69
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Mark Wilson follows his drive off the 10th tee during the third round of the Sony Open golf tournament Sunday, Jan. 16, 2011, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Mark Wilson fired a final-round 3-under-par 67 to emerge from today’s 36-hole endurance test as the Sony Open in Hawaii champion.
Wilson carded two bogey-free rounds and his total of 16 under 264 was just enough to hold off Tim Clark and Steve Marino and gave him his third PGA Tour win and first since winning the Mayakoba Golf Classic in March 2009.
Today’s 36-hole conclusion became necessary when the opening round was postponed due to wet grounds last Thursday.
Wilson arrived at Waialae Country Club this morning two strokes behind co-leaders Stuart Appleby and Shigeki Maruyama and vaulted to the 54-hole lead with a round of 5 under 65 in the morning.
He carded three birdies through nine holes and added two more on No. 3 and No. 9 to move to 13 under, one shot ahead of Marino.
With just enough time for a quick bite before heading back to the first tee, Wilson continued his roll early in the final round with a birdie on the par-3 fourth hole. He opened up a four-shot lead with a birdie at No. 9, making the turn at 15 under with five players jockeying for second at 11 under and another four at 10 under.
Clark started his final round on the back nine and steadily climbed the leaderboard, moving to 13 under with a birdie on the par-3 seventh hole after sticking his first shot 2 inches from the hole.
A birdie putt on No. 8 and an eagle try on No. 9 came up short, leaving Clark one shot behind Wilson.
Wilson hung on to the lead by draining a clutch 10-foot par putt on No. 17 and finished with a birdie on No. 18 to secure the win.
Marino also settled for birdie on the last hole to close with a 68.
