Maui, HI (SportsNetwork.com) - Patrick Reed poured in a 19-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole Monday to defeat Jimmy Walker and win the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
Reed holed out for eagle on the 16th to grab a share of the lead at minus-21. He traded a bogey at 17 for a birdie at 18, and when Walker parred the final four holes, they were headed to a playoff tied at 21-under-par 292.
"I just stayed patient. That was the main thing all day, I just tried to stay patient and tried not get ahead of myself, tried not to make any careless errors," Reed said. "Luckily, I was able to hole a wedge shot on 16 to kind of get the momentum, but unfortunately I missed another short putt (at 17). Here on the last, I gave myself that chance and I was lucky enough to make it."
Reed closed with a 6-under 67, while Walker posted a 4-under 69.
The pair returned to the tee on the par-5 18th on the Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort for the playoff. Reed found the right rough and hit a good second shot down the fairway. Walker landed in the short grass off the tee, but knocked his second into the grandstands.
Reed chipped his third to 19 feet before Walker pitched his third over the green after taking a drop in the rough. Walker chipped to six feet, but never hit his par putt. Reed poured in his birdie try for his fourth PGA Tour title.
Jason Day matched the course record as he fired an 11-under 62 in the final round. Day shared third place at minus-20 with Russell Henley (67) and Hideki Matsuyama (70).
Sang-Moon Bae managed a 3-under 70 and he ended alone in sixth at 18-under-par 274. Last year's champion Zach Johnson fired a 6-under 67 to end in seventh at minus-17. Brendon Todd (71) and Robert Streb (69) tied for eighth at 16-under- par 276.
Chris Kirk also fired an 11-under 62 in the final round. Day and Kirk matched the course record that K.J. Choi set in 2003 and Graeme McDowell matched in 2011. Kirk ended in a share of 14th at 13-under 279.
Reed's only two birdies on the front nine came at the fifth and ninth, the two par-5s. He made the turn at 17-under.
The 24-year-old rolled in a 10-footer at the 10th, but was still four back as Walker also birdied the 10th to climb to 22-under.
Reed 2-putted the par-5 15th to inch within two after Walker bogeyed 14. Reed holed an 80-yard wedge shot for eagle at 16 and that gave him a piece of the lead. However, he missed a short par effort at 17. Reed atoned for that error with a 2-putt birdie at 18. That gave Reed the clubhouse lead at minus-21.
"The confidence level is real high...it has been a great calendar year. At the same time, I have to work on my game and tighten up some things and continue moving forward," admitted Reed.
Walker dropped in back-to-back birdies at the third and fourth to move two clear of the field at minus-19. After a trio of pars, he drained a 19-foot birdie try at eight.
The three-time winner last season birdied the ninth and 10th to push his lead to three over Day and Matsuyama. Walker parred three holes in a row, and was no closer than 17 feet on those three.
Walker found sand off the tee at 14, then hit his second shot over the green. He chipped to four feet, but missed the par-saving putt.
At the par-5 15th, Walker missed a 7-foot birdie putt. He missed another birdie effort from eight feet out at 16. Walker closed with a pair of pars to force the playoff.
"I kept hitting good shots, but I couldn't go for the par-5 (15th) in two. I didn't have enough bat to get there into the wind. You know the bummer was the short par-4 (16). I laid it up in a bunker, hit it over the green and hit a great chip, but missed the putt," said Walker. "I missed birdie putts and then 16 I should have made, then should have gotten a better look on 18 for sure. It was there for me to take and it just didn't happen."
NOTES: Reed earned $1.14 million for the victory ... Reed joins Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia as the only players in the last 20 years with four or more wins at age 24 or younger ... This was Reed's first come-from- behind victory ... Walker falls to 1-1 with the 54-hole lead, while the winner of this event has had at least a share of the third-round lead 23 of the 31 times the tournament was played ... Walker was hoping to join Johnson, Jim Furyk, Ernie Els and Vijay Singh as the fifth winner of the two PGA Tour events in Hawaii ... Walker is slated to defend his title next week at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
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