Aussie pipped in playoff by cigar-smoking Spaniard
Miguel Angel Jimenez has won at Wakonda Club for his third PGA Tour Champions victory of the year, beating Australia's Cameron Percy and Soren Kjeldsen with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff.
Denmark's Kjeldsen finished with a 63, and Percy shot 67 to match Jimenez at 17-under 199. American Kevin Sutherland was a stroke back after a 68.
Jimenez closed with a birdie on the 311-yard, par-4 18th for a two-under 70, then made a four-footer for another birdie on the extra hole. The 61-year-old Spanish star led wire-to-wire, opening with rounds of 63 and 66.
Jimenez has 16 career PGA Tour Champions victories since he joined in 2014, also winning in February in Morocco and in March in Newport Beach, California.
"It was hard," Jimenez said.
"People (were) playing very well, as you can see."
Jimenez started the final round with a two-shot lead over Victorian Percy. Kjeldsen was lodged seven shots back, but the 50-year-old making his second Champions Tour start fired a bogey-free final round to take the clubhouse lead.
Kjeldsen owned a one-shot edge when Jimenez and Percy reached the 18th, a drivable par-4. Jimenez and Percy lined their tee shots to the front of the green, then two-putted for birdie and a three-way playoff.
The trio returned to the 18th, but only the Spaniard produced a solid tee shot. While Jimenez drove just short of the green to the right - setting up a good angle to the pin - Kjeldsen sliced his off the cart path to the No.1 tee box on the right and the 51-year-old Percy yanked his underneath a scoreboard to the left.
Kjeldsen and Percy scrambled to earn pars, but Jimenez calmly chipped within three feet and drained a straightforward birdie putt.
Jimenez's $US300,000 ($A466,500) payday increased his 2025 earnings to $US1.8 million ($A2.8 million) and he celebrated by pulling a cigar out of his bag just off the 18th green.
"The cigar tastes amazing," Jimenez said.
At least one runner-up, meanwhile, didn't walk away with a bad taste in his mouth.
"I played great today, so no regrets," Kjeldsen said.
"Miguel is a great champion."
With Reuters.
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