Final-round notebook: Sony Open in Hawaii

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HONOLULU -- Ryan Palmer posted a 4-under 66 on Sunday to capture the Sony Open in Hawaii by one stroke over Robert Allenby (67), finishing at 15-under 265. The victory is the third of Palmer's career (2004 FUNAI Classic at Walt Disney World Resort, 2008 Ginn sur Mer Classic, 2010 Sony Open in Hawaii).

• The victory for Palmer is worth 500 points and moves him into a tie with Geoff Ogilvy in the top spot in the FedExCup standings with 500 points.

• Palmer's win comes in his fifth start at the Sony Open (T64-2004, T28-2005, MC-2006, MC-2007, 1-2009).

• The runner-up finish for Robert Allenby is the seventh of his career. The four-time TOUR winner made his ninth start at the Sony Open this week, with top-10 finishes in 2003 (T4), 2007 (T8) and 2010 (2 nd ).

• Allenby, who finished 14-under, played the first seven holes at Waialae this week 1-over-par. It was a different story on the final 11 holes, as he went 15-under and bogey-free.

• Retief Goosen (fourth) posted the round of the week with a final-round 8-under-62, equaling his previous best score in a PGA TOUR event -- a final-round 62 at the 2002 World Golf Championships-American Express Championship (Mount Juliet Estate, Kilkenny, Ireland). As a result, he jumped from T23 to solo-fourth.

• Two players finished inside the top 10 in both Hawaii events: Retief Goosen (T6 at SBS, fourth at Sony) and Steve Stricker (T10/third).

• Defending champion Zach Johnson, who entered the final round T3 and three shots behind Palmer and Allenby, carded an even-par 70 to finish T12. The last repeat winner of the Sony Open was Ernie Els (2003-04).

• Steve Stricker, the highest ranked player in the field (No. 3), continued his success at Waialae with a third-place finish. He has posted seven top-15 finishes in 11 starts at the Sony Open, including solo-third place finishes in 1996 and 2010, T4s in 2007 and 2008, T7 in 1998 and T14s in 1994 and 2000. In 42 rounds, he has failed to produce a score of par or better just five times.

• It was also another good week for Charles Howell III at the Sony Open. An opening-round 73 left him tied for 102 nd place, but he closed with rounds of 66-66-64 to finish T5. In nine career starts at the Sony Open, Howell has top-5 finishes in 2010 (T5), 2009 (fourth), 2007 (T2), 2005 (T3) and 2002 (T4).

• Past champions of the Sony Open: Zach Johnson (T12), Ernie Els (T12), K.J. Choi (T39), Paul Goydos (T39), David Toms (T43), Vijay Singh (T52), Corey Pavin (T52), Jerry Kelly (WD), Brad Faxon (MC) and John Huston (MC).

• Two-time Sony Open in Hawaii champion Ernie Els (69-70-67-66) has now posted par-or-better scores in 26 of 28 rounds at the Sony Open -- including 24 rounds in the 60s. He has recorded top-10 finishes in five of seven starts at the tournament (5th -2000, 3rd -2001, 1st -2003, 1st -2004, 2nd -2005, T39-2009, T12-2010).

• Three of the four players making their first-career start on TOUR finished inside the top 25 this week: Troy Merritt (T20), Blake Adams (T25), Brian Stuard (T25) and Jerod Turner (MDF).

• Here is a look at the final results for all 16 rookies in the field this week: Merritt (T20), Stuard (T25), Adams (T25), Graham DeLaet (T25), Martin Flores (T59), Alex Prugh (MDF), Turner (MDF), Cameron Percy (MC), Cameron Tringale (MC), Chris Wilson (MC), Billy Horschel (MC), Derek Lamely (MC), Garth Mulroy (MC), Chris Baryla (MC), Josh Teater (MC) and Rickie Fowler (MC).

• Five players managed to post all four rounds in the 60s this week, including Ryan Palmer, Robert Allenby, Steve Stricker, Davis Love III and Chad Collins.

• There were no bogey-free rounds on Sunday. Here's the list for the week:

Rd. 1 -- Davis Love III (65), Jeff Quinney (66), Tom Lehman (66), Brian Stuard (66), Roger Tambellini (66), Martin Flores (66), Sean O'Hair (68), Spencer Levin (69).

Rd. 2 -- Chad Campbell (64), Steve Stricker (67), Paul Goydos (63), Charles Howell III (66), Boo Weekley (68), Kevin Hayashi (67).

Rd. 3 -- Ernie Els (67), Chad Collins (67), Rory Sabbatini (67), Davis Love (68), Robert Allenby (67), Ryan Palmer (68).

• The par-4 second hole played the toughest this week at 4.270. The par-5 ninth hole was the easiest at 4.437.

• The TOUR heads to California next week for the Bob Hope Classic, with Pat Perez set to defend his title. Perez finished T10 at the SBS Championship and T46 at the Sony Open in Hawaii to open the season.