Zach Johnson Wins Sony Open

2007 Masters Champion Zach Johnson has won the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Country Club by two shots from Adam Scott and David Toms.

Zach Johnson

2007 Masters Champion Zach Johnson has won the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Country Club by two shots from Adam Scott and David Toms.

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Johnson began the round with a one-stroke lead and he maintained that advantage through the round. Toms applied pressure on Johnson with a birdie at the 15th. He was just one shot behind standing on the 18th tee. But Toms found the bunker off the tee then hit the lip with his escape effort. Johnson, meanwhile, had calmly stroked a 5-wood to the back of the green and, when Toms failed to get close to the hole with his third shot, the contest was effectively over. Johnson made a solid two-putt for a closing birdie and a two-shot victory.

"I was hoping to get a victory today, but Zach played awfully well," said Toms. "He's a good player and tough to beat."

Adam Scott climbed his way into a tie for second place with a closing 64. "It was nice to get on the back nine and have a chance, and get the competitive nerves going again," he said. "I really enjoyed that, and I enjoyed the challenge.”

It was a fifth career victory for Johnson and his second in his last six starts. The 32-year-old was delighted, not only with the win but also by the fact it guaranteed his return to Hawaii in 2010. "I get to go back to Maui again," he said, referring to the season-opening tournament at Kapalua for PGA TOUR winners from the previous year. "And Oahu. Starting your year in these two destinations is pretty awesome."

18-year-old Tadd Fujikawa, who was bidding to become the youngest ever winner of a PGA Tour event, began the final round two shots off the lead but the Hawaiian struggled during the final round for a three-over-par 73. "It was a great week. I learned a lot from it," Fujikawa said. "I qualified, I made the cut, I put myself in contention. If I can keep doing that, everything will work out."

Sony Open in Hawaii Waialae CC, Hawaii Jan 15-18, purse $5,400,000, par 70

1    Zach Johnson (USA)    69    65    66    65    265    $972,000 T2    Adam Scott (Aus)        71    66    66    64    267    $475,200 T2    David Toms (USA)    70    66    65    66    267    $475,200 4    Charles Howell III (USA) 67    68    67    66    268    $259,200 T5    Brian Gay (USA)        66    67    68    68    269    $205,200 T5    Kevin Na (USA)        72    65    66    66    269    $205,200 T7    Steve Marino (USA)    68    67    70    66    271    $174,150 T7    George McNeill (USA)    69    68    65    69    271    $174,150 T9    Bill Haas (USA)        68    71    65    68    272    $145,800 T9    Webb Simpson (USA)    66    68    70    68    272    $145,800 T9    Boo Weekley (USA)    66    69    67    70    272    $145,800

Note: Players in bold signifies Titleist ball usage only

Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly. 

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?