Jimmy Walker rebounded from blowing a lead in the final round last week by closing with a 7-under-par 63 and romped to a nine-stroke victory over Scott Piercy, winning the Sony Open in Hawaii for the second straight year at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu.
The 36-year-old Walker held a three-stroke lead in the final round of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, but wound up losing in a playoff to Patrick Reed.
“I really just wanted to finish off the day, like I didn’t do last week,” said Walker, who needed 188 starts to claim his first PGA Tour victory but now has four in the last 32. “It was fun. I just kept hitting good shots and making good putts.
“I’m just more comfortable out here now. I have more confidence. I have good people around me and things are going well.”
Piercy, who has won twice on the PGA Tour but not since the 2012 Canadian Open, closed with his second consecutive 66 after starting with two 67s.
Matt Kuchar, who started the final round two shots behind Walker, did not make a birdie for the first time in his last 256 rounds on the PGA Tour and shot 71 to finish 10 shots back in a tie for third with Harris English and Gary Woodland, who both had 67s.
Rookie Justin Thomas closed with a 70 and tied for sixth with Rory Sabbatini (63) of South Africa, Zac Blair (67), Brian Davis (67) of England, Jerry Kelly (66), Shawn Stefani (68) and former Cal All-American Max Homa (69).
