Honolulu, Hawaii, United States: An Byeong-hun’s search for a maiden PGA Tour victory will continue after an agonising play-off defeat at the US$8.3 million Sony Open.
On the first hole of sudden-death, the 32-year-old Korean missed a four-foot birdie putt that would have extended extra-time with Grayson Murray.
An closed with a six-under 64 at Waialae Country Club for a 17-under total to join a three-man play-off with Keegan Bradley (67) and eventual winner Murray (67), who buried a 38-foot birdie putt in the play-off to claim his second career win.
China’s Carl Yuan was also in the title mix following a 63 which included a costly bogey on 17. He ended one shot behind the play-off trio in tied fourth place.
It was An’s fifth career runner-up finish on the PGA Tour and his second top-five in successive weeks after finishing solo fourth at The Sentry in Maui last Sunday.
While he looked back at some missed putts, including a 13-foot eagle attempt on 18 in regulation, and his birdie miss on the first extra hole after watching Murray hole his long-range attempt, An put it all into perspective.
“It feels very disappointing. It came down to the last putt,” said An, who moves up to second place in the FedEx Cup points list. “I didn’t have the best start with a bogey, birdie, bogey, missed some short ones. I hung in there, had a good run in the middle and finished off with pretty good birdies at the end.
“I made some silly mistakes yesterday, today, and over the last four days. I’m not trying to blame the last putts, but obviously it comes down to that. Overall, I had a solid week and feel like I played well all around,” added An, who should return to the world’s top-50 for the first time since March, 2020 when the ranking is updated.
An’s high finishes in the Hawaiian events ensure he maintained his recent career trend. After losing his PGA Tour card in 2021, he featured on the Korn Ferry Tour for one season before regaining his card and then finished top-50 on the FedEx Cup points list last year.
While the hard work with coaches Sean Foley and John Graham, plus a switch to the broomstick putter, have been instrumental, An believes that a change in how he viewed his golf career and life has been pivotal, more so with two young children with his wife, Jamie.
“I think honestly, gratitude,” he replied when asked what has been the biggest change in his life. “I tried hard the last couple months when I took some time off to look back why every round mattered a little bit too much. Our team came up with, it doesn’t matter. Golf doesn’t really matter that much.
“Obviously it means a lot to me and our family, but I tried to take a little bit of weight off my shoulders. I prepared pretty well in the off-season, so I think the result shows. Even with the tough start today and the last couple of weeks, I always came back with some birdies at the end and finish pretty strong. I think that was the biggest change.”
In regulation play, An conceded he made bad reads on his eagle attempt on the 72nd hole and during the first extra hole for birdie. “I hit it exactly where I wanted. Hit a good putt, just was a bad read,” said An of his eagle chance. “(And) just a poor putt (in the play-off) and poor read at the end. It’s a shame it ended that way. It hurts, but what are you going to do?
“I still have a long way to go, the swing, putting, short game, everything. I feel like we always say it’s not mine, we always rent it. We rent this good run of golf, and hopefully I can rent it a little bit longer. When I take a couple weeks off and come back to Pebble Beach, hopefully I can get this run going (again).”
Murray, who like last week’s winner Chris Kirk overcame alcoholism, was thrilled to return to the winner’s circle following his first triumph in 2017, during his rookie season.
He said: “A lot of hard work pays off. It’s not easy. I want to give up a lot of times, give up on myself, give up on the game of golf, give up on life at times.
“This is a silly game. Hats off to Ben and to Keegan for a well-played event. Unfortunately, one person has to win. That’s the way it goes in play-offs. But I’m very pleased. I knew I had to give it (his birdie putt) a chance. I wasn’t going to leave it short. I just gave it my best stroke, and it went in.”