Walker eyes unique third at Waialae
HONOLULU: Fresh from a tie for 10th at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions on Sunday, Jimmy Walker sets his sights on something “cool” at this week’s Sony Open in Honolulu where he will bid for an unprecedented third win in a row.
Walker of the US cruised to an eventrecord nine-shot victory at Waialae Country Club last year and is now looking to become the first player to land a hat-trick of titles on the PGA Tour since Steve Stricker clinched the 2011 John Deere Classic.
Though three players apart from Walker (Herbert Green, Corey Pavin and Ernie Els) have won the Sony Open in consecutive years since the event was first held in 1965, none of them managed to add a third.
“Oh, it’s cool,” Walker, 36, said while preparing for the event on the tight, tree-lined layout at Waialae on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. “I’m excited.
“I’ve never experienced anything like I’ll experience [at Waialae], winning two in a row and trying to make it three.”
Walker recorded his first top-10 finish of the season in last week’s Hyundai Tournament of Champions at the Kapalua Resort.
Also competing at Waialae this week is 2008 winner KJ Choi of South Korea, reigning British Open champion Zach Johnson, former world No.1 Adam Scott of Australia, who is currently ranked 11th, along with seven other members of the top 30.
SPIETH SIGNS COKE DEAL
Top-ranked golfer Jordan Spieth, the reigning Masters and US Open champion, has signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Coca-Cola, the company announced on Wednesday.
Spieth, 22, overtook Tiger Woods as the sports leading money spinner in 2015 according to Golf Digest with $53 million in prize money and sponsorships, including a $30 million clothing deal with Under Armour, to $48.5 million for Woods.