Johnson Wagner started telling people to expect success from him early this year, because he had put in so much hard work during the off-season. He lived up to those boasts by claiming the Sony Open title.
The Sony Open was Wagner’s first event of the season, and the win will take a lot of pressure off of him for the rest of the year.
"I was definitely telling people to expect something early this year, which is a nice feeling," Wagner said. "Usually, my confidence is low. I'm kind of shy in a little shell. And for some reason, I just had way more energy and confidence going into this year."
Wagner closed with a 3-under 67 to pull away from a half-dozen contenders and take the title.
Wagner was among six players who had a share of the lead at some point in the final round. He was the only guy to stay there, and wound up with a two-shot win over Carl Pettersson, Sean O'Hair, Harrison Frazar and Charles Howell III.
They all tied for second behind Wagner, who seized control with a 9-iron into the 15th that was pin-high, just off the green. He rolled that in for birdie, and then didn't come close to making a mistake until he nearly missed a tap-in par on the 18th.
Coming into the year, Wagner had only seven top 10s – including two wins – in 139 tournaments. He has never made it to the Tour Championship and played in only four Majors.
“I love being out here. There's so many great players," he said. "But why are they any better? Why are the people in the top 50 better than me? I've always struggled a little bit with believing in myself."
It doesn’t seem like that will be a problem for the foreseeable future.
| Player | Score |
|---|---|
| Johnson Wagner | -13 |
| Carl Pettersson | -11 |
| Sean O'Hair | -11 |
| Harrison Frazar | -11 |
| Charles Howell III | -11 |
| Michael Thompson | -10 |
| Brian Gay | -10 |
| DA Points | -10 |
| Matt Every | -10 |
| John Rollins | -9 |
