Smylie Kaufman posts 61 early, outlasts the field to win Shriners Open in Vegas

A man who goes by Smylie is a winner on the PGA Tour.

Smylie Kaufman – whose first name is Carter, but goes by his given middle name – won the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open on Sunday in Las Vegas for his breakthrough victory in just his fifth career PGA Tour start. 

Kaufman, who finished T-10 last week at the Frys.com Open in his debut as a full-fledged PGA Tour member, posted 10-under 61 at TPC Summerlin in the final round, wrapping his tournament more than two hours before the final group. He then had to wait as player after player was unable to match his 16-under 268 total.

Likely 2015 Web.com Tour Player of the Year Patton Kizzire polished off a 63, but came up a shot shy.

Cameron Tringale, searching for his first PGA Tour win, made a par at the last and couldn’t tie Kaufman. 

Rejuvenated veteran Jason Bohn had a look, but missed by a foot.

Alex Cejka needed an eagle from the fairway to tie Kaufman but settled for a 38-foot birdie to finish.

Kevin Na, following a bungled chip that led to a bogey on the 17th, couldn’t bounce back and into a playoff.

Finally, Brett Stegmaier came up a foot-and-a-half short from the fringe in a bid to send the tournament to the PGA Tour’s second playoff in as many weeks.

Instead, all six finished tied for second at 15-under par as Kaufman celebrated an unlikely win.

Kaufman, who earned his PGA Tour card by finishing sixth on the 2015 Web.com Tour regular-season money list, becomes the second rookie to win in the first two events of the new season, marking just the second time since 1960 (back in 1980) that’s happened. With the win, the 23-year-old LSU product earns a trip to the Masters, The Players and a spot in the PGA Championship. 

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