Matt Kuchar lost his father in February and ends the year with emotional PNC victory with his son

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Matt Kuchar couldn't imagine a better ending to a year when he lost his father than to finally win the PNC Championship with his son. There was no stopping them Sunday in a record-smashing performance that led to an 18-under 54 and a whopping seven-shot victory.

The tournament that is all about family and fun ended with Kuchar wiping away tears as his voice cracked while speaking about how much it meant without his father, who died in February.

The finish was simply surreal to him.

Cameron Kuchar, who was able to use one tee box forward as a high school student, hammered another drive and watched his father hit 7-iron to 18 inches. Kuchar gave his son the honor of tapping in for the final touch on an unforgettable week for the Kuchar family.

“I don’t know if you believe in karma, if you believe in fate, whatever you believe in, there’s something magical that does exist,” Kuchar said as tears began to form. “I’m a believer in God that Dad is up above looking down, and what happened on 18, I could hardly stand up and hit a shot. For me to hit it to a foot, makes me think there’s something more out there. Just miss Pops.”

Peter Kuchar, who at one time was the top-ranked doubles tennis player in Florida, first became a presence on the golf scene when he caddied for his son when Kuchar won the U.S. Amateur in 1997, and when he was low amateur at the Masters and U.S. Open the following year.

He played with Kuchar at the PNC Championship before yielding the stage to Kuchar's sons.

Peter Kuchar died in February of a heart attack while swimming when he was on a Caribbean cruise with his wife, Meg, to celebrate her birthday.

Kuchar and his son each got the Willie Park Trophy, a red belt that Kuchar jokingly said would wear well with his tartan jacket he won from Harbour Town at the RBC Heritage.

The PNC Championship, which began in 1995 as the Father-Son Challenge, is for major champions and their children. It has been expanded over the years to include The Players Championship winners, senior and LPGA major champions. Players have brought parents or daughters.

Kuchar, who won The Players Championship in 2012, said he keeps photos to go with the trophies from most of his nine PGA Tour victories. In early victories he could hold both sons. And then they were too big too hold. The most recent photo taken Sunday afternoon leaves him heartbroken.

“And now to have this shot with the family, it’s clearly missing ... missing one,” he said, pausing because his voice was so choked with emotion. “But it’s special, very special.”

So was their golf, and it was a runaway from the start. Cameron Kuchar, who has signed to play for TCU next year, birdied the first hole and his father hit hybrid to 12 feet for eagle on the third.

They made only two pars in the scramble format and countered that with two eagles. They finished at 33-under 111 to break the tournament record by five shots.

Lee Trevino delivered the highlight when the 86-year-old holed out from the fairway with a lob wedge for eagle on the 13th hole.

John Daly and John Daly II, a senior at Arkansas and the Southern Amateur champion, made eagle on the last hole for a 59 to tie for second with Davis Love III and Dru Love (58). Nelly Korda and her father, and Steve Stricker and his daughter, finished another shot behind.

All of them looked at scoreboards coming in and saw there was no chance of catching the Kuchars, certainly not on this day.

“If they end up getting to 30 (under), you’re talking about only six holes missed in 36 holes. That’s remarkable,” Duval said.

Turns out the Kuchar duo was even better — 36 holes, 33 under. Fate or otherwise, it was some remarkable golf. Twice before, they held the lead going into the final day and didn't hold it. On Sunday they started with a two-shot lead and ran away with it. It was their time.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

John Daly waits to hit from the 14th fairway as his son John Daly II looks on during the final round of the PNC Championship golf tournament, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Davis Love III, right, and son Dru Love, left, line up a putt on the 18th green during the final round of the PNC Championship golf tournament, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Nelly Korda, right, receives a hug from her father Petr Korda, center, after her shot from the 18th fairway during the final round of the PNC Championship golf tournament, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Matt Kuchar, right, gets a fist bump from his son Cameron Kuchar after sinking an eagle putt on the third green during the final round of the PNC Championship golf tournament, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Matt Kuchar, right, and his son Cameron Kuchar hold the championship belts after winning the PNC Championship golf tournament, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Female rapper Nicki Minaj on Sunday made a surprise appearance at a gathering of conservatives in Arizona that was memorializing late activist Charlie Kirk, and used her time on stage to praise President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, calling them “role models” for young men.

The rap star was interviewed at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest convention by Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, about her newly found support for Trump — someone she had condemned in the past — and about her actions denouncing violence against Christians in Nigeria.

The female rapper's recent alignment with the Make America Great Again movement has caught some interest because of her past criticism of Trump even when the artist's own political ideology had been difficult to pin down. But her appearance Sunday at the flagship event for the powerful conservative youth organization may shore up her status as a MAGA acolyte.

Minaj mocked California Gov. Gavin Newsom, referring to him as New-scum, a nickname Trump gave him. Newsom, a Democrat, has 2028 prospects. Minaj expressed admiration for the Republican president and Vance, who received an endorsement from Erika Kirk despite the fact he has not said whether he will run for president. Kirk took over as leader of Turning Point.

“This administration is full of people with heart and soul, and they make me proud of them. Our vice president, he makes me ... well, I love both of them,” Minaj said. “Both of them have a very uncanny ability to be someone that you relate to.”

Minaj’s appearance included an awkward moment when, in an attempt to praise Vance’s political skills, she described him as an “assassin.”

She paused, seemingly regretting her word choice, and after Kirk appeared to wipe a tear from one of her eyes, the artist put her hand over her mouth while the crowd murmured.

“If the internet wants to clip it, who cares? I love this woman,” said Erika Kirk, who became a widow when Charlie Kirk was assassinated in September.

Last month, the rapper shared a message posted by Trump on his Truth Social network about potential actions to sanction Nigeria saying the government is failing to rein in the persecution of Christians in the West African country. Experts and residents say the violence that has long plagued Nigeria isn’t so simply explained.

“Reading this made me feel a deep sense of gratitude. We live in a country where we can freely worship God,” Minaj shared on X. She was then invited to speak at a panel at the U.S. mission to the United Nations along with U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz and faith leaders.

Minaj said she was tired of being “pushed around,” and she said that speaking your mind with different ideas is controversial because “people are no longer using their minds.” Kirk thanked Minaj for being “courageous,” despite the backlash she is receiving from the entertainment industry for expressing support for Trump.

“I didn’t notice,” Minaj said. “We don’t even think about them.” Kirk then said “we don’t have time to. We’re too busy building, right?”

“We’re the cool kids,” Minaj said.

The Trinidadian-born rapper is best known for her hits “Super Freaky Girl,” “Anaconda” and “Starships.” She has been nominated for 12 Grammy Awards over the course of her career.

In 2018, Minaj was one of several celebrities condemning Trump’s zero-tolerance immigration policy that split more than 5,000 children from their families at the Mexico border. Back then, she shared her own story of arriving to the country at 5 years old, describing herself as an “illegal immigrant.”

“This is so scary to me. Please stop this. Can you try to imagine the terror & panic these kids feel right now?” she posted then on Instagram.

On Sunday on stage with Erika Kirk, Minaj said, “it’s OK to change your mind.”

Erika Kirk, left, and Nicki Minaj stand on stage during Turning Point USA's AmericaFest 2025, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

Erika Kirk, left, and Nicki Minaj speak during Turning Point USA's AmericaFest 2025, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

Nicki Minaj speaks during Turning Point USA's AmericaFest 2025, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)