Tag Archives: PGA Tour Champions

Ricardo Gonzalez earns PGA Tour Champions win in Morocco

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Ricardo Gonzalez has earned a special victory… 

The 54-year-old Argentine professional golfer ran off four straight birdies on the back nine on Saturday and closed with a 3-under 70 for a 1-shot victory in the Trophy Hassan II, giving him membership on the PGA Tour Champions for the first time.

Ricardo GonzalezGonzalez got into the field — the only PGA Tour Champions event outside North America except for the Senior British Open — by finishing among the top four on the European Legends Tour last season. He made it pay off in a big way.

His birdie streak began at the 13th hole, and two closing pars gave him a one-shot victory over Thomas Bjorn, who needed birdie on the par-5 closing hole at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam to force a playoff. Bjorn shot 69.

Y.E. Yang, who shared the 36-hole lead with Gonzalez, had a 73 and tied for third with Mark Hensby, who closed with a 71.

Gonzalez was a four-time winner on the European tour. He finished at 10-under 209 and won $320,000 from the $2 million purse. Just as valuable was an exemption on tour.

“I’m feeling so good, so good, so big and now playing the tour everybody like to play, no?” he said. “Everybody like to play in the Champions Tour and one of the lucky men to get in there.”

Two-time major champion Angel Cabrera, in his first PGA Tour Champions event since he was released from two years in prison for gender violence, shot 70 and tied for 27th. Cabrera is set to play in the Argentina Open next week on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Miguel Angel Jimenez Wins Boeing Classic to Claim Third PGA Tour Champions Win of Season

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Miguel Angel Jimenez is flying high..

The 58-year-old Spanish professional golfer won the Boeing Classic on Sunday for his third PGA Tour Champions victory of the season, closing with a 5-under 67 to hold off David McKenzie by two strokes.

Miguel Angel JimenezJimenez, tied for the lead with Billy Andrade entering the round, birdied five of the first 12 holes and parred the last six. He finished at 15-under 201 at The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge.

“Two bogeys on the first nine hole of the tournament and then the last 45 holes is birdie-free,” Jimenez said. “And I make 14 birdies in the last 45 holes.”

Jimenez has 12 senior victories, winning two of the first three events this season. He won 21 times on the European tour.

“The key is to be hitting good,” Jimenez said. “And I feel confident with my game. I feel good from the tee and feel good with every club from the bag. And I played very solid. Very, very solid.”

McKenzie shot a 66. Andrade had a 71 to tie for third with Stephen Ames (69) at 11 under.

Charles Schwab Cup leader Steven Alker (69) was 10 under. Jerry Kelly (68) followed at 9 under a week after winning the Shaw Charity Classic in Calgary, Alberta. Jimemez, Alker and Kelly are tied for tour victory lead.

Local favorite Fred Couples closed with a 74 to tie for 28th at 2 under.

Miguel Angel Jimenez Hits Two Holes-In-One to Win Cologuard Classic

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Miguel Angel Jimenez is celebrating a big win…

The 58-year-old Spanish golfer had his second hole-in-one of the tournament and closed with a 7-under 65 on Sunday to win the Cologuard Classic.

Miguel Angel JimenezJimenez started the final round with a two-shot lead and got off to a birdie-eagle start at Tucson National. Reigning Charles Schwab Cup champion Bernhard Langer cut the lead to three with a birdie on the par-5 12th, but Jimenez followed with one of his own in the group behind.

Jimenez ended any hope of a late rally with an ace on the 186-yard par-3 14th to match the one he had at No. 7 in the opening round. Jimenez closed with four straight pars to finish at 18-under 198 and win for the second time in three PGA Tour Champions starts this season.

Langer shot 65 to match Woody Austin (66) at 14 under. Jerry Kelly finished fourth after a 70 put him at 11 under.

Jimenez won the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship in Hawaii and was fifth last week at the Chubb Classic in Florida. He opened the Cologuard Classic with a 66, thanks in part to his ace, and overcame two closing errant drives to shoot 67 in the second round.

Jimenez shot 4-under 32 on the front nine in his final round and bounced back from a bogey on the par-4 ninth — he hit behind a trailer left of the fairway — by getting up and down for birdie just short of the par-5 12th.

The European Tour record holder with 10 aces, Jimenez wowed the crowd with his hole-in-one at No. 14. He celebrated by raising his arms and doing a little shimmy, then walked arm-in-arm with Kelly onto the green.

Tim Petrovic had two aces in last year’s Cologuard Classic.

Jimenez closed with an easy two-putt par for his 12th PGA Tour Champions win.

Miguel Angel Jimenez Wins Mitsubishi Electric Championship for Third Time

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Miguel Angel Jimenez is feeling electric…

The 58-year-old Spanish professional golfer birdied the par-4 18th hole in regulation for a 6-under 66 and then beat Steven Alker on the second playoff hole to win the PGA Tour Champions season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship for the third time.

Miguel Angel Jimenez“It’s a nice way to start a season. It’s nice to be here, winning again in Hualalai,” said the cigar-smoking, free-spirited Spaniard. “The golf course, I like it very much. The golf course is set up in beautiful condition this year. They make it very good here at Hualalai.”

Jimenez won two years ago in a playoff, along with winning outright in 2015. The season opener is for winners from the last two years and senior major champions from the last five years, along with a few sponsor exemptions.

Alker had no PGA Tour Champions status late last year under getting it through a qualifier and then finishing in the top 10 each week to keep playing, eventually winning. He also closed with a 66 to join Jimenez at 17-under 199.

They finished one shot ahead of Vijay Singh and Stephen Ames, who each birdied the final hole for a 68.

Ernie Els, who had the lead going into the final day, couldn’t keep up and had to settle for a 70. He finished three shots behind.

Alker had a chance to win with a birdie at the 18th on the first extra hole, narrowly missing the cut. Playing the 18th again in the playoff, his approach came off the green and into a bunker, and he failed to save par.

“It was fun to get in position and have a chance,” Alker said.

Jimenez joined Bernhard Langer as the only three-time winner of the tournament.

It was his 11th career victory on the PGA Tour Champions, four of them in playoffs.

Miguel Angel Jimenez Wins PGA Tour Champions’ Season-Opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship

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Miguel Angel Jimenez’s name is atop the final leaderboard…

The 56-year-oldSpanish professional golfer made a 12-foot birdie putt on the second hole of a playoff Saturday with senior newcomer Ernie Els to win the PGA Tour Champions‘ season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship.

Miguel Angel Jimenez

Fred Couples dropped out on the first extra trip down the par-4 18th at windy Hualalai, missing a short par putt.

Jimenez, paired with Couples in the second-to-last group, birdied Nos. 13-15 in a 5-under 67 to match Els and Couples at 14-under 202.

“I said to my caddie, ‘The winning score is going to be 15-under par, and we need to hurry up and make birdie,” said Jimenez. “Make three birdies in a row, 14-under par, and then here we are.”

Jimenez has nine victories on the 50-and-over tour, also winning at Hualalai in 2015. He has won in all seven of his senior seasons.

“Played well every year here, and it’s nice to have a second win,” Jimenez said.

Els made his senior debut on Thursday with an even-par 72 to fall eight strokes behind leaders Jimenez and Bernhard Langer, then rallied with consecutive 65s. The four-time major winner from South Africa had an eagle and five birdies, chipping in on the par-4 16th for his final birdie.

“Disappointing, obviously,” Els said. “I would have loved to got it through, but I had a couple of chances, didn’t quite get the right speed or the right line, but all good. Congrats to Miguel.”

Couples finished with a 67.

Jimenez and Couples left birdie tries to win on the 18th in regulation just short, and Jimenez had a birdie putt stop on the edge on the first extra hole.

With the wind down, Els’ 12-footer to win on the first playoff hole ran by the right edge. On the second extra hole, his 20-footer went by on the right side before Jimenez holed the winner.

“Not going to be short,” Jimenez said.

Els missed a chance to become the 19th player to win in his tour debut. Jimenez was the last to accomplish the feat, in the 2014 Greater Gwinnett Championship.

“The first day, it was pretty disappointing,” Els said. “I was almost last in the field. Then, I got myself back up and played some really good golf.”