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American golfer Steve Stricker showed that his injury problems are behind him as he wrapped up a three-shot victory at the season-opening Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.
[/left]Four months ago, Stricker was forced to withdraw from the BMW Championship with a neck problem which restricted movement in his left arm and cast doubts over his future on the PGA Tour.
[/left]The 44-year-old opted to undergo a course of physiotherapy and cortisone injections rather than surgery, a decision which paid dividends when he held off the challenge of Scotland's Martin Laird at the Plantation Course in Kapalua on Monday to secure his 12th PGA Tour title.
[/left][/left]"I was comfortable today," Stricker told the tour's website. "That's what I was really proud of."
[/left]Just as he had done on Sunday, the world number five allowed a five-shot overnight lead to slip to just a single stroke.
[/left]A bogey at the sixth hole left Stricker within striking distance for the chasing pack of Laird and fellow Americans Webb Simpson and defending champion Jonathan Byrd.
[/left]But Stricker, who reached a career-high ranking of second in February 2010, rallied and hit five birdies over the final 12 holes for a 69 which moved him onto 23 under par for the tournament.
[/left]He has now won nine PGA events since turning 40, and eight since 2009.
[/left]"It doesn't matter if it's me or anybody else," Stricker said. "Always in the final round, it gets close at some point in time. It's just the nature of our game.
[/left]"I think you're able to lose your patience much more at a younger age and just kind of -- not give up, but just feel like it's not going to go your way. Believe me, I've felt like that at times.
[/left]"But you've just got to keep hanging in there. It's hard. It's a challenge. But it's worth it -- especially when it works out in the end."
[/left]Laird finished second on 20 under after carding 67, leaving him one shot clear of third-placed Simpson (68) and Byrd (68).
[/left]World No. 33 Laird described Stricker as "the most underrated player in the world."
[/left]K.J. Choi posted an eight-under 65, the joint-best round of the day alongside the 2011 PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley, which gave the veteran South Korean a share of fifth with American Harrison Frazar (68) on 15 under.
[/left]Bradley had a disappointing tournament, but finished with a flourish to move onto 11 under and place 16th in the 27-man field.
[/left]Chris Kirk (67) and Bryce Molder (70) tied for seventh on 14 under, while fellow Americans Johnson Wagner (67) and Ben Crane (68) finished in a three-way tie for ninth alongside South Africa's Rory Sabbatini (68).
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