Tour news:KJ Choi managed just one birdie in the final round on Sunday but kept the mistakes to a minimum to claim victory at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
The Korean was unable to manage a birdie until the final hole but his one-over-par 71 was still good enough to give him a three-shot win at the first full-field event of the PGA Tour season.
Choi started the round with a four-stroke cushion but found it tough going in blustery conditions at Waialae Country Club.
Despite his lack of birdies, Choi had just two bogeys - at the fourth and 13th - and finished at 14-under 266 for the first wire-to-wire victory in the tournament since Brad Faxon's win in 2001.
Rory Sabbatini of South Africa had his chances but made just enough mistakes to keep himself from catching Choi as he finished second at 11-under-par 269 after a two-under 68. Jerry Kelly finished third on 270 after closing with a 67.
Choi believes his victory will help him in the bigger tournaments to come.
"No matter what the conditions are out there, you have to stay patient with yourself. This experience in Hawaii is going to help me prepare for the major tournaments that are coming up because in those tournaments you have to be patient. You can't get too greedy. You have to accept the conditions as they are and I think it's going to help me prepare mentally for the major tournaments", he said.
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