TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — David Toms got up-and-down for his third bogey of the week on the par-4 18th hole at Tucson National on Sunday to beat Robert Karlsson by one stroke in the Cologuard Classic on the PGA Tour Champions.
The 56-year-old Toms was surprised to learn that his tee shot on 18 had rolled into the water flanking the right side of the fairway. After a penalty drop, he hit his third shot right of the green, then left his chip about 6 feet short. He pumped his fist as the bogey putt curled in to secure his third victory on the over-50 tour.
“I hit it in the water three days in a row there, so we’re not the best friends,” Toms said of the 18th. “You know, to make a nice putt there in the end that I had to make, that was the difference. My putter was good all week. It had to be good again today.”
Toms closed with a 4-under 68 for a three-day total of 15-under 202 and won $330,000.
Bringing home an iconic trophy 🏆 pic.twitter.com/x6vYAWLsTe
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) March 6, 2023
Karlsson shot 67. The 53-year-old Swede won 11 times on the European tour but has never won in the United States.
“Obviously I would have liked to be one or two shots better, but that’s the way it goes,” Karlsson said. “David putted fantastic today and holed all the putts he needed to. Every credit to him.”
Both players quickly separated themselves from the field and playing partner Steve Stricker, who struggled to a 71 and finished six shots back. Toms and Karlsson each shot 4-under 32 on the front nine, and Toms had a four-shot lead through 11 holes.
But he bogeyed the par-4 13th hole and Karlsson birdied the par-3 14th to set up the tense finish.
Gene Sauers (64) and Mark Hensby (65) tied for third, three shots back, and Doug Barron (65) was alone in fifth.
