Steve Stricker’s first round 63 last Thursday was a harbinger that this major championship would not elude him and on Sunday, he wrapped things up, easily, winning the Senior Players at Firestone Country Club by a whopping six shots over defending champion Jerry Kelly.
Stricker had all sorts of huge leads in this one. He led by as many as nine on Saturday before Firestone bit him, still, after he shot 63-68-72, it was pretty evident that Stricker would make up for the two majors that eluded him earlier this season.
The 54-year-old U.S. Ryder Cup captain put together a nice round of even par 70 and finished seven-under, six better than Kelly, his friend and fellow Wisconsin native.
“It was so hard,” Stricker said after picking up his second senior victory of the year and his third senior major. “So hard to have a lead — I’m just trying to hang on,” he said as he and the rest of the field battled winds that were steady at 20 miles per hour and gusted up to 30. It was even more satisfying after he failed twice in the two previous majors. “I spit the bit (in the other two),” Stricker said, smiling.
It was tough for Kelly to make any sort of run at his buddy. By the days end, Kelly bogeyed four of his last five holes for a two-over 72 and solo second at one-under par. Kelly took the American Family Insurance Championship two weeks ago, an event where Stricker is the host.
“A special win,” Stricker called it. “Means even more that I was able to come out on top.”
Viktor Hovland Gets Historic Win At BMW International:
Here’s another on that fell into “it’s just a matter of time” category as Viktor Hovland made some European Tour history on Sunday at the BMW International.
The 23-year-old rising star has spent most of his time on the PGA Tour but he’s in Europe prepping for the Open Championship in two weeks. On Snday at the Golf Club Munchen Eichenreid outside Munich, Hovland took a three-shot lead into the final 18 holes and held on to become the first Norwegian golfer to win on the European Tour.
Hovland closed with a two-under par 70 and a 19-under winning total. He had to hang on as local hero, Martin Kaymer, closed with a sensational 64 to post 17-under.
After a grinding out the first 12 holes, Hovland birdied the 13th and 16th to lead by two but a three putt on 17 cut his lead to one shot.
But Hovland hit a perfect drive on 18 and reached the par five in two, closing out with birdie.
Hovland had already won twice on the PGA Tour and this win will move him to a career-high 13th in the Official World Golf Rankings. Viktor also put himself into the top 10 in the Race To Dubai standings and will be one of the highly-anticipated rookies on the European Ryder Cup team.
“I’m kind of glad it’s over,” Hovland said after raising the trophy. “It was a long day, it was very stressful, but it feels great and it will be nice to relax for a couple of weeks now. “It’s The Open, Olympics, Ryder Cup, there’s so much golf to look forward to and I’m just going to have a blast.”
Spain’s Jorge Campillo finished third at 15 under after a 71, a shot clear of France’s Victor Dubuisson, who completed his week with a 67.
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