Toms Makes It Look Easy

The image is still fresh when people see David Toms. They remember him on a stretcher, an oxygen mask strapped to his mouth as he was loaded into an ambulance with his heart beating out of control.

That was four months ago at the 84 Lumber Classic.

Rest assured, he says his heart is fine. And it wasn’t under any stress Sunday in the Sony Open.

Answering questions about the state of his game, much less his health, Toms carried on from a record-setting round at Waialae with two quick birdies to blow away the field, closing with a five-under-par 65 for a five-shot victory.

“That’s definitely behind me,” Toms said of his heart, and surgery to repair the problem in November. “Just like when I had hand surgery a couple of years ago, I came out and was able to play well right away and erase any questions that I might have, and whether or not I was going to be able to do it again.

“I’ve come a long way from that day in Pennsylvania.”

If anything, Toms looked a lot like the guy who crushed anyone in his way while winning the Accenture Match Play Championship last year. He was four shots clear at the turn, and never let anyone get closer.

Chad Campbell, tied with Toms going into the final round at warm and breezy Waialae, didn’t make a birdie until the 17th hole and shot 70. He tied for second with Rory Sabbatini, who closed with a 62 and still never had a chance.

“I could only do my best, but the chances were I wasn’t going to catch him,” Sabbatini said.

Toms set a course record with a 61 to share the 54-hole lead with Campbell. And he resumed his solid play with an eight-iron into 12 feet for birdie on the first hole, and a drive that split the middle on the dangerous second hole.

“It was like, ‘Here we go again. I’m going to play good,’ ” Toms said.

Victory was never in doubt for Toms.

The entertainment value came from 27-year-old rookie Bubba Watson, a lefty with power not seen since John Daly showed up at the PGA Championship at Crooked Stick in 1991. Swinging from the heels, he blasted four drives of more than 360 yards on a course with no elevation.

A flip wedge into the par-five 18th hole set up a short eagle for a 65 that gave him fourth place alone in his debut.

Toms had an easy up-and-down for birdie on the par-five 18th to finish at 19-under 261, one shot off the 72-hole record at Waialae. He earned $918,000.

David Duval also started his season well, closing with a 63 for his best score in nearly three years. He tied for 31st.

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Hope facts

The Bob Hope Classic starts Wednesday and will be played on four courses:

Classic Club: 7,305 yards, par 72.

* Bermuda Dunes Country Club: 6,927 yards, par 72.

* La Quinta Country Club: 7,060 yards, par 72.

* PGA West, Palmer Private Course: 6,930 yards, par 72.

* Purse: $5 million (winner’s share $900,000).

* Defending champion: Justin Leonard.

* Format: Pro-am play for the first 72 holes. Each of the 128 pros will play with a different set of three amateur partners each day on different courses for four days. The amateur members of the 128 teams remain the same. On Sunday, the low 70 professionals and ties will play the final round of the 90-hole professional tournament at the Classic Club.