. Two weeks ago, Pan, the Olympic Games bronze medallist, finished tied sixth in the Fortinet Championship. The one-time TOUR winner bogeyed his opening hole but hit birdies on Hole Nos. 3, 5, 6, 14 and 15 – all from inside of 12 feet – to sustain his good start to the new season.
Another Korean, Sungjae Im, settled for tied 31st position following a 69 to end the week on 13-under.
Burns, 25, earned his second TOUR victory in his 87th start following a one-shot win over Nick Watney and Cameron Young. He closed with a 67 to end his week on 22-under After holding at least a share of the lead each of the first three rounds this week, PGA TOUR rookie Sahith Theegala finished tied eighth following a 71.
“Yeah, I think it hasn’t really set in yet. Still looking out there at the golf course like kind of trying to figure out what happened. Just very honoured to win here, being so close to home it’s only two and a half hours from where I live now and having friends and family here it’s really cool and a special week and just really excited,” said Burns, whose final round card featured seven birdies and two bogeys.
Final-Round Leaderboard
Sam Burns 68-66-65-67—266 (-22)
Nick Watney 65-66-71-65—267 (-21)
Cameron Young 67-65-67-68—267 (-21)
Henrik Norlander 68-66-70-64—268 (-20)
Hayden Buckley 67-65-70-66—268 (-20)
Andrew Landry 68-68-66-66—268 (-20)
Trey Mullinax 70-66-64-68—268 (-20)
