Why is the Sony Open 1983 memorable?

With Jack Renner one stroke after 71 holes on Waialae, par70, Aoki needs a birdie of hole 18, par5 to pull the opponent into the extra hole – playoff. But he suddenly recorded the eagle from the rough grass on the right side of the fairway.

“When the bottom hole is over, I think the worst scenario is playing the extra hole. At that moment, I heard the audience shouting loudly. But their shouting was somewhat unusual. I guess he hit the flag-ball. After a few seconds of surprise, someone told me that the ball was in the hole and he won. I couldn’t help but grin. Unfortunately, the TV camera didn’t record that kind of smile but caught a stunned face. touching me, “Renner said Golf Channel.

After the eagle phase, Aoki won at -20 and took $ 58,500, becoming the first Japanese champion in the PGA Tour. At that time, he was 40 years old and the Sony Open was also known as the Hawaiian Open. That was also Aoki’s only victory in the American arena.

After a surprise loss, Renner remarried, and won the 1984 Sony Open after a playoff match with Wayne Levi.

When Aoki was crowned, the Sony Open was also named Hawaiian Open. At the end of 1983, Aoki won the European Tour for the first and only time. He attended the full quartet of traditional major, and achieved the best of the 1980 US Open runner-up – two strokes behind champion Jack Nicklaus. Later, Aoki won nine titles in the old Champions arena of the PGA Tour. Particularly domestic arena Japan Golf Tour, Aoki is a monument, with 51 championships. In 2004, Aoki was enrolled in the Temple of World Golf Fame.

Quoc Huy (according to Golf Channel)