Stewart Cink wins Ally to clinch first PGA Tour Champions title

Stewart Cink shot a 6-under-par 66 and ran away with the Ally Problem for his first win on the PGA Tour Champions on Sunday in Grand Blanc, Mich.

The highlights of Cink’s bogey-free spherical included a prolonged downhill birdie putt at No. 5 and three quick birdie putts on the again 9 (Nos. 11, 13 and 16) at Warwick Hills Golf & Nation Membership. Cink performed the ultimate 36 holes of the event with no bogey.

After beginning the day with a three-shot lead, Cink completed the event 17-under 199, 4 strokes forward of South Korea’s Okay.J. Choi (final-round 67).

Cink, 51, made his PGA Tour Champions debut in Might 2023 after he turned 50. He captured his first title in his tenth begin on the 50-and-older circuit.

“It is good to be one of many youthful gamers for a change and be capable to use some energy,” Cink advised the Golf Channel broadcast, “and (I) nonetheless can hit it fairly far, and the golf course was giving up some rolls.”

In March, Cink led the Cologuard Traditional in Tucson, Arizona, after every of the primary two rounds however fell to a T7 end after a final-round 73.

“I am not gonna lie: I undoubtedly had the reminiscences from Tucson earlier this yr. I feel any human being would,” Cink stated. “However I used to be actually pleased with myself, the way in which I stayed within the current. I caught to my recreation plan. This course — it may be had, however you must be in play and that is a key on this golf course and I did a extremely nice job on that.”

Cink has gained on the PGA Tour as just lately as April 2021, however he stated he’ll focus extra on the Champions Tour shifting ahead.

“I really like taking part in on the PGA Tour. It has been an superior profession and I will not utterly cease, however I really feel at house and comfy taking part in PGA Tour Champions golf largely going ahead, I consider,” Cink stated.

Canadian Mike Weir shot the spherical of the day — an 8-under-par 64 with a gap eagle and 6 birdies — to rocket into third place at 12 below.

“I made a pleasant putt on 17 from about 25 toes. Exterior of that, there have been a pair 12-footers and a bunch of tap-ins,” Weir stated. “Had quite a lot of probabilities, lots, quite a lot of probabilities. Enjoyable to have a spherical like that. They do not come round fairly often like that.”

Northern Eire’s Darren Clarke (67) positioned fourth at 10 below. David Duval and Germany’s Bernhard Langer every fired rounds of 65 and completed in a five-way tie for fifth at 9 below with Bob Estes (70), David Branshaw (71) and Australian Steve Allan (71).

–Subject Stage Media