Golf – US PGA Tour:Ryan Palmer kept his cool to hold off playing partner Robert Allenby of Australia with a fortunate birdie at the par-five last and win the Sony Open by a single shot.
Tied for the lead overnight with the more experienced Allenby, Palmer fired a four-under-par 66 at Waialae Country Club to clinch his third PGA Tour title.
Two ahead with eight holes remaining in a widely fluctuating final round, Palmer twice stumbled with bogeys before his chip from just off the 18th green struck the flagstick and ended up inches from the cup.
He tapped in the birdie putt for a 15 under total of 265 while Allenby, seeking his first PGA Tour victory in nine years, missed from 10 feet and had to settle for second place after closing with a four-birdie 67.
"I got a lucky bounce," a beaming Palmer told reporters of his third shot at the last. "It was going to go by seven or eight feet, I think, but I still hit a good chip. I caught the pin perfect but you need things like that to win.
"I came out here with a lot of hopes for the year. I wanted to get off to a good start and it was an unbelievable week.
"I just tried to stay calm, be in the moment," added the 33-year-old who held at least a share of the lead for all three previous rounds at Waialae.
World number three Steve Stricker, one of four players who held at least a share of the lead on Sunday, finished third at 13 under after closing with a sparkling 65.
Retief Goosen was a further stroke back in fourth after shooting the lowest round of the week, a sizzling 62 featuring nine birdies and a lone bogey.