He finished with a six-under round at the Seaside course at Sea Island for a tournament record 22-under-par 260 total.
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Chappell remained solid on Saturday, bouncing back from successive bogeys at the second and third to play his remaining 15 holes in four under par for a two-under-par 68.
McDowell started yesterday’s final round four strokes adrift, but could not reel in Kisner who hit five birdies on the opening nine holes to strengthen his position at the top of the leaderboard as he went on to finish well clear of the field.
As he explained afterwards, “We’ve been doing a lot of lift, clean, and place in the last few weeks”. That’s a one-shot penalty. “Before I realized that, Michael Kim is looking at me amusing. “I think ‘Kiz” never has any regrets because he plays so aggressive all the time and just leaves everything out there”. 2 and 4, then hit an approach out of a fairway bunker at No. 5 to within 15 feet, and made the putt.
So dominant was the 31-year-old from SC that no one got closer than four shots after the second hole.
McDowell continued his good run of form to finish 3rd following his recent win in Mexico.
“What a way to end the year, by far the greatest year of my life golf-wise”, he said.
Kisner really hasn’t done much wrong in any of his close calls. Ko shot a 67, rebounding from a double bogey and a bogey with birdies on the final two holes. Earlier in the year he lost in playoffs at Hilton Head, Sawgrass and the Greenbrier.
This time, he is equipped with a lead and brings the experience of coping with nerves.
But Kisner wasn’t getting any help from the gallery. Hopefully, that’s how it is tomorrow.
“Just to come up head-to-head with someone of Rory’s quality, it was absolutely awesome and something that will stick with me for a long time going forward”. He answered with a key shot that set up birdie, a 6-iron into a foot at the par-3 17th and a 30-foot birdie on the 18th to build a few separation. Even so, nothing tops the feeling of that first PGA Tour victory, and those two are not alone in their pursuit.
Chappell went with a pitching wedge to get it all the way back, and it worked out better than he could imagine.
Chappell has played well enough to contend at Sea Island.
Alex Ceja had his third straight 67 and was the only other player within five shots of the lead.
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The best example of that was Kisner’s scrambling par at the seventh hole in the worst of the day’s winds.
