Sony Open Report 2015

Jimmy Walker put last week's disappointing second-place finish on Maui firmly behind him on Honolulu this weekend when he cruised to a second successive victory in the Sony Open at the Waialae Country Club.

The lanky, big-hitting defending champion of the Sony Open totally dominated the last two rounds, shooting a stunning 8-under 62 on Saturday and a flawless 63 on Sunday to close with a 23-under 257 total that left his closest pursuer, Scott Piercy, for dead, all of nine shots back.

Piercy closed with a 66.

Three more Americans, Harris English (67), Gary Woodland (67) and Matt Kuchar (71) tied for fourth, a further shot back on 267.

Walker, the first player to successfully defend his Sony Open title since Earnie Els did it in 2004, took his earning for the first two weeks of the year to all of US$1.67 million with this, his fourth overall PGA Tour victory, and rocketed into the lead in the FedEx Cup race.

And it all left this seemingly unemotional character beaming for once.

"After Monday I was kind of wondering how things were going to go," he said. "I came in and just continued to do what I did last week, which was hit it really good, and I putted even better this week."

Better known for his booming 300+ yard drives, Walker's strength on relatively short Waialae this week was his putting, especially on Saturday when he closed with 11 consecutive one-putt greens.

On Sunday when he shot 7 birdies, he was again bogey free, hitting 16 of 18 greens in regulation - and so close to the flag that he had only one par putt from more than eight feet.

"Today was all about keeping the pedal down," Walker said. "And that's kind of what I talked about at the beginning of the week."

It took Walker 188 starts on the Tour to get his first win, but since then he's won four times in 32 starts and says, "I feel like all the hard work I've been doing is finally paying off,"

"I feel like I've got good people around me, and I think that's really made the difference. They've helped me believe in myself."

Compared to Walker, Kuchar, who played alongside the winner, was unable to get anything together on Sunday. He didn't manage one birdie and finished with a one-over 71

I had my chances and I was hoping to put pressure on Jimmy (Walker) but I couldn't get anything to go, Kuchar said.

"I had a number of really good chances on the back nine. I felt like I hit it very well. I was hoping to get a little pressure on (Jimmy). I was trying to get one to go and nothing did. Jimmy, on the other hand, never really missed a shot. He made the game look so easy."

THE SONY OPEN'S TOP 10 FINISHERS

-23 Jimmy Walker 66 66 62 63 257
-14 Scott Piercy 67 67 66 66 266
-13 Harris English 66 69 65 67 267
-13 Gary Woodland 70 65              65 67 267
-13 Matt Kuchar 65 63 68 71 267
-12 Jerry Kelly    73 62 67 66 268
-12 Brian Davis 66 70 65 67 268
-12 Zac Blair 71 66 64       67 268
-12 Rory Sabbatini 64 67 74 63 268
-12 Max Homa 69 67 63 69 268
-12 Shawn Stefani 69 66 65 68 268
-12 Justin Thomas 67 61 70 70 268.

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