Australia’s Richard Green won for the first time on the PGA Champions Tour — and did it in style by birdieing the 18th hole for a one-stroke victory at the Rogers Charity Classic in Calgary.
Green, 54, earned his first victory in his 71st start on the tour. He posted five runner-up finishes a year ago, including two playoff losses. One of his second-place finishes occurred in Calgary.
Green started the day one stroke behind Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez, the leader in the Charles Schwab Cup race. He took the lead with his third birdie of the day at the par-3 fifth hole and moved to 17 under with his fourth birdie at No. 7.
With a poor tee shot, Jimenez dropped three strokes back after making a double-bogey at the par-3 12th hole.
Argentina’s Ricardo Gonzalez birdied three of the first four holes, but bogeys on Nos. 5 and 8 dropped him back to 13 under. He would rally on the back nine, playing 4-under golf over the final five holes and reached 17 under after a birdie four on the 18th.
Green, though, easily reached the par-5 finishing hole in two shots and hit a perfect lag putt, which he tapped in from close range for the victory.
The win wiped out all of the disappointments of not being able to cross the finish line in front last season.
“Things turned out the way they did last year,” Green told The Canadian Press. “I had a great year and I really can’t complain, but to come out there and have the results that I did last year certainly helped me get this one and get it across the line.
“I think you’ve got to have a couple of little knocks before you win and I’m pleased that I’ve been able to bounce back from some sort of mediocre form at the start of the year this year, but I’ve got things going again.”
Gonzalez finished in second place, and Jimenez(16 under) took third but maintained his lead in the Charles Schwab Cup race.
“Ricardo got close and Miguel nearly eagled to tie me,” said Green. “I’ve been feeling really good with the putter and these greens are so beautiful to putt on.
Charlie Wi tied for the best round of the day with a 6-under 64 and finished fourth at 14 under.
–Field Level Media
