Golf:Steve Stricker's victory in the opening PGA Tour event of the season has lifted him back to fifth in the world and makes him the leading non-European in the list again.
The 44-year-old carried a five-stroke advantage into the final round at Kapalua’s Plantation Course and although Martin Laird, Webb Simpson and Jonathan Byrd all put him under significant pressure, he did enough to close out the win.
A birdie at the 18th gave Stricker a closing round of 69 — his fourth sub-70 score of the event as he finished 23 under.
Stricker had started the day with nerves and no birdies in his first seven holes and a bogey at the par-four sixth.
But he picked up strokes at the eighth and ninth, as well as three more after the turn to keep him ahead of the pack throughout.
Scotsman Laird was second on 20 under following a six-under round of 67 - ending the day with four birdies in the last five holes - while Simpson and Byrd were one shot further back after signing for 68s.
KJ Choi and Keegan Bradley also found some impressive January form, each carding eight under for the day. Choi finished on 15 under, tied for fifth with Harrison Frazar.
After sealing the victory, Stricker said: “It was tough but I never let up today. I’m very proud of what I’ve achieved here.
“I felt it kind of slipping away [at the start of the round] but I was patient. Frustrated, but patient.The birdie at eight calmed me down quite a bit and I played steady after that.”
Runner-up Martin Laird, who birdied five of the last seven holes at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii, improves from 47th to 33rd.Ireland's Rory McIlroy is third behind England's Lee Westwood and number one Luke Donald.
Latest leading positions:1 Luke Donald 10.21, 2 Lee Westwood 7.92, 3 Rory McIlroy 7.65, 4 Martin Kaymer 6.43, 5 Steve Stricker 6.00, 6 Adam Scott 5.41, 7 Webb Simpson 5.40, 8 Dustin Johnson 5.17, 9 Charl Schwartzel 5.16, 10 Jason Day 4.99 11 Matt Kuchar 4.79, 12 Graeme McDowell 4.63, 13 Nick Watney 4.60, 14 KJ Choi 4.55, 15 Phil Mickelson 4.37, 16 Justin Rose 3.92, 17 Hunter Mahan 3.83, 18 Sergio Garcia 3.83, 19 Ian Poulter 3.81, 20 Paul Casey 3.65
Other leading Europeans:21 Alvaro Quiros, 27 Robert Karlsson, 28 Simon Dyson, 33 Martin Laird, 37 Anders Hansen, 38 Thomas Bjorn, 39 Francesco Molinari, 41 Fredrik Jacobson, 44 Peter Hanson, 45 Miguel Angel Jimenez, 49 Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, 51 Darren Clarke, 58 Matteo Manassero, 62 Joost Luiten, 63 Alexander Noren, 64 Edoardo Molinari, 74 Nicolas Colsaerts, 75 Pablo Larrazabal, 84 Padraig Harrington, 87 Paul Lawrie, 88 Gregory Havret, 92 Jamie Donaldson, 94 David Lynn, 97 Richie Ramsay, 98 Michael Hoey, 100 Ross Fisher
USPGA Tour Money Leaders after the USPGA Tour Hyundai Tournament of Champions, Kapalua Plantation GC, Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii.
Prize Money in US Dollars: 1 Steve Stricker (USA) 1120000.00, 2 Martin Laird (Sco) 650000.00, 3 Jonathan Byrd (USA) 369000.00, 4 Webb Simpson (USA) 369000.00, 5 K J Choi (Kor) 245000.00, 6 Harrison Frazar (USA) 245000.00, 7 Chris Kirk (USA) 190000.00, 8 Bryce Molder (USA) 190000.00, 9 Ben Crane (USA) 165000.00, 10 Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 165000.00, 11 Johnson Wagner (USA) 165000.00, 12 Nick Watney (USA) 130000.00, 13 Kevin Na (USA) 130000.00, 14 D.A. Points (USA) 130000.00, 15 Scott Piercy (USA) 130000.00, 16 Keegan Bradley (USA) 105000.00, 17 Sean O'Hair (USA) 99000.00, 18 Bubba Watson (USA) 91500.00, 19 Mark Wilson (USA) 91500.00, 20 Hunter Haas (USA) 84000.00
