Steve Stricker sent a really strong message to the rest of the field at the Mitsubishi Electric championship last Friday — it said, basically, that everyone else was playing for second.
Stricker’s “message” was an incredible 12-under par 60 that set the table for his 12th Champions Tour win on Saturday. A final round 65 slammed the door shut on the rest of the field as Stricker toured Hualalai for three days, shooting 54-under par.
Stricker ran away from the rest of the field. Steve Alker (63), Mike Weir (66), Ken Tanigawa (66) and Darren Clarke (68) all tied for second at 17-under par.
Stricker began the final 18 with a two-stroke lead over Alex Cejka and dashed Cejka’s hopes early with three birdies over his first four holes. Stricker added birdies on Nos. 10 and 13 after the turn. An eagle at the par-five 14th closed the deal.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Stricker afterward. “To win here, I didn’t know what kind of game I had coming into this week, but it was pretty good.”
This one was Stricker’s fifth victory in his last 11 starts on the senior circuit.
Stricker even got the attention of American Express winner Jon Rahm, who apparently saw some of the action on television.
“About as good a wedge game and short game you pretty much will ever see,” Rahm said on Saturday from Palm Springs. “About as simple as a technique as you’ll ever see as well. Very composed player. Somebody who has achieved a lot. You said he’s 55? To get that close to your age? Very impressive. Very, very impressive.”
