KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) - Jonathan Byrd started the new year the way he ended the old one - with a victory.
Byrd opened the PGA Tour season Sunday by winning the Tournament of Champions in a sudden-death playoff against Robert Garrigus, who missed a 3-foot par putt on the second extra hole.
Byrd won his last event of the 2010 season in Las Vegas by making a hole-in-one in a three-man playoff. Instead of more heroics at Kapalua, he had to rely on his opponent's misfortunes.
Byrd twice had birdie putts on the par-5 18th hole for the win and missed. On the par-4 first hole in the playoff, Byrd's 50-foot birdie narrowly missed. Garrigus ran it by 3 feet and his par putt to extend the playoff hit the right lip.
It was the fifth career win for Byrd, and it earned him a trip to the Masters and the U.S. Open.
Byrd and Garrigus closed with 6-under 67s to finish at 24 under.
Graeme McDowell had a 62 to finish a stroke back. He parred the final two holes.
Africa Open
EAST LONDON, South Africa (AP) - British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen won the Africa Open, holing a 12-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff with Chris Wood and Manuel Quiros. Oosthuizen shot with a 3-under 70 to match Wood (68) and Quiros (69) at 16 under in the European and Sunshine tour event.
Royal Trophy
HUA HIN, Thailand (AP) - Pablo Martin beat Jeev Milkha Singh 1-up with a tap-in birdie on the final hole for the deciding point and Europe successfully defended its Royal Trophy title with a 9-7 comeback victory over Asia at Black Mountain Golf Club. Europe won six singles matches and halved the other two Sunday.