Sony Open round four: Plenty of positives for Sabbatini

It might not seem so to Rory Sabbatini, but that was a hot round of golf he served up on Sunday. The wind made it hell on tees for everyone - an average of more than two strokes harder than the day before. The lowest round of the day from George McNeil was only 4 under and just two of the top ten managed to get in under par.

Sabbatini might rue a few fluffed putts and wayward tee shots, but the pressure of having to haul in K J Choi’s huge lead meant costly errors were bound to happen in such heavy conditions. To shoot six birdies at the same time was no mean achievement. I don’t particularly like the guy, and I think his selective approach to the media is childish, but you can’t deny he appears to be in fine early season form.

Plaudits must go to Choi for struggling to victory through a very uncomfortable afternoon, summed up by the paradoxical headline ‘Choi struggles but wins easily’ There were several points were a lesser player would almost certainly have gone to pieces. Choi’s round was not pretty, and some of his club selection was puzzling. But sometimes you just have to win ugly.

Can’t say much else gripped me in this rather dull affair. None of the rookies stood out too much apart from Tim Wilkinson. But how come he seemed so flummoxed by the wind Sunday? Coming from one of the windiest parts of New Zealand it’s supposed to be meat and drink to him.

At the other end of the age range, it strikes me that any time I spot Vijay Singh’s price in single figures before the off it’s a tempting lay.