Golf:US Open champion Graeme McDowell signed off at the Tournament of Champions in record-equalling style and a broad smile on his face after starting his week with new clubs in his bag. The 31-year-old fired a sensational 11 under 62 on a breezy afternoon at the Kapalua Resort to finish just one shot outside a play-off.
McDowell had a chance to join Americans Jonathan Byrd and Robert Garrigus in sudden-death but narrowly missed his birdie putt from nine feet at the par-five last to eventually finish with a 23-under 269 aggregate.
"I'm very happy with the day's work," said McDowell after piling up 11 birdies in a flawless display on the hilly Plantation Course. "Obviously when you go into a final round that far back (six shots) and you know the scoring is going to be good, there's nothing you can do really but just put the head down and try and have a great day yourself."
The Portrush pro, who switched his golf club manufacturer from Callaway to Srixon, made a blistering start with five birdies in the first six holes.
"I continued to keep the gas on around the turn," added McDowell. "When I birdied 13 through 16, I kind of started to think that maybe I had an outside shot. I really look back at the first three rounds as the problem. I didn't finish the golf course very well at all here during the week."
McDowell had covered the final six holes in an aggregate level par over the first three days and he set himself a personal challenge to improve on that on Sunday.
"I played great today (Sunday)," he said. "I just hit the ball a lot closer to the hole. I didn't really put my putter under a whole lot of pressure. It's just great to go low."
As for the nine-footer for birdie at the last which would have given him the outright course record at Kapalua, he simply hit it too hard.
"By the time I looked it up, it was kind of past the hole," McDowell said. "It was a tough putt, though. It was a double-breaker and it broke right, even though the grain was right-to-left. Maybe if I had hit it easier, it would have had a chance to go in but I kind of shoved it."
Overall, McDowell was delighted with his first appearance in the PGA Tour's elite, season-opening event which brings together winners from the previous year.
"It's great to come out and answer all of the questions this week," he said after ending his 2010 campaign with four victories worldwide and new set of irons. "I realised it was going to be a difficult way to start the season, with new equipment in the bag coming off the back of last year. There was always going to be questions. I've really enjoyed this week."
American Byrd was the eventual winner after he denied compatriot and a still upbeat Garrigus at the second play-off hole. Both carded final round 67s to tie in regulation on 24 under 268.
"It was a great week," said Garrigus after effectively handing Byrd the tournament when he three-putted for bogey at the par-four first. "I mean, I shot six under and was in a play-off.
"I felt like I won the tournament within the tournament for myself because I told myself if I could shoot six (under), I'm going to win. And I had a really good chance of shooting eight (under) today."
Byrd was initially at a loss for words after winning the biggest title of his career, his fifth victory on the US circuit.
"I'm pretty overwhelmed, probably, is the best word to describe it," said Byrd after earning the winner's cheque for €930,000, along with places in this year's US Masters and US Open.
"I can't sit here and not think about where I was towards the end of the season last year, fighting for my card... just kind of fighting to play well and finding joy in that process, too. Then I win my last tournament of the year, and win it in that fashion."
Byrd qualified for this week's elite event with a spectacular victory in his final tournament last season, the Las Vegas Open, where he won a three-way play-off at the fourth extra hole with a hole-in-one.
Collated final round scores and totals in the PGA Tour Hyundai Tournament of Champions, The Plantation Course - Kapalua Resort, Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii, United States
(US unless stated, Irish in boldpar 73):
268Jonathan Byrd 66 68 67 67 (Jonathan Byrd won at second playoff hole), Robert Garrigus 69 63 69 67
269 Graeme McDowell (NIrl) 71 68 68 62
272Steve Stricker 69 67 65 71, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 66 67 71 68
274Ian Poulter (Eng) 70 68 70 66, Matt Kuchar 69 70 66 69
276Bill Haas 68 70 69 69
278Dustin Johnson 71 66 73 68, Jim Furyk 68 68 72 70, Jason Day (Aus) 73 66 69 70
279Bill Lunde 70 68 70 71, Arjun Atwal (Ind) 72 69 68 70, Justin Rose (Eng) 75 67 69 68
280Francesco Molinari (Ita) 69 67 74 70, Ryan Palmer 70 72 68 70
281Ernie Els (Rsa) 72 64 74 71, Tim Clark (Rsa) 72 68 73 68
282Anthony Kim 69 71 74 68, Matt Bettencourt 73 70 70 69
283Ben Crane 67 70 74 72, Adam Scott (Aus) 73 67 70 73
284Zach Johnson 71 73 69 71, Cameron Beckman 72 71 70 71
285Hunter Mahan 70 70 78 67, Charley Hoffman 68 75 67 75, Bubba Watson 70 70 73 72
286Heath Slocum 70 74 72 70, Jason Bohn 72 72 72 70
289Stuart Appleby (Aus) 69 75 73 72
295Rocco Mediate 79 70 75 71
296Derek Lamely 72 76 78 70
