Short game helps Johnson to Hawaii title

HAWAII - Zach Johnson’s short game skills were on full display as the American fired a bogey-free seven-under-par 66 to grab a one-stroke victory at the $5.7 million Hyundai Tournament of Champions on Monday.Johnson, who started the final round two shots off the pace, took the sole lead with a short birdie putt on the 14th hole and also birdied the next two holes to pull away at the Kapalua Plantation course.The 2007 Masters champion finished at 19-under 273, while fellow American Jordan Spieth (69) birdied the last to finish outright second on 18-under, with compatriots Kevin Streelman (67) and Webb Simpson (70) another shot back in tied third.Johnson, 37, collected $1.14 million for his 11th PGA Tour victory but was subdued afterwards, his focus on Simpson’s regular caddie Paul Tesori whose newborn son is in intensive care in a Florida hospital.“That’s where my heart was today and that’s where my mind was a lot of the day,” Johnson told The Golf Channel.The world number nine is renowned for his wedge game, which he demonstrated by chipping in from 45 feet at the par-three second as joint overnight leader and defending champion Dustin Johnson (73) fell away with three early bogeys.Johnson ended last year by beating Woods in a playoff at the world number one’s World Challenge in California.Since his first victory nearly a decade ago, only Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh have won more often than Johnson on tour.

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Short game helps Johnson to Hawaii title