Aiken's Kisner earns first PGA Tour victory

After hitting his approach onto the green at the final hole Sunday at the RSM Classic, Kevin Kisner finally allowed himself a smile.

Why not?
The Aiken native knew his first PGA Tour victory was just a few moments away.
The 31-year-old made par to finish off his 6-under-par 64 for a six-shot victory at the tournament held at St. Simons Island, Ga.
“We did it,” Kisner said as he scooped up his 17-month-old daughter Kate and greeted wife Brittany at the 18th hole.
“That was the coolest moment I’ve ever had, having my daughter run up the hill to me, clapping her hands and saying, ‘Cheese’ to the cameras,” Kisner told reporters after the round. “That was pretty cool.”
After four runner-up finishes this calendar year – including three in playoffs – Kisner knew he was due to crack the winner’s circle.
“This year I saw the strides where I’m leading coming into Saturday or taking the lead early in the week or having a chance on Sunday,” Kisner said. “I knew if I kept playing that way I was going to win one sooner or later.”
The victory capped a year in which Kisner earned a spot in the upcoming Masters Tournament and rose from No. 236 to No. 17 in the world rankings. The victory was also worth $1,026,000.
The victory also exorcised some demons Kisner has for the Seaside Course. The former University of Georgia star had some close calls at the course during the Southeastern Conference championship that is held there each year.
“I think I had a one-shot lead or tied two years out of four and lost both times,” he said. “One year I three-putted 18 to lose by one, I think.”
Kisner grew up in Aiken and lives in a house on the 17th fairway at Palmetto Golf Club, but it is currently undergoing renovations. So he and his family are living at Sea Island until the work is complete.
But Sunday’s round felt like a home game as his parents, Steve and Christy Kisner, led a large Aiken contingent that followed him in the final round.
“I probably have 40, 50 people that all came to the tournament,” Kisner said. “I couldn’t write it up to be a better place to win. I mean, to have all the people here and to perform down the stretch the way I did, I couldn’t write it up any better than that.”
His mother even helped out the competition when Graeme McDowell’s tee shot hit her in the leg on the seventh hole and bounced back into the fairway. In the end, though, the bounces went Kisner’s way.
“He came over and told me that, and I went over and said, ‘Next time aim your foot towards those bushes over there,’” Kisner said.