HONOLULU — Dustin Johnson withdrew Friday after nine holes at the Sony Open because of the flu.

Johnson was coming off a four-shot win last week in the Tournament of Champions at Kapalua, which started Monday and raced to a 54-hole finish a day later because of high wind.

He opened with a 70 at Waialae and was 3 over on the front nine – at least four shots away from making the cut – when he informed tournament officials that he was too ill to continue. Johnson had a chance this week to join Ernie Els as the only players to sweep the two Hawaii tournaments at the start of the year. Els won both in 2003.