The Hyundai Tournament of Champions presented their version of the “The Long and the Short of It” on Sunday at Kapalua’s Plantation Course.
Eventual winner Zach Johnson, definitely not one of the longest hitters on tour, was paired with Dustin Johnson, who has recorded several drives in excess of 400 yards at Kapalua.
Defending champion Dustin Johnson began the day at 14-under par and tied for the third-round lead with Jordan Spieth and Webb Simpson.
D.J. started slow with bogeys at his first two holes and added another at No. 6 before finally making two birdies at Nos. 7 and 9. Three birdies and two more bogeys on the back nine left at even par for the day and five shots behind the winner.
After a so-so third round 74, Zach Johnson raced by everyone on Sunday with a near-perfect final round seven-under par 66 that gave him a one-stroke victory. He made three birdies on the front side and added four birdies in a five-hole stretch on the back for his seven-under par 66.
Zach Johnson was routinely outdriven by Dustin Johnson by 50 yards, but his fairway-finding drives and precise iron play earned him his third win in his last 11 starts.
Since a third-place finish at the Crowne Plaza last May, Z. Johnson was runner-up at the John Deere to Spieth, finished top-10 at the Open Championship, WGC-Bridgestone, PGA Championship and the Wyndham.
He won the BMW Championship in the FedEx Cup playoffs and was T-7 at the Tour Championship. He earned over $3.5 million during that stretch and has moved to No. 7 in the world.
After making a couple of chip-shots at Tiger Woods’ Northwestern World Challenge, he beat the host in a playoff and has continued his hot play into 2014.
Jordan Spieth showed no signs of a sophomore slump as he finished solo runner-up. He shot a final round four-under par 69 and finished at 18-under par for his first Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
Spieth recorded four birdies and no bogeys in the final round, but several missed putts on the back nine could have made a difference in the outcome.
Webb Simpson’s three-under par 70 left him two shots behind the winner and tied with Kevin Streelman for third.
Streelman shot a six-under par 67 to move up two spots into joint third.
Jason Dufner carded a final round four-under par 69 to finish solo fifth.
Billy Horshcel matched Z. Johnson’s seven-under par 66 for the low rounds of the day and moved up 13 spots to finish T-6 with Matt Kuchar, Adam Scott and D. Johnson.
The beautiful views of the deep blue Pacific Ocean, palm trees swaying and whales playing always make the Hyundai Tournament of Champions a must watch during the first weekend of the NFL playoffs.
Zach Johnson banked the $1 million first-place check, but clearly Kapalua and the Hawaiian Islands were the big winners last weekend on the PGA Tour.