Every shot brought a tough decision. Every swing brought an unpredictable result.
K.J. Choi never imagined having to work so hard in paradise, even with a four-shot lead in the Sony Open. When he finally calmed his nerves and his putting stroke, however, he wound up as the champion everyone expected.
Choi survived blustery conditions and a spirited charge by Rory Sabbatini, closing with a 1-over-par 71 for a three-shot victory Sunday. It was Choi’s fourth straight year with a PGA Tour victory, joining Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh with active streaks that long.
“I can’t remember having such a difficult round as today,” said Choi, the first Sony Open champion in 41 years with a final round over par. “It was very difficult conditions out there. I told myself, ‘Try not to lose focus.’ ”
More importantly, he never lost the lead.
Choi wobbled in the wind, and when he three-putted the 13th for bogey — his only three-putt of the week — his lead was down to two shots. But the 37-year-old South Korean made pars the rest of the way, making his only birdie of the final round on the last hole.
“When I made that three-putt, that really woke me up,” he said. “It was kind of like medicine. It woke me up and I said, ‘I have to hang in there, not fall apart.’ It motivated me.”
The wind was strong enough to cause palm trees to sway and make birdies scarce. Sabbatini made six birdies, but a three-putt par on the final hole gave him a 68. He was a runner-up in Hawaii for the third time, two at this tournament.
“There were two things that needed to happen today — K.J. to lose a few shots back to the field, and for someone to go low,” Sabbatini said. “He kind of did his part, but the ones of us that were chasing, unfortunately, failed to do our jobs and go low enough to maybe change the outcomes.”
