China’s Carl Yuan matched his career best finish on the PGA TOUR with an impressive tied fourth at the Sony Open in Hawaii on Sunday as his 2024 season got off to a flying start.
The 26-year-old Yuan hit a closing 7-under 63 at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu which included one eagle, six birdies and a lone bogey as he ended the week one shot shy of a three-man playoff, won by American Grayson Murray.
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It proved to be the best possible start to the New Year for the talented Chinese, who only got into this week’s elite field after his final 2023 FedExCup ranking was bumped up by one spot to 125th position – the cutoff for golfers to retain their PGA TOUR cards – at the end of last year.
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“I had a good mindset coming out today. Like I know if I put up a really low score, I might have a chance,” said Yuan, who was amongst those jostling for the lead on the back nine. “I know my game is there this week. I hit the ball pretty good, and just being really aggressive, and really focus on getting the ball to the hole, trying to make good swings.
“I would say today is more free roll, that I know if I put up a good score, I can climb up the leaderboard. If I don’t, not much difference. It was not like the RSM (Classic), last event of the season with my job on the line.”
Starting the final round five back, Yuan, who represented China in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, made a bold title charge with an outward 31 which included two birdies and a superb eagle from 10 feet on the ninth green. He made four more birdies through the 16th hole with some outrageous putting to grab the lead but a bogey on 17 after he missed a four-foot par save proved costly to his title hopes in the end.
“I’ll probably come up just a little bit short,” Yuan said. “I’m proud with how I played this week and try to keep the momentum going into the next couple weeks. I mean, there are just so many shots for everybody (to reflect on). That’s the way golf works. I made a lot of 40-footers.”
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Fully appreciative he was given a lifeline to retain his playing rights for 2024, Yuan is now learning to take the knocks and blows as they come. He is already a winner on the Korn Ferry Tour, and he hopes to become the first mainland Chinese golfer to triumph on the PGA TOUR.
During the third round, Yuan said on the broadcast that he takes great pride in flying China’s flag. “Golf in China started like 20, 30 years ago and being one of the Chinese players out here competing on the best tour, I’m proud of myself and I wish my story will inspire a lot more young kids back home in China to get out here,” said Yuan, who finished solo fourth at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship last November.
Yuan is slated to tee it up at The American Express and Farmers Insurance Open in the next fortnight and following his stellar finish in Hawaii, he is ready to capitalize on a new eligibility pathway, Aon Swing 5, to access the next Signature Event, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, next month. “Definitely a solid start here for me, trying to stack up points over the next two weeks. I’ll try to get into those designated (Signature) events like Genesis (Invitational) and Pebble. Love those courses as well,” he said.
“I think I just start accepting things better. Things go well, doesn’t go well, as long as I’m putting my full effort it is what it is.”
