Matt Kuchar and his 18-year-old son Cameron ran away with the PNC Championship by seven shots on Sunday and closed with a tournament record score of 33-under par.
Team Kuchar set records for 36-hole score (111), 18-hole score with a final round 54, and for margin of victory for their first victory in four starts together on the Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes layout.
“I probably made five or six solo birdies. Every now and then, I would let him know, all right, I made that one myself. But he also made a few solos, and he’d come right back and go, ‘That was all me right there,’” said 18-year-old Cameron, who has committed to play NCAA golf at TCU in the fall of 2026.
This PGA Tour Champions-sanctioned pre-Christmas event for 20 of the sport’s legendary golfers is an invitation-only, two-day, 36-hole, two-person scramble. And Kuchar highly praised Cam’s birdie barrage.
“I think I only putted about three times. His chance to do solo birdie, he was dominating again today. I was glad to come through and help out a couple times. His putting was incredible,” Matt said. “We were up in Chicago over Thanksgiving and went into the Bettinardi factory. The guys took us back to the hive which is cool for kids into one-off putters, and they let us pick out putters. Cam picked out — makes me think of ‘The Natural,’ little bat boy, and goes and picks out a winner. And Cameron picked out a winner out of this group.”
The nine-time PGA Tour winner was particularly emotional due to the passing of his father, Peter, in February. The two played together in 2018 during the first of Matt’s seven PNC Championship appearances.
“This is something we’ve had our sights on for many years. Since Cameron got started, I played my first year with Dad, and he has some great memories. The classic memories of Dad, and Cameron was caddying, and we were just shy of the green in two, close to the water’s edge. His chipping was never his strong suit, and he completely whiffed the chip. I don’t think Cameron could see all the way down the hill. Dad is smiling from above,” Matt shared. “I think back, and I think people have told me that as time goes on, you stop thinking of things you miss and start thinking about things you’re grateful for and the good times you had.”
Matt and Cameron Kuchar celebrate at the PNC Championship
A member of each of the 20 teams holds at least one major title from the PGA Tour, LPGA, PGA Tour Champions or has won The PLAYERS Championship, widely regarded as the “fifth major”. At the same time, their family member playing partner holds no status on any professional tour.
With a final round of 58, Team Love (Davis and Dru) finished in a tie for second place with Team Daly (John and John II)
“I never thought I would say this about him, but we both have to hit it farther, I guess to compete with those guys. They are college kids that are hitting it a long way and obviously Matt’s still very competitive,” said Love III. “So, it’s tough, and I said it yesterday, it’s a fun family event but you’d better birdie every hole or you’re going to lose. It’s very competitive and a lot of fun, and you don’t want it to be boring. You want it to be lots of birdies like this. It was an exciting day.”
Team Love, a two-time winner of the PNC, recorded their fourth runner-up finish in nine starts, while Team Daly, who led the field in eagles this week with four, won this event in 2021 and leaves with their third second-place finish in 10 appearances.
Team Langer, Bernhard, and Jason, winners of the last two PNC Championships, finished tied for 7th place this time, but still own the record for most wins with six.
Photos: Sarah Anne Hedger
