Jimmy Walker runs away with Sony Open, winning by record nine shots

At least Jimmy Walker is leaving Hawaii with one trophy.

Six days after losing a playoff tournament on Maui, Walker turned in a command performance Sunday on Oahu. He blew away the field with a seven-under-par 63 to win the Sony Open for the second consecutive year.

His fourth career victory was the most impressive of all. On a course that lends itself to a free-for-all, Walker shot 62-63 on the weekend and set a tournament record with a nine-shot victory. The previous record was seven shots, last set in 2000 by Paul Azinger.

Walker became the first repeat winner at the Sony Open since Ernie Els in 2004.

Scott Piercy closed with a 66 to finish alone in second. Matt Kuchar, who started the day two shots out of the lead, didn’t make a birdie and shot 71 to tie for third with Harris English and Gary Woodland, who each had a 67. Kuchar ended his streak of 255 rounds on the PGA Tour with at least one birdie.

But this was Walker’s show, and it couldn’t have happened at a better time. Walker had a three-shot lead with five holes to play at Kapalua last Monday when he wound up losing to Patrick Reed in a playoff at the Tournament of Champions. With a quick turnaround, he quickly put it behind him.

“I really wanted to finish out the day like I didn’t do last week,” said Walker, who finished at 23-under 257.

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France’s Gary Stal took advantage of Martin Kaymer’s collapse to win the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship in the United Arab Emirates for his first European Tour title.

Stal closed with a 7-under 65 to finish at 19-under 269 and beat top-ranked Rory McIlroy (66) by a stroke. Kaymer, 10 strokes ahead with 13 holes left, had a 75 to finish two strokes back. The U.S. Open champion won the Abu Dhabi event in 2008, 2010 and 2011.