Snedeker shares Sony Open lead heading into Sunday

Gomez closed with an 8-under 62 to catch Snedeker with two of his 10 birdies coming over the final two holes, including a 22-footer from off the fringe at 18 to shoot a 20-under 260 for the tournament.

On the first playoff hole, the par-5 18th, Snedeker came close to winning but missed a 12-foot birdie.

Starting four shots out of the lead in the final round, the 37-year-old Gomez ran off seven birdies that allowed him to soar into the lead.

Snedeker made a birdie on the 18th for a 66 to force the playoff.

Though Snedeker edged a stroke in front with a tap-in for birdie at the 10th, Blair and Kisner each drained putts from more than 35 feet at the 13th to make it a three-way tie for the lead at 15 under.

Snedeker faced a 12-foot birdie putt on the first play-off hole to win it, but narrowly failed and Gomez sank a birdie putt on the next to put the pressure on Snedeker, who could not hole his own birdie putt that slid wide right. This victory will move him just outside the top 50 in the world ranking, greatly improving his chances of playing in the Olympics this summer.

However, neither player was able to pick up any further shots over the closing holes as the ocean breezes strengthened and Snedeker and Blair will go into the final round deadlocked atop a tightly bunched leaderboard.

EUROPEAN TOUR: In Johannesburg, South Africa’s Haydn Porteous won the Joburg Open for his first European Tour title, closing with a 3-under 69 for a two-stroke victory.

Blair, a PGA Tour rookie past year, briefly seized the outright lead by sinking an 18-footer at the 15th before Snedeker, playing one group behind, followed suit from half that range on the same hole. And needing a 10-foot birdie to extend the playoff, he didn’t give it enough pace and watched it tail off to the right of the hole.

Snedeker was stuck on 17 under with five holes remaining, having managed only two birdies to go with one dropped shot, but he stayed in touch with Gomez by picking up a shot at the 14th.

The Argentine overcame a four-shot deficit in Sunday’s final round at Waialae Country Club, carding 10 birdies in an eight-under 62 to post a 20-under target. He said leaving his 12-foot putt to win on the first playoff hole “is going to sting today and tomorrow”. “I got on a streak with seven putts in a row and it made me feel good, like I could win the tournament”.

Each completed the third round without making a bogey and are one ahead of Kevin Kisner.

Snedeker came out flat with seven pars and a bogey and twice fell three shots behind.