Champions Tour

Pavin, Hamilton share 1st-round Champions Tour lead

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Corey Pavin (Michael Cohen/ Getty Images)

BOCA RATON, Fla. – In conditions that more resembled a British Open than South Florida, former major champions Corey Pavin and Todd Hamilton shot 6-under 66s Friday to tie for the first-round lead in the Allianz Championship.

Pavin won the 1995 U.S. Open among his 15 PGA Tour titles. He made four birdies in a five-hole stretch on The Old Course despite 20-mph winds and temperatures in the 50s at the start of the PGA Tour Champions event.

“It played tough today,” Pavin said. “The only thing that made the course a little easier was the greens were receptive. If they were firm, it would have been really difficult.”

Hamilton, the 2004 British Open champion, reeled off four consecutive birdies on his back nine.

Pavin has won just once in 111 starts on the PGA Tour Champions circuit – he took the 2012 Allianz Championship, thanks to a left-handed chip with an 8-iron that saved par.

“Never before and never after,” Pavin said of that recovery shot. “It’s been hard for me to win out here, I’ll tell you what. I’ve played some good golf and not won. On this tour all these guys have won a lot of tournaments. It’s not like you’re playing against guys who have never won. They know how to win.”

This was Hamilton’s fourth start in the 50-and-older competition.

“The wind conditions were similar (to the British Open), but the ground conditions weren’t because they’ve had some rain here lately,” Hamilton said. “I knew I was climbing the leader board a little bit. I knew whoever shot 6-under would be pleased.”

Another major champion, 1996 British Open winner Tom Lehman, birdied his last hole to share third place with Billy Andrade after 67s. Lehman made three birdies in a row on the front nine.

“In these conditions, you have to hit it solid,” said Lehman, who won here in 2011. “If you don’t hit it solid, you’re really going to get eaten up by the conditions.”

John Huston, Guy Boros, Kirk Triplett and Esteban Toledo are tied for fifth place at 68.

Defending champion Paul Goydos was tied for 13th with a 70.

Canada’s Stephen Ames shot 1-under and was tied for 23rd place, while compatriot Rod Spittle was 45th at 1-over.

Champions Tour

Duffy Waldorf wins PGA Tour Champions opener in Hawaii

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Duffy Waldorf (Getty Images)

KAUPULEHU-KONA, Hawaii – Duffy Waldorf made a 20-foot birdie putt on the final hole to beat Tom Lehman by a stroke Saturday in the PGA Tour Champions’ season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship

The 53-year-old Waldorf shot a 6-under 66 to finish at 18-under 198 at Hualalai Golf Course. He played all 54 holes without a bogey, becoming the fourth player and second winner to accomplish the feat in the tournament. John Cook also was bogey-free in his 2013 victory.

Waldorf has two victories in his last three starts, winning the Toshiba Classic in November for his first senior title. He won four times on the PGA Tour.

Lehman also closed with a 66. After Waldorf holed his birdie putt on the par-4 18th, Lehman left his 15-footer inches short.

Two strokes behind Lehman was six holes left, Waldorf made a 5-foot birdie putt on the par-4 13th and pulled even with a 15-footer on the par-4 16th. Waldorf got up-and-down from the rough on the par-3 17th, saving par with a 7-foot putt.

Waldorf opened with rounds of 67 and 65 to take a one-stroke lead into the final round. He earned $300,000 in his first appearance in the event for major champions from the last five years, tournament winners the last two seasons and sponsor invitees.

Davis Love III was third at 15 under after a 68. The U.S. Ryder Cup captain was making his sixth senior start after playing the PGA Tour’s Hawaii events the last two weeks. He won the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship in August.

Jay Haas (65) and Joe Durant (68) were 14 under, and Fred Couples (66) and Kenny Perry (67) were another stroke back.

Tom Watson, two strokes behind Waldorf entering the round after bettering his age Friday with a 65, had a 71 to drop into a tie for 11th at 11 under. The 66-year-old Watson is winless since the 2011 Senior PGA Championship.

 

Champions Tour

Watson betters age, Waldorf leads Champions Tour opener

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Tom Watson (Ezra Shaw/ Getty Images)

KAUPULEHU-KONA, Hawaii – Tom Watson bettered his age Friday in the Mitsubishi Electric Championship, leaving him two strokes behind leader Duffy Waldorf in the PGA Tour Champions’ opener.

The 66-year-old Tom Watson had a 7-under 65 at Hualalai Golf Course to move into a tie for fifth place. Waldorf also shot 65 to reach 12-under 132.

“Today, the wind laid down,” Watson said. “I took advantage of those conditions, hit some good shots. I was very happy about my overall performance today. It was pretty good for an old guy, 66.”

Watson won at Hualalai in 2010 and has 14 senior titles, the last in 2011 in the Senior PGA Championship. He won eight major titles and had 39 victories on the PGA Tour.

“I still enjoy preparing for a tournament and I don’t enjoy playing poorly,” Watson said. “Days like today make me feel like I’m doing something useful out here.”

Waldorf had a one-stroke lead over Davis Love III, Tom Lehman and Tom Pernice Jr. with a round left in the event for major champions from the last five years, tournament winners in the last two seasons and sponsor invitees.

“My iron play’s been a little off, but I’ve been able to save myself when I got in trouble,” Waldorf said. “When I do hit a good shot or play a par 5 I’ve been able to make birdie, so I’m really getting a lot out of my game right now. I’m going to have to play a lot better tomorrow to have a chance.”

Lehman had a 65, and Love and Pernice shot 67. Lehman played the four par-5 holes in 7 under with three eagles and a birdie. He made a 25-foot putt on No. 4, just missed another eagle on No. 7 to set up a tap-in birdie, and holed a 3-footer on 10 and a 45-footer on 14.

“I did it on the Hogan Tour in Reno in 1991,” Lehman said about making three eagles in a round. “I’m not sure if I’ve done it since then but I remember specifically that I shot 62 that day, made three eagles. You don’t hear that very often, especially without holing one from the fairway on a par 4, so the par 5s were very good to me.”

Love played in the PGA Tour’s Hawaii events the last two weeks. The U.S. Ryder Cup captain tied for 29th at Kapalua in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions and made the 36-hole cut but failed to advance to the final round in the Sony Open in Honolulu. He won the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship in August at 51 years, 4 months, 10 days to become the third-oldest champion in tour history.

“I drove the ball better today than I did yesterday and just didn’t get quite as much out of it, but I’m happy with the way I’m hitting it,” Love said. “Just got to get the wedges, 8-irons, 9-irons a little bit closer to the hole. Had a lot of opportunities today and hopefully I can do that tomorrow.”

Watson was tied with Olin Browne (66) and first-round leader Joe Durant (69).

Champions Tour

Joe Durant leads PGA TOUR Champions’ opener

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Joe Durant (Christian Petersen/ Getty Images)

KAUPULEHU-KONA, Hawaii – Joe Durant shot a 7-under 65 on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead in the PGA Tour Champions’ season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship.

The 51-year-old Durant had nine birdies and two bogeys at Hualalai Golf Course. He teamed with Billy Andrade last year to win the Legends of Golf for his first title on the 50-and-over tour.

“I putted beautifully and I think that was kind of the key,” Durant said. “Made a couple good putts right out of the gate and, yeah, I was real happy. The wind was a little tougher today, it was a little heavier and it was definitely a lot stronger than we had the two pro-am rounds. It was a little different animal today.”

Defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez, Davis Love III and Tom Pernice Jr. were a stroke back.

“I hit a couple bad drives, but other than that I hit the ball real solid,” Love said. “I made, I guess really, one or two tough putts, longer putts, but really just hit it well enough that I had a lot of birdie chances and got the par 5s. Other than one bogey, pretty good solid day.”

Love played in the PGA Tour’s Hawaii events the last two weeks. The U.S. Ryder Cup captain tied for 29th at Kapalua in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions and made the 36-hole cut but failed to advance to the final round in the Sony Open in Honolulu. He won the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship in August at 51 years, 4 months, 10 days to become the third-oldest champion in tour history.

“The first two weeks identified things I needed to work on,” Love said. “It’s good, I’ve been playing. I played four rounds at Kapalua, three at Sony, so I’ve gotten the rust off and feeling better about my game.”

Duffy Waldorf and 2006 winner Loren Roberts shot 67.

“I hit the ball really consistent,” Roberts said. “I hit a lot of greens today and, if I did miss a green, it was just right off the edge and it wasn’t bad. I actually missed some putts. I missed it from like 4 1/2, 5 feet three times today for birdies.”

The event features major champions from the last five years, tournament winners in the last two seasons and sponsor invitees.

“I’ve watched this tournament on television several times and I remember Loren shot something ridiculous one year and seems like every year there’s some pretty low scores,” said Durant, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour. “You’ve got to get 15 to 20 to even have a shot at it, especially if the wind lays down at all.”

Colin Montgomerie and Fred Funk were in the group at 68. Funk tied for 50th in the Sony Open.

Bernhard Langer and Fred Couples shot 70. Langer, the winner in 2009 and 2014, used a long putter without anchoring it to his body. The event is Langer’s first since the anchored stroke was banned Jan. 1.

Vijay Singh had a 72 after tying for 50th in the Sony Open.

Champions Tour

Lanny and Tucker Wadkins win Father/Son Challenge

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ORLANDO, Fla. – Lanny and Tucker Wadkins won the PNC Father/Son Challenge on Sunday with an eagle on the first hole of a four-team playoff.

Tucker made the 40-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club. The 23-year-old former University of Arizona player works in investor relations.

“Tucker hit a spectacular tee shot, one of the best he’s hit all week,” the 66-year-old Lanny said. “He hit 4-iron, I hit 5-wood I got it a little closer. He made a 40-footer. I’ll remember what he did in making that putt.”

The Wadkins closed with a 9-under 63 to match Davis and Dru Love, Larry and Drew Nelson, and Fred and Taylor Funk at 20 under in the scramble tournament. The Nelsons and Funks shot 62, and the Loves had a 63, with all four teams birdieing the 18th in regulation.

“We never really made a lot of putts all week,” Davis Love III said. “Tucker and Lanny made a lot of putts. We watched them all week. That’s what you have to do to win.”

Lanny made a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole in regulation.

“Dad’s still got a little bit left,” Lanny said.

Lanny earned $200,000.

“He poured that putt in on 18,” Tucker said. “That was cool. Awesome to see.”

Vijay and Qass Singh, the first-round leaders after a 59, shot a 66 to finish a stroke out of the playoff along with Lee and Connor Janzen. The Janzens had a 63.

Bernhard and Jason Langer, the winners last year, tied for seventh at 18 under after a 63.

Jack and Gary Nicklaus closed with a 65 to tie for 14th at 15 under.

Champions Tour

Vijay and Qass Singh shoot 59 to lead Father/Son Challenge

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Vijay Singh (Matt Sullivan/ Getty Images)

ORLANDO, Fla. – Vijay and Qass Singh eagled the par-5 18th hole for a 13-under 59 and a two-stroke lead Saturday in the PNC Father/Son Challenge scramble event.

Vijay made the eagle putt after Qass hit a 6-iron from 189 yards to 15 feet.

“I always enjoy playing with my dad,” Qass said.

The Singhs also had 11 birdies at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club.

“Qass drove the ball beautifully,” Vijay said. “When he catches the drive, it goes for a ride. He left me with a lot of nice second shots. He actually played well and made a lot of birdies on his own and took a lot of pressure off me. The second shot on the last hole tells it all.”

Davis and Dru Love, Lanny and Tucker Wadkins, and Steve and Sam Elkington were tied for second in the 36-hole tournament. Nick and Matthew Faldo, Fred and Taylor Funk, Larry and Drew Nelson, and Lee and Connor Janzen were another stroke back at 10 under.

“We had a slow start,” Davis Love III said. “We had a chip-in at 16 that really fired us up and we birdied the last few. It was a great way to finish.”

Defending champions Bernhard and Jason Langer were tied for ninth at 63.

Jack and Gary Nicklaus were tied for 14th at 64.

“I actually hit the ball pretty decent,” Jack Nicklaus said. “We got off to a good start, but we didn’t do a whole lot. Gary wasn’t totally on his game and didn’t carry his dad as much as I’d thought he would and his dad didn’t respond when he didn’t carry me. Neither one of us were quite there today, but we had a good time. We made a few putts. We’re two or three shots from being really right there. We just have to be there tomorrow.”

 

Champions Tour

Brandt Jobe wins Champions Tour Q-school

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Brandt Jobe (Todd Warshaw/ Getty Images)

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Brandt Jobe won the Champions Tour qualifying tournament Friday to earn one of five fully exempt spots next year, closing with a 2-under 69 for a one-stroke victory.

Jobe, a six-time winner on the Japan Golf Tour, had an 18-under 266 total on TPC Scottsdale’s Champions Course. Tom Byrum, Willie Wood and Jose Coceres tied for second, and Mike Grob was another stroke back to take the last fully exempt spot. Byrum shot 63, Wood and Coceres 67, and Grob 69.

The next seven players – John Riegger, Gibby Gilbert III, Jean-Francois Remesy, Stan Utley, 1996 U.S. Open champion Steve Jones, Chien Soon Lu and Miguel Angel Martin – are conditionally exempt. The top 30 finishers – including Canada’s Jim Rutledge – and ties are eligible to compete for spots in open qualifiers.

Canadians Stuart Hendley (-4) and Rick Gibson (-2) finished T53 and T59 respectively.

Champions Tour

Shaw Charity Classic claims second consecutive President’s Award

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Jeff Maggert (Steve Dykes/ Getty Images)

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — The Shaw Charity Classic, conducted annually at Canyon Meadows Golf & Country Club in Calgary was awarded with the Champions President’s Award at the PGA TOUR’s Tournament Meetings on Thursday, December 3 in Miami, Fla.

“On behalf of the Champions Tour, I am honored to congratulate the Shaw Charity Classic for their efforts in securing a second straight President’s Award,” said Miller Brady, the Champions Tour’s Chief Operating Officer. “In a short period of time, Sean Van Kesteren and his staff have put forth one of our Tour’s premier events, delivering on all applicable fronts to create a fantastic tournament week for players, fans, and most importantly, the community.”

The Shaw Charity Classic became the first international event to win the President’s Award in 2014, which captures the criteria of all Champions awards, as well as the intangibles that make it stand out amidst a plethora of successful tournaments.

In 2015, Jeff Maggert claimed his third of four PGA TOUR Champions titles at the Shaw Charity Classic with a four-shot victory over World Golf Hall of Fame member Colin Montgomerie.

“It’s an honor. To be honest, I’m quite surprised as I didn’t think we’d have a chance to win this award two times in a row,” said the tournament’s Executive Director, Sean Van Kesteren. “We’re very happy for our ownership group, for Shaw, but most importantly, for all of the charities we support. Charity is why we’re doing this. We have a great team up in Calgary, and the community has really embraced the event. We have a good thing going, so hopefully we’ll be around for a long, long time.”

The 2016 Shaw Charity Classic will again be played at Canyon Meadows Golf & Country Club on September 2-4.

Champions Tour

Brandt Jobe leads Champions Tour Q-school

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Brandt Jobe (Todd Warshaw/ Getty Images)

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Brandt Jobe shot a 5-under 66 on Thursday to increase his lead to two strokes in the Champions Tour qualifying tournament.

The top-five finishers Friday will earn fully exempt status, and the next seven will be conditionally exempt. The top 30 finishers and ties will be eligible to compete for spots in open qualifiers.

Jobe, a six-time winner on the Japan Golf Tour, had a 16-under 199 total on TPC Scottsdale’s Champions Course. He had five birdies in a six-hole stretch on the back nine.

“I really didn’t play that well today and got lucky with the score I ended up with,” Jobe said. “Tomorrow, I’ll try not to beat myself because I tried hard to do that today on the front nine. I’ve put myself in a good spot and I’m happy with that, but I’ve got one more big round to play.”

Mike Grob was second after a 66. The Billings, Montana, player had a hole-in-one on the 199-yard eighth hole with a 6-iron.

“It feels like you need to make some birdies out here and if you’re not making them early, you get a little worried,” said Grob, a six-time winner on the Canadian Tour. “That hole-in-one really helped.”

Jose Coceres, Willie Wood and Gibby Gilbert III were tied for third at 13 under. Coceres had a 64, and Wood and Gilbert shot 68.

In a tie for 30th, Jim Rutledge leads the Canadians at 6-under 207.  Rick Gibson and Stuart Hendley – the other two Canadians in the field – are tied for 53rd at 2-under 211.

 

Champions Tour

Brandt Jobe leads Champions Tour Q-school

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Brandt Jobe (Sam Greenwood/ Getty Images)

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Brandt Jobe shot a 6-under 65 on Wednesday to take a one-stroke lead over Willie Wood and Gibby Gilbert in the Champions Tour qualifying tournament.

Jobe, a six-time winner on the Japan Golf Tour, had an 11-under 131 total on TPC Scottsdale’s Champions Course. Wood, a PGA Tour and Champions Tour winner, had a 66, and Gilbert shot 68.

Mike Grob and Jean-Francois Remesy were tied for fourth at 9 under after rounds of 68.

Neil Lancaster followed an opening 73 with a 63 to move into a tie for 11th at 6 under.

In Canadian action, Jim Rutledge is tied for 48th at 1-under 141, Rick Gibson has a share of 54th at even-par 142 and Stuart Hendley – a Texas born Canadian resident – is 74th at 4-over 146.

The top-five finishers Friday will earn fully exempt status, and the next seven will be conditionally exempt. The top 30 finishers and ties will be eligible to compete for spots in open qualifiers.