Sony Open: Defending champion Jimmy Walker wins by record nine strokes
Monday 19 January 2015 14:55, UK
Jimmy Walker made up for his Kapalua disappointment by defending his Sony Open title in Hawaii in record fashion.
Walker felt he threw away victory in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions last weekend, but he made no mistake on Sunday in Oahu as he strolled away from the field to win by nine strokes with a finishing total of 23-under 257.
The Ryder Cup rookie, who was winning his fourth tournament, shot 62-63 at the weekend and became the first repeat winner at the Sony Open since Ernie Els in 2004.
Such a wide margin of victory seemed unlikely when Walker and Matt Kuchar went through the first seven holes with matching pars, but the complexion changed at the eighth.
Walker stuffed his approach to three feet for birdie, while Kuchar pulled his tee shot into the royal palms, punched out short of the green and made bogey - that two-shot swing gave Walker a four-shot lead, and he was on his way.
He would go on to make six more birdies in the last 10 holes and Kuchar could only manage 10 pars in a one-over par round of 71 that dropped him into a tie for third and ended a streak of 255 rounds including at least one birdie.
"I really wanted to finish out the day today, which I didn't do last week," Walker said. "I kept grinding and making putts and that's what I did today.
"It's quite a bit different (to last week). I really wanted to try to finish out the day today like I kind of didn't do last week and it was really fun."
"I've got good people. I've got a great trainer, a good coach in Butch Harmon and a great wife and kids. Things are good."
Second place went to American Scott Piercy, who carded four birdies in a blemish-free 66.
Harris English and Gary Woodland shared third place with Kuchar, just ahead of a seven-way tie for sixth that included Sony Open stalwart Jerry Kelly and England's Brian Davis.
