2023 Sony Open leaderboard, grades: Si Woo Kim rallies past Hayden Buckley for win in Hawaii

Kim picked up his fourth career PGA Tour victory on Sunday with a win at the Sony Open

A pair of South Korean stars -- Tom Kim and Sungjae Im -- headlined many shortlists for potential winners at this year's Sony Open leading up to the event. Not on that list? Fellow countryman and eventual champion Si Woo Kim. Firing rounds of 64-64 over the weekend at Waialae Country Club, Kim finished at 18 under and successfully tracked down 54-hole leader Hayden Buckley en route to his fourth career victory on the PGA Tour. 

"Three strokes behind, it can always happen fast, just like last week," said Kim. "I tried my best every shot. It was a little shaky the last four holes, but I was trying to keep confidence and stay calm."

Beginning the final round three strokes off the pace, Kim left nothing in the tank and consistently fired at tucked pin locations to set up birdie look after birdie look. He began with a barrage, making birdies on his opening three holes and quickly cut the three-stroke deficit to one.

The comeback could have been expedited if not for a short miss on the par-3 fourth and a pair of bogeys to round out his inner nine, yet Kim held steady. A less stressful back nine consisted of just one birdie in his first seven holes before he gave the fans something to cheer for down the stretch. Momentarily losing possession of the lead after a Buckley birdie on the hole behind, Kim summoned a clutch short game for a chip-in birdie on the par-3 17th.

"Right before that went in, I heard the noise [from Buckley's birdie on 16], so I knew," said Kim. "It was kind of a tough shot, into the grain, so I had to hit aggressive. I had nothing to lose, so I just hit it aggressive and it was exciting."

This excitement carried over onto the finishing hole where Kim missed the fairway badly. Forced to hit a brave recovery shot out of the fairway bunker, the 27-year-old found the par-5 putting surface in two to set up a closing birdie. With Buckley later making par, it proved to be enough for Kim's first title since the 2021 American Express and showcased the raw talent the South Korean still very much possesses.

"First time winning my first event [of the year] so it can't get better than this. This is really exciting," said Kim. "There is a lot of season left, so hopefully I'm trying to get more confidence and hopefully get more wins." 

More victories should be in Kim's future -- perhaps this year, perhaps not -- but what struck me was his continuous quest for confidence despite literally just winning. Calling his Sunday Singles victory over Justin Thomas at the 2022 Presidents Cup "lucky" earlier in the week, it is almost bizzare this former Players champion is not more sure of his game.

Yet this is likely the very reason he remains a borderline top-50 player in the world. Still in his mid 20s, there is plenty of time for his inner belief to blossom (just look at someone like Max Homa). Once it does, only then will an already dangerous, world-class talent become a member of the game's elite. Grade: A+

Rick Gehman, Kyle Porter, Mark Immelman and Greg DuCharme recap Sunday's action at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Follow & listen to The First Cut on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Here are grades for other notable players on the 2023 Sony Open leaderboard. 

T21. Adam Scott (-11): It was a nice week for Scott, who said he came into the event pretty cold and didn't practice much in December. Strangely, he struggled with perhaps the strongest part of his game as he lost strokes off the tee throughout the week at Waialae. Still, he's going to be really interesting this year as he's now one of the old guys on the PGA Tour trying to hold off the young stars. Scott will take the next month off before he resurfaces at Riviera for the Genesis Invitational. Grade: B

MC. Jordan Spieth (-1): What a strange week for Spieth, who led after Round 1 and then missed the cut on Friday evening. The 64-75 swing was wild even by Spieth's standards. The good news if you're a Spieth fan (which I presume is all humans) is that Spieth seemed the most surprised of anyone that he shot 75 on Friday. When he's playing poorly, he's almost the first to acknowledge that he has no idea where the ball is going or what is going on. This is not that, and it leads me to believe that this is a minor blip in what I still believe is going to be a big year for Spieth. Grade: D-

MC. Tom Kim (+1): This one was slightly more concerning than Spieth's if only because Kim doesn't have the capital that 13 PGA Tour wins and three major championships buys you. We are mildly overrating Tom Kim right now, and while how he played this week doesn't necessarily prove that point, it is emblematic of it. This golf course set up perfectly for him, and he was just lousy on it, especially on Thursday with his short game. Again, I don't have a ton of concerns about Kim in either the short or long term, but I do think he's eventually going settle somewhere between winning two of his first 20 events and missing cuts at the Sony Open. Grade: F

[Jan 15, 2023 at 7:48 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Si Woo Kim makes birdie on 72nd hole

It is a two-putt birdie for Kim who is now in the clubhouse at 18 under. Hayden Buckley has found the semi rough and will face a somewhat awkward lie from 250 yards. He must birdie to force a playoff.

[Jan 15, 2023 at 7:43 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Si Woo home in two

Si Woo Kim will face a 45 footer for eagle on the 72nd hole. Meanwhile, Hayden Buckley is on the tee and will attempt to split the dogleg left. Buckley made eagle on this hole yesterday and may need to again.

[Jan 15, 2023 at 7:40 pm ET · Kyle Porter]

Things are happening

Si Woo's chip-in on No. 17 to get it back to 17 under and tie Buckley was incredible. Absolutely lost it when it went in (as he should have). Now in the sand on No. 18 and probably needing a four to win or get into a playoff. One of those two guys is going to win.

[Jan 15, 2023 at 7:29 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Wow, wow, wow

Buckley converts a 15 footer for birdie on 16 and just moments later Si Woo Kim chips in for one of his own on the par-3 17th. The two share the lead at 17 under.

[Jan 15, 2023 at 7:13 pm ET · Kyle Porter]

Tough scene

Buckley, trying to steer home his first PGA Tour victory, has hit some pretty yippy putts over the last several holes. He just made bogey on No. 15 to fall back into a tie for first with Si Woo Kim.

[Jan 15, 2023 at 6:56 pm ET · Kyle Porter]

Buckley surging

After stalling over the first 12 holes, Buckley just holed a LONG birdie putt on the 14th and is again one ahead of Si Woo Kim and Chris Kirk. Big final four holes upcoming for Buckley to get his first victory.

[Jan 15, 2023 at 6:49 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Kirk continues to lurk

Twice a runner up at the Sony Open, Chris Kirk is continuing to knock on the door. Two straight birdies has propelled him to 15 under and only one stroke behind Si Woo Kim and Hayden Buckley. This tournament remains as wide open as it did when the day first began.

[Jan 15, 2023 at 6:20 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Buckley bounces back

As Steelers' head coach Mike Tomlin would say, "Don't blink. If you're a blinker, cut your eyelids off." Buckley has returned to a share of the lead after making birdie on the par-4 12th right on top of Si Woo Kim's birdie on the same hole. The two sit at 16 under and are two strokes clear of Ben Taylor and David Lipsky. 

[Jan 15, 2023 at 6:05 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Buckley blinks

Oh man, you can see the nerves settling on the overnight leader. Making his first bogey of the round on No. 11, Buckley has dropped to even par on the day and 15 under for the tournament. He is now tied for the lead with Si Woo Kim after missing three putts from inside seven feet over his last four holes.

[Jan 15, 2023 at 5:36 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Buckley takes one-stroke lead into back nine

That was a really, really, really bad par for the leader on the par-5 ninth. Unable to make birdie from 190 yards out on the par 5, Buckley settled for par and will enter the back nine at 16 under and one in front of Si Woo Kim who is in the group in front. His playing competitors David Lipsky and Ben Taylor remain at 14 under with Chris Kirk and Andrew Putnam rounding out the top five at 13 under.

[Jan 15, 2023 at 5:09 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Players lining up behind Hayden Buckley

The leader will face an 8 footer to reach 17 under and thus extend his lead to three strokes after a Si Woo Kim bogey on No. 8. Farther down on the leaderboard, there are 10 (!!!) players in a tie for fifth at 12 under including Adam Scott, Taylor Montgomery and J.J. Spaun up ahead on the golf course and Chris Kirk and David Lipsky in the final two groups.

[Jan 15, 2023 at 4:49 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Bounce back for Si Woo Kim

After a three-putt bogey on the 6th, Kim bounces back with a birdie on No. 7. He stands at 15 under and one stroke behind Hayden Buckley. The overnight leader may need to get something going here to get some breathing room from the field before the very accessible holes around the turn.