Faxon Wins Sony Open in Hawaii

Monday, January 22nd 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

HONOLULU (AP) â€” With a retooled swing to go with a putting stroke that is the envy of the PGA Tour, Brad Faxon could hardly wait for the season to begin. After winning the Sony Open, he's excited about where it might lead.

``I'm thrilled to death,'' Faxon said after his wire-to-wire, four-stroke victory at Waialae Country Club. ``I hope this is the start of a great year.''

When he won the Shark Shootout with Scott McCarron in November, Faxon set some pretty lofty goals â€” getting into the Masters, not having to qualify for either the U.S. Open or British Open, and getting on the Concorde in September for the Ryder Cup.

Those goals no longer look like a stretch.

His victory in the Sony Open, where he closed with a 5-under 65 and matched the lowest 72-hole score at Waialae, came with some perks.

For winning twice since Father's Day, Faxon earned a spot in the U.S. Open. And his victory should give him enough points to get into the top 50 in the world rankings â€” all he has to do is stay there the next six week and he's in the Masters.

He also moved up to No. 8 in the Ryder Cup standings, although he's a long way from making his third team.

Tom Lehman would not be surprised to see him at The Belfry, nor would he mind. Faxon showed off his pure putting stroke and par-saving short game when he beat Lehman in the third round of the Match Play Championship in Australia three weeks ago.

Faxon was at it again Sunday, twice rolling in 30-foot birdie putts to keep momentum in his favor, and even holing a 90-foot chip for birdie.

``I've seen plenty of it,'' Lehman said. ``I don't want to see any more until The Belfry.''

Faxon took only 103 putts all week, a remarkable number considering the size of some of the greens. He also made an eagle in all four rounds, even more surprising because that matches his total from last year.

The final eagle came on the final hole, a 4-wood from 270 yards that bounced short of the green, curled up the side of a bunker and rolled to a stop some 10 feet from the hole.

The putt gave him a 20-under 260, the same score John Huston had three years ago when Waialae played as a par 72.

Lehman played the back nine in even par and finished four strokes back after a 66, while Ernie Els stumbled on the front nine â€” he missed a 1-foot bogey putt â€” and had a 69 to finish third at 267.

``The greens are really good,'' Lehman said. ``When you've got a good putter who is putting well, he's going to make them.''

Lehman knew all too well.

Faxon began the final round with a three-stroke lead over Lehman and Els, and looked like he might never be threatened after saving par with a 6-foot putt on the first hole and then making an unlikely birdie with his 90-foot chip on the second.

But Lehman's short birdie putt on No. 6, and a rare three-putt from Faxon from 40 feet above the ridge, trimmed the lead to one.

``He had an answer for everything,'' Lehman said.

Faxon holed a 7-foot birdie putt on the next hole, and then really stuck a dagger in Lehman on No. 8.

Lehman hit his approach to within 2 feet for a sure birdie that would again pull him within one stroke. But Faxon made a 30-foot putt up the slope to maintain his cushion, and he was never seriously threatened again.

``You kind of have to expect that,'' Lehman said.

That's why Faxon is expecting such a big year. He has led the PGA Tour in putting three of the last five years, and guesses that two dozen players have asked him for tips.

``I watch him putt quite a bit,'' Lehman said. ``It looks like he releases the putter head so well. He never blocks a putt or forces a putt, he just goes ahead and rolls it. It flows right through. Tiger does it. Faxon does. Nicklaus did it.''

Faxon also picked up a piece of redemption.

Five years ago, he lost the Hawaiian Open to Jim Furyk on the fourth playoff hole, and was stung by a writer's comments that he didn't care.

Faxon showed how much he cared â€” this is the same guy who failed to qualify for the British Open, then flew home to defend his title in the B.C. Open, which he won.

And there was no need for a playoff. With Faxon in the lead and putting the way he does, that was never a question.