Els gets a grip to take Hoag Classic

Ernie Els kept making birdies no matter how he gripped the putter Sunday, and it carried him to a sixunder-par 65 to win the Hoag Classic in Newport Beach and deny Bernhard Langer a chance at setting the career victory mark on the PGA Tour Champions.

Els started the final round five strokes behind Langer. The big South African rolled in three consecutive birdie putts to get in the mix, and he closed it out with a 65-yard bunker shot to 12 feet and a birdie on the 18th hole.

Langer has 45 career wins on the senior tour, tied with Hale Irwin for the most. The 65-year-old German began the final round with a onestroke lead but had a twoover 73 and tied for seventh, three shots behind. He will be in the field this week in Rancho Mirage.

Els, who finished at 13under 200, won for the first time since October 2020.

Els had been practicing with the “saw” putting grip at home in Florida but wasn’t sure about whether to try it in a tournament. He changed in the middle of the tournament and then after missing a few putts went back to a cross-handed grip.

“It’s still a work in progress,” Els said.

Steve Stricker shot a 67 that left him one behind Els. Doug Barron (70) also finished one back.

Elsewhere

Taylor Moore fired a fourunder 67 and won the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, Fla., when he avoided the mistakes that cost Jordan Spieth and Adam Schenk. Spieth was tied for the lead when he hit his tee shot into the water on the 16th and Schenk, going for his first PGA Tour victory, hit a wild drive on the final hole, made bogey and finished one shot behind ... Danny Lee had a two-under 69 and won the LIV Golf Tucson on the second hole of a four-man playoff by making a 25-foot birdie putt.