Wagner comes from behind to win Sony Open golf
American Johnson Wagner recorded his third victory on the USPGA Tour by shooting a final round three-under 67 for a two-stroke win at the the $5.5 million Sony Open.
"It feels incredible. I worked really hard this off season and I told everybody that I was going to win early this year. So it feels good to do it," Wagner said.
Wagner was one of half dozen players who had a share of the lead in the final round. His victory qualifies him for the Masters tournament in April.
"I am coming back here so I can buy that plane ticket now and I am in Augusta. I am really excited."
Wagner finished at 13-under 267, with Carl Pettersson, Sean O'Hair, Charles Howell and Harrison Frazar tied for second at 11 under.
Third-round co-leaders Matt Every and Jeff Maggert struggled Sunday with Every shooting a two-over 72 to finish at 10 under while Maggert shot a four-over 74.
Wagner stepped up his play on the back nine all week long, going bogey free on the backside. He also did not make a bogey in his final 12 holes on Sunday.
He began the new season with a tie for ninth at Kapalua and now a win at the Waialae Country Club course, the first full-field event of the 2012 season.
"I started with a bogey today but was surprisingly clam until the 16th or 17th hole and then I got a little nervous coming in," he said. "Coming down stretch here and having a cushion was nice."
Wagner made a bogey on the par-four sixth hole but rebounded with a birdie on the par-three eighth in which he rolled in an eight-foot putt.
He followed that with another birdie on the par-five ninth hole. It marked the fourth-straight day he birdied the hole.
Wagner earned 500 FedExCup points and is now the FedExCup leader after the first two weeks of the season.
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"It feels incredible. I worked really hard this off season and I told everybody that I was going to win early this year. So it feels good to do it," Wagner said.
Wagner was one of half dozen players who had a share of the lead in the final round. His victory qualifies him for the Masters tournament in April.
"I am coming back here so I can buy that plane ticket now and I am in Augusta. I am really excited."
Wagner finished at 13-under 267, with Carl Pettersson, Sean O'Hair, Charles Howell and Harrison Frazar tied for second at 11 under.
Third-round co-leaders Matt Every and Jeff Maggert struggled Sunday with Every shooting a two-over 72 to finish at 10 under while Maggert shot a four-over 74.
Wagner stepped up his play on the back nine all week long, going bogey free on the backside. He also did not make a bogey in his final 12 holes on Sunday.
He began the new season with a tie for ninth at Kapalua and now a win at the Waialae Country Club course, the first full-field event of the 2012 season.
"I started with a bogey today but was surprisingly clam until the 16th or 17th hole and then I got a little nervous coming in," he said. "Coming down stretch here and having a cushion was nice."
Wagner made a bogey on the par-four sixth hole but rebounded with a birdie on the par-three eighth in which he rolled in an eight-foot putt.
He followed that with another birdie on the par-five ninth hole. It marked the fourth-straight day he birdied the hole.
Wagner earned 500 FedExCup points and is now the FedExCup leader after the first two weeks of the season.