January 5, 2025; Maui, Hawaii, USA; Will Zalatoris lines up his putt on the fourth hole during the final round of The Sentry golf tournament at Plantation Course at Kapalua. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
(Reuters) - A mix-up between Australian Cameron Davis and American Will Zalatoris in the final round of The Sentry on Sunday led to both golfers walking away from the tournament with significantly reduced prize cheques.
Davis and Zalatoris, partnered up for the final round, unintentionally hit each other's golf ball for their third shots on the par 5 15th hole on the Plantation Course at Kapalua, Hawaii, leading to a two-shot penalty for both.
"After realizing their mistake upon reaching the green, they returned to play from the proper location of their third shot – but now playing their fifth shot rather than their third, per the Rules of Golf," the PGA Tour said.
Zalatoris took home $163,333 after finishing the tournament tied for 26th, while Davis was tied for 13th and pocketed $410,000.
Had the pair not been penalised, they would have moved up to tied for 15th and fifth respectively - earning $283,200 and $715,625 - with Davis missing out on an eye-watering $306,625.
However, if they had not corrected the mistake, they would have been disqualified from the tournament.
Japan's Hideki Matsuyama won the tournament with an astounding 35-under par, the PGA Tour's all-time record low score in relation to par for a 72-hole event.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Michael Perry)
