Hoag is Els’ first Champions win
Day, Couples and Karlsson fail to catch Tour ‘rookie’ who takes it by two strokes.
World Golf Hall of Famer Ernie Els stood at the 18th tee and listened for the roar that he knew would come if Newport Beach’s own Fred Couples sank a birdie putt in front of him. It did not come. And when he saw Robert Karlsson unable to join him atop the leaderboard after finishing with a par in the preceding group, Els finally could breathe easy.
The man known as the “Big Easy” birdied the final hole, giving him a two-stroke win over three others at 16under-par 197 in the Hoag Classic at Newport Beach Country Club.
Els earned his first win in three starts on the PGA Tour Champions. While the celebration was a modest one, as if he had done it before, the self-proclaimed “rookie” said that he liked the fact that he had to work hard for his first senior win.
“I didn’t have that freeflowing feeling,” Els said. “I had to work hard for it, and that’s a good thing to do, to work hard for something. You don’t want something falling in your lap. I’m glad the first one’s over with, and we can move on now and it gets more comfortable after this.
“After being in a playoff in Hawaii, coming close to winning there, I didn’t want to mess this one up. I had a great opportunity, and I wanted to try and take that.”
Els said he received a “tournament-saving drop” ruling on No. 16, when his tee shot landed on a gravel path near the retaining wall.
“I got a ruling and the gentleman said that I got relief, so I got relief,” Els said. “Then I hit a really poor second, but I two-putted from about 50 feet. Then I hit good shots coming in.”
Glen Day, Couples and Karlsson tied for second at 14 under for the tournament.
Entering the final round with a one-shot lead, Els birdied three of his first six holes, but he never extended his advantage beyond two strokes.
Scott McCarron became the first to earn a share of the lead after he birdied No. 8, a hole at which Els missed a short putt for par.
The leaderboard just became more crowded as the round continued. As many as five were tied for the top spot after Day made birdie at No. 16 to join Couples, Karlsson, Els and McCarron at 14 under.
Day made his fourth consecutive birdie at No. 17 to briefly jump into the lead alone at 15 under. Chasing the second win of his professional career, Day closed with a bogey after his second shot on No. 18 missed the green to the left.
Couples had a drop in front of his third shot on No. 18, but he mis-hit the flop shot, leaving it short. His birdie bid from the fringe went past the hole. The Newport Beach favorite entered the clubhouse one shot back.
“I butchered the two parfives coming in,” Couples said. “Other than that, I had a really, really good round. You can’t really leave it short on [No.] 15, and that’s what I did. I’m not the greatest … little pitcher in the world.”
Karlsson’s third shot on the final hole was also his undoing. From the up-slope beyond the back of the green, it went well past the hole, and he could not sink the birdie putt.
Day had a seven-under round on Sunday, tying Scott Dunlap (ninth, 10 under) for the best round of the day. Couples and Karlsson each produced final rounds of five under.
Andrew Turner writes for the Daily Pilot.