• Tournament of Champions, Round Four

Stricker claims first PGA event of 2012

Steve Stricker began the final day with a five-shot lead © PA Photos

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Steve Stricker held on to win the first PGA Tour event of the year by three strokes at the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.

Stricker headed into the final round with a five-shot lead, and his last-day round of 69 was enough to see off the chasing field. It was the American's 20th career win - his 12th on the PGA Tour - moving him back to a world ranking of No. 5.

The 44-year-old started the day in nervy fashion, carding a bogey on the par-four sixth hole, allowing his overnight advantage to slip to just one stroke, before getting back on track with birdies at eight and nine. Stricker did not drop a shot thereafter as he maintained his three-stroke cushion with further birdies on the 12th, 16th and 18th holes.

"It was tough," said Stricker. "I never let up today. It's always tough trying to win, and it's even more tough when you have a lead like I did. I'm very proud of what I did today. And it's always cool to get a hug from your family walking off at the end."

Indeed, a solid back nine was enough for Stricker to hold off the challenge of Martin Laird, who ended the tournament in outright second after his final-round 67 saw him finish 20-under. The Scot fell short of Stricker's mark despite making a dramatic late surge, shooting five birdies in the last seven holes.

Webb Simpson and Jonathan Byrd also went within one stroke of Stricker at one stage, but both fell off the pace set by their compatriot as they claimed a share of third place, one stroke behind Laird. The sixth hole proved Simpson's undoing, while for Byrd a bogey at the eighth halted his charge up the leaderboard.

South Korea's KJ Choi fired a sizzling 65 to finish 18-under alongside American Harrison Frazer as the pair rounded out the top five.

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