2024 The Sentry leaderboard, grades: Chris Kirk holds off Sahith Theegala for win at Kapalua

Kirk held off a strong push from Theegala on Sunday as well as Jordan Spieth to secure the victory

Chris Kirk spent the fall playing wrong-handed golf better than most of us play correct-handed golf. Kirk played lefty for several weeks, laboring to shoot a score under 80 before switching back to prepare himself for the 2024 PGA Tour season. Turns out, he was better this week than all the best PGA Tour pros in the world from the right side as he shot 29 under to win The Sentry by one over Sahith Theegala and two over Jordan Spieth.

It took an extraordinary effort as Theegala dropped a 10-under 63 on Sunday and Spieth followed with an 8-under 65 to put the pressure on Kirk, who never faltered with an 8-under 65 of his own. Despite a bit of a stall of pars in the middle of his second nine, Kirk was able to put the pedal down late and closed with two birdies in his last four holes to secure the biggest victory of his career. Those two birdies were part of a torrid run of 16 total over his last two rounds at Kapalua.

The best of them came at the 71st hole of the tournament. Kirk, whose tempo is absolutely aspirational, was tied with Theegala at 28 under and ripped a 5-iron to just a couple of feet at the long par-4 17th to all but put away the tournament. 

"I just kept reminding myself no matter how I felt, no matter how nervous I was, there was nothing stopping me from hitting great shots, hitting great putts," he told Golf Channel after his round. "I was able to remind myself of that before every shot. That one on 17 I'll remember for a long time."

The win for Kirk is his most prominent since he won a FedEx Cup Playoff event in 2014. Following a long stretch of time off to deal with alcohol abuse, Kirk returned to the PGA Tour and got his first win in eight years last year at the Honda Classic. This trip to Kapalua was his first since the 2016 edition when he finished T24.

That Honda victory seemed to be the one that was celebrated after his detailed and public struggles with alcohol. This one seemed to be more of a reminder that, yeah, Chris Kirk is one of the best golfers in the world. 

"It's so unexpected," he said of the win at Kapalua. "I had a really great offseason, got a lot of good work done and felt good about the year, but you never really expect to shoot 29 under, but it's unbelievable. Still kind of soaking it in."

Kirk also acknowledged his health and the joy he's feeling in the game of golf right now.

"I'm enjoying competing," he told Golf Channel. "I'm enjoying the work. I didn't have that for a while. To be back to loving what I do -- I love the process of working to be the best player that I can when I'm working on that and then working on being the best father and husband I can when I'm off the golf course. It's a constant process, and I'm loving every minute of it."

Golf is funny. Nobody would have thought a few years ago that the guy who had just returned sober but playing Korn Ferry Tour events would win one of the biggest regular season PGA Tour events of the year. I'm not even sure anyone would have thought a few months ago the guy chasing 75 left-handed would have done that. But Kirk was incredible all week and in the end was rewarded with a victory that changes his season and perhaps, even by just a slight amount, the entirety of his career. Grade: A+

Here are the rest of our grades for the 2024 The Sentry.

3. Jordan Spieth (-27): Spieth filled it up on the weekend, but before you make plans for a second (or is it fifth?) green jacket, note that the tee-to-green play was not all that great. He was terrible off the tee and really only alive because he putted his face off over the last few days. A reminder that he is nothing if not the most entertaining improv act in sports. I'm bullish on Spieth's 2024 but still wary of his tee to green play, especially given these numbers at a place where he normally thrives. Grade: A 

T5. Scottie Scheffler (-25): Stop me if you've heard this. Scheffler led the field from tee to green and couldn't get enough putts to fall to win the golf tournament on a Sunday. The run remains remarkable, though, and he has now lost to just 141 golfers in his last 25 professional golf tournaments. That's no missed cuts and just one finish outside the top 25 in the best fields in the world. Truly remarkable, and he keeps giving himself chances to win, like, five tournaments in a row. Grade: A-

T5. Sungjae Im (-25): Im set a new PGA Tour record for most birdies in a 72-hole PGA Tour events with 34. He was undone by seven bogeys and a double, many of which came on Saturday when he shot an even-par 73. That third round took him out of real contention on Sunday even though he did everything he could to make it interesting late by making five birdies in his first six holes on the back nine on Sunday. Still a great start for somebody who I think is the most underrated player in the world right now. Grade: A

T47. Ludvig Aberg (-13): Aberg struggled in his first trip to Kapalua, and surprisingly it was with driver where he was nowhere near top 10 in the field (which is more or less where he lives). I stand by what I said before this week, which is that the long-term stock is solid but in the short term I'm selling a bit on Aberg given how far out over their skis everyone got in the fall. Grade: D-

[Jan 7, 2024 at 7:09 pm ET · Kyle Porter]

Big finish

Here's the situation: Sahith Theegala is on the last hole at 28 under and needs to get up and down for birdie. Chris Kirk is on the 16th hole and also at 28 under. He's definitely in the driver's seat to win this tournament. Jordan Spieth is also kind of in it at 26 under heading to the 18th tee. And Ben An is right there at 26 under on the 17th hole.

[Jan 7, 2024 at 6:51 pm ET · Kyle Porter]

Kirk in neutral

After going out hot over the first none, Chris Kirk has really stalled out over the last few holes with loads of pars. He's now one back with four holes to go and looking up at Sahith Theegala who has made four birdies in a row.

[Jan 7, 2024 at 5:32 pm ET · Kyle Porter]

Spieth up and running

We have a developing situation. Kirk is still out in front, but Spieth has made five birdies in a row and is in a good position to make another one at the short par-4 12th. He's coming. Who will stop him? Kirk or ... himself?

[Jan 7, 2024 at 5:16 pm ET · Kyle Porter]

Scheffler rolling now

Scottie and Sahith both hit it close on the par-3 11th and both have a chance to cut into Kirk's three-stroke lead. Sahith can get it to two, and Scheffler can get it to within three. It's getting close late at Kapalua with nine golfers within five of the lead.

[Jan 7, 2024 at 4:38 pm ET · Kyle Porter]

Spieth makes a move

As soon as I say no stars are involved, Spieth makes two long ones in a row to get to T2 and within two of Kirk's lead. He plays so well at this golf course and no matter what happens you know this last nine is going to be fascinating.

[Jan 7, 2024 at 4:18 pm ET · Kyle Porter]

Where are the stars?

It's been interesting to see that of all the players surging toward the top of this leaderboard, few of them have been stars. Where are Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa and Patrick Cantlay? Guys I thought would make a move at the players at the top of this board have yet to make that move.