Stricker wins third Champions title of the season

Steve Stricker won his second straight PGA Tour Champions event on Sunday, closing with a 6-under 64 and beating Sweden’s Robert Karlsson with a birdie on the first playoff hole in the Sanford International.

Stricker is the fifth player with at least three victories this year on the PGA Tour Champions, joining New Zealand’s Steven Alker, Padraig Harrington, Jerry Kelly and Miguel Angel Jimenez. Stricker’s third victory comes from just 11 starts in 2022 and was his 10th PGA Tour Champions win.

Steve Stricker (Credit: PGA Tour)

The 55-year-old started the final round behind leader Jeff Maggert by two shots before posting a second straight round of six-under-par 64 to complete 54 holes in 14-under. Karlsson, playing behind Stricker, birdied 16 and 17 to get into a tie with Stricker, then made a par save at 18 to force a playoff. Stricker made quick work of the playoff with a birdie on the first extra hole, the par-4 18th.

“You’ve just got to stay aggressive at times out here and I was doing that,” said Stricker. “I did a good job of that today and hit a lot of good putts. That one on the playoff, it was a special putt, that was really cool to do.”

Ernie Els missed the playoff by two strokes to take outright third position.

Stuart Appleby finished the best of the Australians in a share of 16th position with a final round 65 moving him sixteen places up the leaderboard.

David McKenzie shared 47th position, with John Senden in a share of 61st position. Rod Pampling rounded out the Aussie contingent finishing in a share 67th.

Stricker moved to third place in the Charles Schwab Cup standings with three tournaments left. New Zealand’s Alker leads the standings with US$2,569,281 followed by Padraig Harrington at US$2,471,903, with Stricker on US$2,173,725.

Rod Pampling is currently the top Aussie money earner with US$1,909,937 and 19th in the standings.