Record breaking Cameron Smith edges out World No. 1 Jon Rahm to win Sentry Tournament of Champions
- Matt Cooper
- 10 January 2022
The Australian thrashed a brilliant total of 34-under 258, the lowest 72-hole total in PGA Tour history.
Cameron Smith completed a superb wire-to-wire victory at the year-opening Sentry Tournament of Champions ending the week with a record-breaking 34-under-par total of 258.
Smith's final lap of 8-under 65 on the Plantation Course at Kapalua secured the PGA Tour's lowest-ever 72-hole total to par and left him one clear of the World No. 1 Jon Rahm.
The Australian had set the pace in the first two rounds before the Spaniard caught him on the third circuit, but Smith made early birdies on the final day and thereafter always did enough to stay at least one clear of his nearest challenger.
Ahead of Sunday's play he'd explained how much he had missed contending during the winter break and during it he proved that he is a growing force in the game - this was his fourth PGA Tour win, but just his second individual success.
The leading pair had started the day five clear of the field and only one man could live with them on the final lap. Smith's compatriot Matt Jones completed a scintillating and course record-equalling 12-under-par 61 to finish solo third, one blow behind Rahm and fully six clear of Patrick Cantlay in fourth.
"Mate, it was intense," said Smith after his round. "Jon and I played well the whole day and we had Matty in the group in front lighting it up as well. Unreal round, something I'll never forget for sure.
"I was just trying to hit one shot at a time, I know that sounds cliched.
"We spoke about it earlier in the day, that we wanted to get to 35-under. We missed it by one so in that sense disappointing but happy to come away with the W."
The win may well allow Smith to kick on. He has started contending in the Major Championships in recent seasons, he is a key part of the International team's plans for this year's Presidents Cup, and the win sees him break the World's top 10 for the first time.
"That was one of my goals for the year," he said. "It's nice that it's done and dusted. Hopefully, I can keep cruising up those world rankings."
