OAKVILLE, Ont. – An elite field will compete at the TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial in 2014, with the top 60 players on the Order of Merit through the season’s penultimate tournament gaining entry into the season-ending event.

The 12^th and final event on the PGA TOUR Canada schedule will see the culmination of the race for Web.com Tour status at Sunningdale Golf and Country Club in London, Ont., with the event once again operated by Golf Canada. Only the top 60 players on the Order of Merit will be eligible, setting up an exciting race to the season’s final event.

“With the field consisting of the players most deserving of playing in our final event, the TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial should be a thrilling finish to our season,” said PGA TOUR Canada President Jeff Monday. “The recently announced 12-event schedule allows us to make our season-ending event a marquee tournament for PGA TOUR Canada’s elite players, where every player will have something on the line in the race for Web.com Tour status.”

The top five players on PGA TOUR Canada’s Order of Merit earn Web.com Tour status for the following season, with players finishing in spots sixth through 10^th earning an exemption into the final stage and players finishing 11^th through 20^th  into the second stage of Web.com Tour Qualifying School.

DURBAN, South Africa – Raphael Jacquelin shot a bogey-free 5-under 67 in extremely windy conditions on South Africa’s east coast to take the first-round lead at the Volvo Golf Champions on Thursday.

Jacquelin was the only player in the 36-man field not to drop a shot around Durban Country Club for a one-stroke advantage over defending champion Louis Oosthuizen.

Darren Clarke, whose last title was at the 2011 British Open, was tied for third (69) alongside Victor Dubuisson.

Race to Dubai leader Thomas Bjorn was last after a 7-over 79 which included two double bogeys on the back nine, giving last month’s big-money winner at Sun City a tough start on his return to South Africa.

Jacquelin is competing in his first tournament in around six weeks, but the Frenchman picked up shots at Nos. 6 and 8 and finished with three birdies in his last five holes to stay just ahead of Oosthuizen.

“I’m better when the conditions are difficult and I just seem to score better whether it is in the wind or in the rain, or if the course is difficult,” Jacquelin said. “I also stayed focused all day long and when you manage to save par in these conditions you are always going to have a good round. That’s the way I like to play.”

Jacquelin qualified for the $4 million tournament by winning his fourth European Tour title at last year’s Spanish Open following a European Tour record nine-hole playoff.

Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open winner, came into the event following a frustrating 2013 marred by a nagging back complaint. However, the blustery coastal conditions played right into the hands of the South African.

“I grew up in Mossel Bay where the wind was born and then goes out to the rest of the country,” he said. “So the conditions today were very much like back home and what I have been used to most of my life … It’s just good to get the feel of playing and competing again after all the weeks off.”

Clarke and Dubuisson – the reigning Turkish Airlines Open champion – both returned 69s, with Clarke already showing the benefits of a new fitness regime.

But only 16 of the 36 players managed to break par in the testing conditions, with Denmark’s Bjorn, Spanish veteran Miguel Angel Jimenez and South Africa’s former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel all struggling.

Bjorn, who won the biggest check of his career at Sun City in his last tournament, bogeyed his first hole, added another two bogeys and two doubles and couldn’t make a birdie.

Three-time Hong Kong Open winner Jimenez also had two double bogeys in his 76 to sit joint second to last. Schwartzel had a double bogey and four bogeys in his 74 for a tie for 28th.

U.S. Kids Golf recently named PGA of Canada member Doug Lawrie as one of the Top 50 Kids Teachers for 2013.

The PGA of Canada’s 2012 Jack McLaughlin Junior Leader of the Year Award winner was the only Canadian to be named to the list.

“The fact I’m the only Canadian on this list, which includes some of the top junior leaders in the United States, recognizes the hard work of PGA of Canada professionals like myself continue to do to grow the game,” Lawrie said.

“The work the PGA of Canada has done for junior development has only inspired me to continue to be the best coach and instructor for those I am fortunate enough to work with,” he said, adding, “I hope this internationally recognized award inspires other PGA of Canada professionals to grow this wonderful game as passionately as I have.”

Since 2004, U.S. Kids Golf has honored golf’s best teachers with the Top 50 Kids Teacher Award. Applicants complete an online survey and winners are chosen based on their contributions to junior golf, such as: time devoted to teaching young golfers; innovation, creativity and fun in their programs; communication; parental involvement; and overall effort to grow the game. Award recipients include teachers who work at public, private, resort and municipal courses.

“The award was created to help parents find the best coaching for their kids,” said Dan Van Horn, President and CEO of U.S. Kids Golf. “The mission of U.S. Kids Golf is to make the game fun for kids, and the Top 50 Kids Teacher Award is an important part of encouraging golf professionals who are key in supporting us and achieving this mission.”

The 2013 Top 50 Kids Teachers and Master Kids Teachers will be recognized Thursday, Jan. 23, at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla

DURBAN, South Africa – Louis Oosthuizen’s touchy back has stymied the golfer from scheduling any golf after the Masters in April.

Problems with his lower back last year forced Oosthuizen to miss more events than he wanted to, and to withdraw after three rounds of the Byron Nelson Championship, after a first-round 75 at the U.S. Open, and most disappointingly to him, after six holes in the British Open, an event he won in 2010.

That began a layoff of almost three months until he returned for the International team at the Presidents Cup in October. He played all four of the European Tour’s season-ending events and managed a best finish of 15th in Shanghai.

While Oosthuizen is not prepared to look beyond the Masters, where he was runner-up to Bubba Watson in 2012, he has prepared a busy schedule starting with his defence this week of the Volvo Champions title on home turf at Durban Country Club. This is his first of eight tournaments in the next nine weeks, spread over Africa, the Middle East, and the United States.

“I had some injections in my lower back last October that seem to have helped,” Oosthuizen said on Wednesday.

“The good thing is I am playing pain-free and I am doing a lot of things to get it better. But the pain is definitely still there and it’s not going to go away, and it’s going to take a lot of time.

“It’s meant I’ve had to cut down my practice on the range, and while I’m taking the occasional antiinflammatory, it’s just one of those things I have to deal with.”

Oosthuizen must wish he had the constitution of Miguel Angel Jimenez or even Darre Clarke.

Jimenez returns to competition after turning 50 last Sunday and looking to again break his “oldest ever” tour record he re-set last month in capturing a third Hong Kong Open title.

“Yes, I turned 50 a few days ago and I look in the mirror and still see the same guy,” the Spaniard joked. “So I come here looking to win, win, win as that is my continuing motivation. For me, coming to play on the tour is not just to get a salary. If so, I would stay at home.”

Clarke, 14 years older than Oosthuizen at 45, has lost around 40 pounds since October in a bid to rekindle his form. He hasn’t won anything since the 2011 British Open.

“In a short time I’m already twice as strong because most people who lose weight, they lose strength, as well,” Clarke said, showing off a trimmer figure. “I’ve gone the other way. I’ve lost weight and gone twice as strong.”

TORONTO – Rory McIlroy loves how lightweight his Nike Lunar Control shoes are. “They feel like you can wear them all day, they’re incredibly comfortable,” he says.

Paul Casey says “the impeccable traction with the ground” was the key to his decision to lace up in Lunar Controls week after week.

And, Kyle Stanley likes that he doesn’t have to break them in. “They’re ready to wear, right out of the box,” he says. “I wouldn’t wear anything else.”

Nike Golf athletes sport the Nike Lunar Control on Tour more than any other shoe because it offers the control and lightweight cushioning they need round after round – and now they have an expressive range of bold and confident colors to choose from.

“The shoe is designed to be in contact with the ground as much as possible and that enables me to push off the ground with more control,” Casey says. “For me, it’s always incredible how Nike creates great shoes, and then improves on them in the next generation.”

Vibrant colours such as Venom Green, Military Blue and Challenge Red pop against white and black premium full-grain leather uppers and highlight Nike’s proprietary full-length Lunarlon technology, a lightweight cushioning system that is highly responsive, resulting in a unique combination of comfort and support.

“Our Tour athletes are on their feet all day, every day – they know what they need out of a golf shoe to perform at their best,” says Lee Walker, Nike Golf Global Footwear Marketing Director. “We relied heavily on their insights to create a shoe that provides optimal control and comfort in a range of confident colors.”

In addition to Lunarlon foam cushioning, the Nike Lunar Control also features Nike Flywire, another proprietary technology, which wraps from the midfoot to the heel for targeted support and lightweight structure.

Underfoot, Nike Power Platform stabilizes the foot to provide balance, smoother weight transfer and more control at impact. Power Transfer Zone technology works in conjunction with the Power Platform to allow for constant ground contact and a smooth transfer of power throughout the swing.

The new colourways of the Nike Lunar Control are available now in Black/Reflect Silver-Light Crimson; White/Team Red-Challenge Red; White/Black-Venom Green; and White/Military Blue-Venom Green.

Nike Lunar Control shoes are now available in at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $180.

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida – The holiday season may be over, but the LPGA has one more surprise gift for its players, fans and sponsors. The LPGA and CME Group have announced they have joined together to create the all-new Race to the CME Globe, a season-long points competition that will debut during the 2014 LPGA Tour season.

The inaugural Race to the CME Globe will kick off the week of January 20 at the season-opening Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic. Players will accumulate points at each official LPGA event from the Bahamas through the Lorena Ochoa Invitational Presented by Banamex.

The Race to the CME Globe will then come to an end Sunday at the newly renamed CME Group Tour Championship.

Two big purses and two big winner’s payouts will be on-the-line during the final day of the CME Group Tour Championship. The winner of the CME Group Tour Championship will take home a $500,000 (USD) first-place prize, while the player who has accumulated the most points in the season-long points competition will be announced as the Race to the CME Globe champion with a $1 million unofficial money payout – the largest in all of women’s golf.

“CME Group has made quite an impact on the LPGA Tour during our three years together,” said LPGA Commissioner Michael Whan. “The addition of this concept fundamentally connects every event on our Tour and promises big things in 2014 and beyond. The stakes have risen dramatically and the excitement level goes up for our players and each of our tournaments.”

All tournaments will have the same point values in the Race to the CME Globe except for the five major championships, which will carry 25 percent more value.  The winner of all official LPGA events leading up to the CME Group Tour Championship will earn 500 points and the winner of each major championship will earn 625 points. Only LPGA Tour members are eligible to earn points in the Race.

For all LPGA events with a cut, points will be awarded to LPGA members who make the cut. For all events without a cut (except for the Lorena Ochoa Invitational Presented by Banamex), points will be awarded to members who finish among the top 40 and ties. And for the Lorena Ochoa Invitational Presented by Banamex, points will be awarded to members who finish in the top 20 and ties.

The field at the $2 million CME Group Tour Championship will consist of the following: the top 72 players on the Race to the CME Globe Points Standings at the conclusion of the Lorena Ochoa Invitational Presented by Banamex, any LPGA member – not otherwise qualified – with at least one official LPGA win during the season and any non-member with at least one official LPGA win during the year.

Points will then be reset for the CME Group Tour Championship to ensure that the points race will be won at the season-ending tournament. Reset Points will give top yearly performers an advantage but not guarantee victory.

The points that a player earns at the CME Group Tour Championship will be added to her Reset Points, and the player with the highest points total will be named the winner of the Race to the CME Globe.

“I was so honored to win the LPGA money title in 2013 and now I have something even bigger to play for as I look to make it two in a row,” said Inbee Park, who is ranked No. 1 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. “Nothing is guaranteed with this new system so this new Race is going to make everyone on our Tour work a little bit harder because the payoff is so big.”

Fans will also have one more exciting race to follow throughout the 2014 season with “Wounded Warrior Project^® Weekends,” a season-long charity program that will be tied into the Race to the CME Globe. Each Saturday and Sunday at LPGA tournaments, CME Group will donate $1,000 to Wounded Warrior Project^® for each eagle that is recorded. This amount will increase to $5,000 for each eagle during the weekend of the CME Group Tour Championship and a formal check will be presented to the Wounded Warrior Project^® during the trophy ceremony at the CME Group Tour Championship.

HONOLULU –  For the first time since Colonial in 2011, Adam Scott will have a new caddie on the bag this week at the Sony Open.

No, Steve Williams is not ready to retire.

“He’s tired. He’s old,” Scott said of Williams, who turned 50 last week. “One week in a row is enough.”

Williams called it the start of his semi-retirement. He has talked about cutting back on his schedule in the next year or two, though it would seem peculiar to come all the way to Hawaii just for one week.

The caddie failed to mention that the New Zealand Super Saloon Championship is next week, followed by the New Zealand Saloon Championships.

“He’s chomping at the bit to have a go,” Scott said. “He’s earned it. I’ll let him drive one week, as long as he comes back.”

That won’t be until the Honda Classic. For the Sony Open, the Masters champion will have a friend on the bag.

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AUSTIN NOT READY FOR CHAMPIONS TOUR: Woody Austin didn’t make it to the PGA Tour until he was 30, and only then after a decade of playing mini-tours, working as a bank teller and even stocking shelves in a drug store. At least he gets to go out on his terms.

After more than two years of not having full status, the 49-year-old Austin appeared out of nowhere in Mississippi last summer and won the Sanderson Farms Championship. That got him back to Kapalua, which meant the world to him.

“Especially when you’re about to turn 50 and have status,” he said.

Austin turns 50 in three weeks, though he has no plans to play on the Champions Tour except for any major he gets in. Kapalua was just a start. Austin is most looking forward to the courses he was kept from playing when he lost his card – Bay Hill, Hilton Head, Colonial, Memorial.

“I don’t plan on being one of those half guys,” he said of splitting time on two tours. “If I don’t get in the FedEx Cup (playoffs) and have six weeks off, then I’ll go play some on the Champions Tour. But I want to play out here.”

Austin lost his card in 2010 when he missed four cuts in his last seven events and finished at No. 129 on the money list. He got into only 18 tournaments the following year on conditional status, and only seven events in 2012 as a past champion.

His hallmark was ball-striking, and when that began to desert him, he was never very good with the putter (except for bashing it against his head, one of his more infamous moments) to atone for that. So what happened in Mississippi?

“That was the old me,” he said. “I knocked the flag over. That’s me. That’s what I do. This game now is only a putting contest. That’s all it is. Technology has brought everyone into a small bowl.”

Austin said he was most disappointed that in his two years needing some help, he received only one sponsor exemption. The Greenbrier Classic found room for him – he missed the cut two weeks before winning – and Austin said he will never miss the tournament again.

He is exempt through the end of the 2014-15 season.
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WORLD 100: Golf Digest has expanded its “Top 100” list to include courses worldwide, only that didn’t change anything at the top.

Pine Valley claimed the No. 1 ranking in the inaugural “World 100 Greatest Courses” list that appears in the February issues available in print next week. The magazine had the top three courses in America (Pine Valley, Cypress Point, Augusta National), with Royal County Down in Northern Ireland at No. 4.

Shinnecock Hills was at No. 5.

The ranking was determined by 846 people from the magazine’s U.S. Course Ranking panel, from panelists that work with Golf Digest’s 27 international editions and other selected golfers. Forty courses from the top 100 were in America. Golf Digest said America has 46 per cent of all the world’s golf courses.

Rounding out the top 10 were Royal Dornoch in Scotland, St. Andrews, Muirfield, Royal Melbourne and Oakmont.

Canadian courses making the list were: Hamilton Golf and Country Club (98); The National Golf Club (61); Cabot Links (42) and St. George’s Golf and Country Club (30).
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AN ISLAND ON AN ISLAND: Hawaii residents can get sensitive when they hear tourists mention the mainland as “back in the U.S.”

Callaway Golf is the latest culprit.

In a press release announcing that it signed two-time PGA Tour winner Harris English to its tour staff, Callaway included a comment from English that was said “shortly before leaving the U.S. for Hawaii.”

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DIVOTS: One fan of the Dallas Cowboys had reasons beyond football to feel badly for quarterback Tony Romo’s back surgery on Dec. 27. Jordan Spieth has to find a new partner for the AT&T Pebble Beach national Pro-Am. One possibility is country singer Jake Owen, who played last year with former U.S. Amateur champion Kelly Kraft. … Former PGA champion Rich Beem is the latest to have a weekly show on SiriusXM. Beem made his debut Monday and will host the show from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. each Monday … Chesson Hadley has signed with International Sports Management, making him the first American client with PGA Tour status to sign with Chubby Chandler’s group.

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INFLATION STAT OF THE WEEK: In his first 24 starts as a pro, Tiger Woods won six times (including the Masters) and earned $2,626,115. In his first 24 starts as a pro, Jordan Spieth won the John Deere Classic and has earned $4,634820.

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FINAL WORD: “We’re all there. We all feel the same pressure. We all want to win that first major.” – Brandt Snedeker on first-timers winning 15 of the last 20 majors.

As most of us were adjusting to our post-holiday routines, the athletes of Team Canada’s Amateur Team and Development Squad were sweating it out on the golf course. With their first training camp already completed in late November, Team Canada is now working on fine-tuning the weaker areas that were exposed in the initial testing from the first camp.

Each team was training out of a different facility in the United States from Jan. 2-7 – find out what they were up to below.

Men’s Amateur Team

The Men’s Amateur Team were training out of the high-end facilities at the Vintage Club in Indian Wells, Calif. over the weekend. The warm, beautiful conditions at the Vintage Club were a welcome surprise for Head Coach and Winnipeg native, Derek Ingram.

“David Woods and the members at the Vintage Club have been incredible hosts and we are very fortunate to train on their world class facilities” he said enthusiastically. “This is the best training camp we’ve ever had“.

Ingram was recently recognized as one of three Canadian coaches to be recognized on Golf Digest’s best teachers outside of the United States list.

Corey Conners, who recently turned 22, took to twitter to express the beautiful scene at The Vintage Club:

Awesome birthday in paradise! #thevintage #pictureperfect #golfcanada http://t.co/qVOuXOKGIZ

— Corey Conners (@coreconn) January 7, 2014

 

Garrett Rank was one of few members unable to join the team in training as he had a special opportunity to referee the World Under-17 gold medal hockey game in Sydney, N.S. Rank, 26, has been a passionate referee for Ontario Hockey League and Junior B games for many years.

Men’s Development Squad

Meanwhile, the men’s Development Squad was training out of The Raven Club at Verrado in Phoenix, Ariz., a familiar facility and friend to Team Canada. Robert Ratcliffe, Head Coach of the Development Squad, is leading the new team through their second official camp.

In case you didn’t know: Ratcliffe has assumed full responsibility as the Head Coach of the Development Squad moving forward. In the past, he worked beside Ingram as the assistant coach, addressing players on both the Amateur Team and Development Squad. His new role allows him to focus primarily on the Development Squad players and prepare them for a transition to the Amateur Team. He will continue to work closely with Ingram.

Women’s Amateur Team

On the women’s side, the National Team was at the Desert Princess in Cathedral City, Calif., under the direction of Head Coach, Tristan Mullally.

Mullally is very optimistic about the year ahead as he continues to prepare his coaching plans for the individual needs of each athlete.

“ We’ve had a lot of fun out here, we’ve used every part of the facilities and they have been super in supporting us in our training” he said. “All of the girls continue to grow with their training, for instance, Anne-Catherine (Tanguay) has made some superb changes in the past six weeks and I am very excited for what’s to come in the year ahead.”

Anne-Catherine Tanguay takes a moment to enjoy the scenery as well:

Last day in Palm Springs! Then off to Mission for a few days and back to school http://t.co/PFQqv2VodJ

— AC Tanguay (@ACTanguay) January 6, 2014

Tanguay, a Québec City native, will tee-it-up with her Oklahoma Sooner teammates again on Feb. 9 at the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge in Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.

Women’s Development Squad

Lastly, the girls of the Development Squad were training at The Lodge at Ventana in Tuscon, Ariz.

The Head Coach of the girls Development Squad, Ann Carroll, couldn’t be more excited about the prospects for the athletes and what the future holds.

proud of @TheGolfCanada‘s DevTeam and their relentless efforts & hardwork this week @taylorkim94 @valtanguay @sabrinegarrison Jaclyn Naomi

— ann carroll (@AnnAnncarroll) January 6, 2014

Did you know: Ann Carroll’s role with Team Canada has also changed for the upcoming season in very similar fashion to that of Ratcliffe. Carroll will now act as the Head Coach of the girls Development Squad but will remain to work in tandem with Mullally on the development of both teams.

Ann Carroll and Tristan Mullally share a laugh

In case you missed it…

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., ran away with the Junior Orange Bowl Championship in Coral Gables, Fla., shooting a final round 67 to win by five strokes.

Read the full story here.

Garrett Rank, an Elmira, Ont., native and member of the Men’s National Amateur Team finished T7 at the 83^rd Dixie Amateur Championship at Heron Bay Golf Club in Coral Springs, Fla.

Read more here.

CARLSBAD, Calif. – adidas Golf has announced the release of the next generation of adizero golf footwear, highlighted by the new adizero one.

For 2014, adidas Golf designers were challenged with taking the next step in the evolution of the franchise; to develop a lighter shoe that pushed innovation to the next level while delivering maximum performance and tour-level traction. The result is adizero one, a visually appealing design that tips the scales at less than 10 ounces, 10% lighter than the adizero Tour. With adizero one, adidas Golf has taken adizero footwear to a new level of light, delivering more stability than ever before in the lightest cleated performance golf shoe the company has ever created.

“When I first saw the adizero one, I couldn’t wait to get them on my feet,” said Jason Day, adidas Golf tour staff professional since 2006. “With the low profile design, I can really feel the ground beneath my feet and the power generated from my swing is definitely noticeable. I’m excited to wear these on tour.”

While traditional golf shoe construction requires the stitching of multiple layers, adidas golf designers pushed the limits of engineering to create a new, ultra-light one-piece fused upper that bonds together five layers to deliver a consistent glove-like fit on the foot.

To further reduce weight while increasing stability, a lighter and thinner seven-cleat performance outsole (formerly 10 in the adizero Tour) was developed which measures 20% wider than adizero Tour.

“We’re constantly looking to test the boundaries of engineering to design and develop equipment that helps golfers perform at their peak,” said Masun Denison, Director, Global Product Marketing, Footwear at adidas Golf. “adizero one is a perfect example of our relentless pursuit of innovation to consistently create the best-performing footwear in golf.”

Available January 23, adizero one will be available in four colourways at launch and one additional colourway on May 1 at an MSRP of $199.99 CDN.

For women, adidas Golf has designed the adizero Tour II, utilizing many of the same design and fabrication elements as the adizero one in a streamlined, six-spike configuration with thintech low-profile technology to improve traction and stability. Available January 23, the women’s adizero Tour II is available in three colourways at an MSRP of $139.99 CDN.

Also available for both men and women on January 23 is adizero sport II, made with ultra-lightweight performance mesh upper now featuring proprietary climaproof protection and a two-year waterproof warranty. The shoe also features a new SPRINTFRAME™ outsole with spikeless puremotion technology for enhanced flexibility and comfort with swing plane traction for increased grip and stability. adizero sport II is available in five colourways for men at an MSRP of $139.99 CDN and six colourways for women at an MSRP of $119.99 CDN.

KAPALUA, Hawaii – Zach Johnson is taking his place among the big boys in golf with two of the shortest clubs in his bag.

On a Plantation Course at Kapalua that should be paradise for the game’s longest hitters, Johnson chipped in for his opening birdie and then hit four exquisite wedge shots on the back nine Monday to rally from two shots behind, close with a 7-under 66 and win the Tournament of Champions.

“I just picked it apart,” Johnson said.

That was pivotal on the back nine, where five players had a chance to win. Johnson ran off four birdies in a five-hole stretch, all of them with a wedge in his hand, none of the shots particularly easy. He wound up with a one-shot win over Jordan Spieth, the perfect way to start a new year.

Especially after he ended the old one with a win.

Johnson didn’t need any heroics this time, not like last month in California in the World Challenge when he holed a shot from the drop zone _ with a wedge _ on the final hole and wound up beating Tiger Woods in a playoff. Kapalua was mainly about chipping and putting, and Johnson is among the best.

“Getting the ball in the fairway and giving my wedges a chance was crucial,” he said. “It’s about plotting my way, putting myself in a yardage spot that I know is going to give me an opportunity.”

Johnson, starting his 11th season on the PGA Tour, won for the 11th time in his career. Since his rookie season in 2004, only Woods, Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh have won more on the PGA Tour. It also was Johnson’s third win in his last six starts, dating to the BMW Championship outside Chicago in September that qualified him for this winners-only tournament in Kapalua.

Spieth had a one-shot lead going into the back nine and thought only of making three birdies. He started way too late, losing three good birdie chances in the soft, middle portion of the back nine and then finishing with two birdies that only gave him a runner-up finish. He closed with a 70.

“I was very pleased with the finish, being able to birdie the last two holes and at least have somewhat of a chance on 18,” said Spieth, who had a 100-foot eagle putt just off the front of the green to force a playoff. “But ultimately, 14, 15, 16 really kind of hit me hard in the middle of the back nine.”

He made par on all of them, twice missing putts from about 6 feet.

That’s where Johnson thrived.

He caught Spieth for the lead with a wedge from 83 yards to about 2 feet for birdie on No. 12. Johnson laid back with a 3-wood on the 14th hole and hit wedge to about 8 feet below the hole for birdie and the outright lead. Perhaps the most daunting shot came on the par-5 15th, up a steep slope to a green with a false front. The grain from the fairway and on the green was against him.

“If you just missed it a little bit, it’s come back at you,” he said. “I hit a great shot.”

He followed that with a wedge to 5 feet and a tough, downhill putt that broke sharply toward the ocean that he made for his final birdie.

Webb Simpson, tied with Spieth and defending champion Dustin Johnson to start the final round, never caught up and closed with a 70. Simpson tied for third with Kevin Streelman, who had a 67.

Jason Dufner was four strokes back in fifth after a 69.

Dustin Johnson made three bogeys before making his first birdie. He shot 73 and tied for sixth.

Spieth was playing in the final group for the first time and looked poised as ever. With birdies on both par 5s on the front nine, he had the outright lead and looked as though he might become the youngest player with two PGA Tour wins since Ralph Guldahl in 1932. The signature shot was from a bunker short of the 14th green. He blasted out to 6 feet above the hole for a chance to match birdies with Zach Johnson, in the group ahead.

Except that he missed it.

And then he had to scramble for par on the 15th when what he thought was a perfect shot rolled down the slope 45 yards away. “Yes!” Spieth said when the ball was in flight. But when he saw it land softly and tumble down the hill, he followed that with, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

It took two chips to reach the green, and only a 10-foot par putt kept him in the game.

Spieth missed an 8-foot birdie putt on the 16th, and the two birdies at the end at least gave him a good start to his new year. He earned $665,000.

Simpson, who received some encouraging news about the newborn of caddie Paul Tesori before starting his round, also found the wrong gear with consecutive bogeys early in the round and spent the rest of the day trying to catch up. He birdied three of his last five holes, but that wasn’t enough to keep pace with the leader.

Masters champion Adam Scott got within one shot of the lead with an eagle on the 15th hole, only for his wedge to hit the flag on the 16th. He had to settle for par, and he closed with a bogey to finish in the tie for sixth.