3 Takeaways from Kevin Roy’s Impressive Short Game at Waialae

Kevin Roy opened the 2026 Sony Open in Hawaii with a tournament-tying 62, then followed with a 69 to share the 36-hole lead at 9-under par. The 35-year-old journeyman who once sold medical devices between mini-tour events now sits in a position to capture his first PGA TOUR victory.

Roy’s path to contention at Waialae Country Club reveals something every weekend golfer needs to understand: elite short game skills can overcome imperfect ball-striking. Through two rounds, Roy hit just 55.56% of greens in regulation (T72 in the field) yet ranks tied for first. His secret? Strokes Gained: Around the Green ranked second in the field at 3.194, and his putting gained him 4.586 strokes (eighth best).

“My dad has always had a great short game,” Roy told me last year for Athlon Sports. “The best advice he’s ever given me was ‘Value par’ and to become amazing from 150 yards and in.”

That advice from his father, Jim, a PGA TOUR and Champions Tour veteran, has become Kevin’s blueprint for success. His 81.25% scrambling rate through 36 holes (seventh in the field) proves the philosophy works at golf’s highest level.

Roy’s putting statistics tell a fascinating story. As I detailed in my PrimePutt article last year, he ranked second on TOUR in three-putt avoidance for a stretch in 2025 at 98%. His secret? Elite distance control from long range.

“As far as lag putting drills, other than hitting a bunch of long putts beginning of tournament weeks and during practice rounds, really just trying to dial in the speed of the greens,” Roy explained.

His specific drill works for any skill level: Find a 30-40 foot putt and place tees roughly three feet behind and in front of the hole. Hit putts until your ball consistently finishes between the tees. This creates a six-foot safety zone that virtually eliminates three-putts.

Midway through the 2025 season, Roy’s approach from 30-plus feet ranked him 21st on TOUR, leaving himself an average of just over two feet for his second putt. At Sony, he’s averaging 1.70 putts per green in regulation (T15), keeping bogeys off his card.

Everything changed for Roy when he started working with his putting coach before the 2025 Valero Texas Open.

“I’ve always been a pretty fast player, almost too fast at times,” Roy told me. “My routine on the green definitely changed since Ralph, basically slowing down, reading the putt from all angles—behind the putt, other side of the hole and low side.”

For amateurs, Roy recommends this approach: “Take a couple extra seconds and just look at the putt from all angles, look at the contours on the greens. I see a ton of amateurs in pro-ams consistently leaving either right-to-left or left-to-right putts on the low side.”

On short breaking putts, place a tee next to the cup where you think the ball should start. When you look up, focus on your starting line rather than the hole. This simple adjustment helps you commit to the correct read.

Roy’s daily routine includes something any golfer can replicate at home.

“I start every tournament day with a mirror on a straight putt for about five to seven minutes just making sure setup and eyes are in a good spot,” he shared.

This isn’t complicated. Place a mirror under your ball at home. Check that your eyes are directly over the ball and your putter face is square. Five minutes of this work before you play builds muscle memory and confidence.

Roy’s commitment to fundamentals shows in his statistics. Despite ranking 169th in makes from seven feet (his admitted weakness), his overall putting has improved dramatically since working with Baurer.

Roy’s journey from medical sales back to TOUR contention proves that short game mastery can compensate for other weaknesses. As he told me last year: “I realized after a few months that golf is what I wanted to do, and I had the support from my family to give it another shot.”

Now in his 62nd TOUR start, Roy has his best chance yet at victory. His short game and putting have him positioned exactly where he needs to be heading into the weekend.

“I believe I can compete and win out here,” Roy said last year. “I’m just really going to keep trying to do what I have been doing, keep working hard and see where it can take me.”

This weekend at Waialae, we’ll find out just how far elite short game skills can take a player who refused to give up on his dream.