Goydos top of the class in Hawaii

Paul Goydos emerged top of the class in a wild finish to win the Sony Open in Hawaii on Sunday as the former substitute school teacher ended a decade long drought on the PGA Tour.

Goydos birdied the par-5 18th to claim a one-stroke victory over Charles Howell and Luke Donald at the Waialae Country Club after his eagle putt hit the pin to leave an easy tap-in.

The 42-year-old Californian overcame a horrible start to the final round to collect the US $936,000 (€723,000) first prize after carding a 14-under 266 to record just his second victory on the PGA Tour, following his previous triumph at Bay Hill in 1996.

“I do try to win every decade, so I’ve accomplished that,” said Goydos.

Goydos three-putted the first and third holes for bogeys, missing a short putt from inside two feet at the latter, but picked up six birdies and one more bogey on the remainder of his round on the way to carding a 3-under 67.

Goydos took the lead with a 16-foot birdie at the par-4 16th, but fell back into a tie with Howell after a bogey at the 17th.

His second shot at the 18th came up short of the green, 25 feet from the hole, before a overhit chip stuck the flag to set-up the subsequent birdie which proved crucial.

“It’s lucky the ball hit the hole,” added Goydos. “I never thought it could go in. I’m very fortunate to be sitting here right now.”

Goydos was still forced to wait to secure victory as Donald had a 57-foot eagle chip to force a tie but the ball clattered against the pin but stayed out.

“It always had a good line but it was going very fast,” said Donald. “It would have taken a bit of luck to go in.”

Howell also had a chance to force a play-off, but he pushed a 15-foot birdie putt wide, condemning the 2000 NCAA champion to a ninth runner-up finish on the tour following his lone victory in 2002.

“This one hurts,” said Howell, who had a two-shot lead at the turn, but bogeys at the 12th and 13th proved costly.

Goydos added: “I was just trying to hang in there and try to take it one shot at a time.

“It sounds like a cliché, but things weren’t going well early. After the third hole, I really played pretty good and just kept grinding it out and luckily I made a couple of long (putts) on 15 and 16, and got as lucky as you can get on 18.