Jerry Kelly holds on for first PGA Tour Champions victory in 2 years
CARY, N.C. (AP) — Jerry Kelly closed with a 5-under 67 and won the SAS Championship on Sunday when Padraig Harrington narrowly missed an 8-foot par putt that would have forced a playoff, giving Kelly his first PGA Tour Champions title in two years.
Kelly was bogey-free and had a two-shot lead on the back nine at Prestonwood Country Club until he failed to birdie the par-5 17th and then three-putted from 40 feet on the 18th, sending his first putt some 10 feet by the hole.
He finished at 13-under 203 and was preparing for a playoff when Harrington, who started the final round with a three-shot lead, hit a superb pitch to set up birdie on the 17th.
They were tied for the lead until Harrington went long on the 18th from the fairway, chipped about 8 feet by and lipped out the par putt. Harrington shot 71,
Kelly won for the 12th time on the 50-and-older circuit, and the first time since the Shaw Charity Classic in August 2022. He had spent most of this year dealing with a wrist injury and rheumatoid arthritis.
“It's been a long time coming,” Kelly said. “You wonder if you're ever going to do it again when the injuries start piling up.”
The SAS Championship was the final tournament before the Charles Schwab Cup playoffs start next week for the top 72 players.
Woody Austin, despite a 75 in the final round, tied for 17th and moved up two spots to No. 71. Lee Janzen held down the 72nd spot. Ernie Els goes into the postseason as the No. 1 seed.
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