P – Adam Scott came within one shot of the lead early on the final day of the US PGA’s Sony Open, but it mattered little as Jimmy Walker pulled away with three late birdies in a remarkable seven-under 63 to win the event in Hawaii.
Masters champion Scott, in the first group on the back nine, went out in 30 and was one shot out of the lead as the final group began their rounds.
Scott hit too many poor drives to keep it going. He bogeyed the second and fourth holes, and finished tied for eighth, seven shots behind Walker’s 17-under 263.
Scott now heads into a six-week break before returning to golf in Florida.
Marc Leishman finished outright fifth after grabbing eight birdies in his final round of 66 on Sunday.
But the way Walker played the back nine, Australians Scott or Leishman were never in the hunt.
Walker’s run began when he sank a 12-foot par putt on the 14th hole.
One shot behind Harris English, Walker rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt on the 15th hole, and took the outright lead when English – behind him in the final group – failed to save par from a bunker.
Walker made a seven-foot birdie putt on the 16th, and hit his tee shot to six feet for birdie on the par-3 17th.
A par on the last hole made him wait just a little bit longer.
Chris Kirk had a 30-foot eagle chip from just short of the green on the par-5 18th that would have forced a play-off.
It stayed right of the hole and Kirk made the birdie putt for a 66 to finish alone in second place after starting the day with a one-shot lead.
Jerry Kelly (65) was third.
English never recovered from his bogey. He finished fourth after missing birdie putts on the last three holes for a 67.
Walker went 187 tournaments and seven years without winning on the PGA Tour. Now he has won twice in his past six starts, and is No.1 in the Ryder Cup standings.
“It took me a long time to do it,” Walker said.
“I felt very calm and controlled. That’s what you’ve got to feel and do when it’s time to win. It’s easy to say, hard to do. But today was awesome – really cool golf.”
Walker already qualified for his first Masters by winning the Frys.com Open in October.
