Is 2019 the year Matt Kuchar wins a major?
By Sam Ofman
The lanky and lovable linksman has come out firing on all cylinders in 2019. Will it be enough to finally break through with a major title?
Matt Kuchar made five birdies on the back nine to secure a four-shot victory at the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Hawaii, this past weekend. The 40-year-old has now moved into second place on the FedEx Cup leaderboard on the strength of two wins in just three starts, tying his career best for wins in a season (2013). Remember, we’re only halfway through January.
Widely considered one of the best active golfers never to win a major, Kuchar has demonstrated during this young season that we can’t count him out just yet. The early season success is a great sign for the Olympic bronze medalist, but it’ll take more than a hot start for Kuchar to take the next step in building his legacy.
It’s hard to win on the PGA Tour. Most pros would be satisfied with notching two wins in three years, let alone three starts. Kuchar has every right to be proud of his achievements this year, but there’s no guarantee that he can keep the momentum going through the spring and summer.
There’s a difference between winning in crunch time and winning on island time.
The Sony Open field featured only three of the top 15 players in the official world rankings. No Justin Rose, no Brooks Koepka and no Dustin Johnson. Oh, and no Tiger Woods. No Tiger Woods means no Tiger Woods galleries. Kuchar is no stranger to the big stage and the pressure that comes with it, but it’s still easier to tee it up against Andrew Putnam on Sunday than an established champion.
The PGA Tour is a grind. Though nobody expects Kuchar to win 66 percent of his starts this season, it’s more than likely that he’ll finish out the year without adding to his trophy case again. With all the young talent out there, the 40-year-old has a tough road ahead.
We all love Kuchar. He’s goofy, affable and the worst thing he’ll ever say after a mishit is “gosh darn.” Many golf fans are rooting for Kuchar to break through with a major in 2019. But it isn’t going to happen.