Nick Taylor wins Sony Open on second playoff hole

Nick Taylor of Canada beat Nico Echavarria on the second playoff hole today to win the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Country Club.

Taylor made a 2 1/2 foot birdie on the second playoff hole at the par 5 No. 18, after Echavarria missed a 7-footer for birdie.

Taylor made a 10-foot birdie on the first playoff hole, also at No. 18, which Echavarria then matched from 5 feet.

Taylor, who earned his fifth PGA Tour win and third in a playoff, tied for seventh here in 2023 and 2024. This was his ninth Sony Open.

This is Echavarria’s third Sony. He tied for 12th here in 2023 and 66th last year. He started play with two PGA Tour wins.

Both started the final round at 11 under, tied for third two shots back. Both shot 5-under par 65 today, and both made clutch shots on the final hole of regulation.

Taylor eagled on No. 18 to get to 16 under, and a tie for first with J.J. Spaun, who still had two holes left.

Moments later, Echavarria birdied the 18th to make it a three-way tie.

Spaun then bogeyed No. 17 to fall back to 15 under.

Third-round leader Spaun and Stephan Jaeger were first and second most of the final round, and tied at 16 under after 15 holes. Both needed birdie on No. 18 to join Taylor and Echavarria in a playoff or an eagle to win; neither did.

Jaeger’s tee shot at No. 16 was lost to the left, but he managed bogey with a provisional drive and a 15-foot putt. Still, Spaun regained the solo lead when he barely missed a 12-footer for birdie.

But Echavarria, who lurked at 15 under, and Taylor at 14 under did what they needed to at No. 18 to get to the clubhouse with a chance for at least a playoff.

Hideki Matsuyama, who won last week at The Sentry on Maui in record-breaking fashion, shot 66 to finish the tournament at 11 under.

Kaimuki High alumnus Chan Kim shot 2-under par Sunday to finish at 6 under.