It was a great start of the season for Jonathan Byrd on Sunday when he closed with a 6-under-67 and came out the winner at the sudden death playoff, beating Robert Garrigus, who missed a 3-foot par putt on the second hole.
Byrd was on the final group and had trouble with his wedge and his 18—foot birdie putt. His pitch was short and stopped 10 feet from the hole, followed by his second winning birdie.
“I just played solid all day,” Byrd said. “I was a little anxious, a little nervous. I didn’t play the last two holes as well as I wanted.”
On the last day, only Byrd and Garrigus remained, after Geoff Ogilvy and Camilo Villegas pulled out the previous days.
Byrd was not even a top contender for the PGA tour opener, qualifying for Kapalua when he made a hole-in-one in the darkness. This time, the win came after Byrd placed a 50-foot birdie putt on the opening hole. Garrigus followed, missing the 3-foot par putt, giving Byrd his fifth career victory. This win comes with its benefits, among them an automatic invite to the Masters and an exemption at the US Open. Byrd was just a few shots luckier than Graeme McDowell, who made a record of 11-under-62 to finish one shot behind after he missed the putt on the last hole.