Hoffman Nails Down Third Career Victory


Charley Hoffman closed with a 5-under 66 to win the OHL Classic at Mayakoba. The $6.1 million event took place at the El Cameleon course at Playa del Carmen just south of Cancun in Mexico.

The 37-year-old from San Diego got off to great start with four birdies on the front nine. The former UNLV player then tacked on another two birdies through 16 holes to take the lead. After a par on the 17th, he bogeyed the 17th but still had enough of a margin to finish at 17-under 267, a stroke clear of Shawn Stefani (69).

On the par-4 18th, Stefani found the left fairway bunker while Hoffman's drive ended up behind a tree. From 180 yards out, Stefani splashed out of the sand with a wedge while Hoffman flipped his club over and hit his second left-handed back into the fairway. Hitting first, Hoffman pulled his third shot 25 feet left of the pin, setting up a tricky par putt.

But, from the middle of the fairway, Stefani hit his third well short of the green. He, too, would bogey; Hoffman two-putted for his third career title and first since the Deutsche Bank Championship in September 2010.

"I just kept hitting good shots and gave myself chances," said Hoffman at greenside. "I just kept hitting fairways and good irons."

When his last putt fell, Hoffman - who no longer wears his blond hair at shoulder-length - was greeted by his wife and two young children. "It's nice to have the family here," he noted.

The victory was worth $1.08 million and 500 FedEx Cup points. It also gives Hoffman a two-year Tour exemption as well as spots in the 2015 Masters, PGA Championship and Tour Championship.

Tied for third at 269 were New Zealand's Danny Lee and Olympia, Wash., native Andres Gonzales, who each posted 67s. Lee, the 2008 U.S. Amateur champion, soared to the top of the leaderboard thanks to seven straight birdies on Nos. 3-9, making the turn in 7-under 29.

But the magic for the 24-year-old South Korean-born player wore off on the back nine as Lee could only manage three bogeys coming home.

"The back-nine on this tough golf course was very tough," Lee told reporters. "You kind of have to hit perfect golf shots to make birdies on the back nine, which I didn't.

"I think I was a little bit nervous and rushing myself. I should have taken a little bit more time, but there is always next week and next year and I'm looking forward to playing all of events in 2015."

Jerry Kelly carded his fourth straight round in the 60s - a 68 - to finish alone in fifth at 270, while another stroke back was Brice Garnett (66).

Jason Bohn began the last round with a one-shot lead over Stefani. But the 41-year-old Pennsylvanian couldn't secure his third career Tour title, finishing with a 74 to drop into a share of seventh at 272 with Tony Finau, who matched Sunday's low round of 65.

Tied for ninth at 273 were Americans Will MacKenzie, Blayne Barber, Nicholas Thompson, Ken Duke and 58-year-old Fred Funk, along with Mexicans Carlos Ortiz and Oscar Fruastro.

Michael Putnam of Tacoma, who got off to such a promising start with rounds of 66 and 64, struggled over the weekend with scores of 77 and 73 to end up tied for 51st at 4-under 280.

The PGA Tour now takes a lengthy hiatus. There are three limited-field events - the Hero World Challenge, Franklin Templeton Shootout and Hyundai Tournament of Champions - before the Sony Open in Hawaii starts in mid-January.

For all the scores, visit http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/schedule.html.