Thanks to a late-round grip change, Ernie Els won the PGA Tour Champions for the first time in three years. Bernhard Langer does not get the record victory on the PGA Tour Champions, He will have to wait at least one more week.

Ernie Els wins the Hoag ClassicErnie els won the Hoag Classic at Newport Country Club in Newport Beach, Calif., this Sunday thanks to a 65-65 weekend. After posting a birdie on holes 2, 3 and 4 to start, then a birdie on seven, Big Easy followed up with eight consecutive pars, then birdie again on the 16th to reach -12 under par. He found himself in a bunker at 18 but got up with a final birdie to finish at -13. Els went low left on his last two birdie putts.

The South African aka " Big Easy won for the first time since October 2020, and the Hall of Famer hasn't seen anything like it since joining the PGA Tour Champions; Last week, he had been practicing with the “saw” putting grip at his home in Florida, but he wasn't sure he wanted to try it in a tournament.

He changed in the middle of the tournament, then, after missing a few shots, he returned to the cross grip. Either way, he made enough putts to become a winner again.

"It's still a work in progress"said Els.

Steve stricker et Doug Barron are tied for second place at -12 under par. Barron started the day one shot behind the leader and needed a birdie on the last shot to reach -13 under par. As Els hit 7 irons on the course to relax, Barron nailed his approach but then missed a birdie from 1 yard that would have forced a playoff.

Els is the fifth different winner in five Champions Tournaments in 2023.

Bernhard Longer, who was -12l after 36 holes and held the solo lead after two days, built a two-stroke lead on Sunday but bogeys on holes 6, 9 and 14 got the better of him, when he didn't never really managed to get going on the last lap. A birdie at 11 was canceled by his fourth bogey at 14. He then missed a small putt at 17 for his fifth bogey of the day before finishing with a par for a score of 73.

He will be at the game next week in Rancho Mirage, California, where he will have another chance to break the record.

« It's disappointing to play 73“, said Langer. "Obviously Ernie had a great day so I take my hat off to him, but I had a two shot lead at one point on the course and would have liked to have played a little better."

https://twitter.com/ChampionsTour/status/1637630531444637697

A month ago, Langer claimed his record-breaking 45th Champions Tour victory. His next victory will break the record held by Hale Irwin since 2007. Langer's first senior victory came 10 months after Irwin's last.

The PGA Tour Champions return to action next week at the new Galleri Classic in Rancho Mirage, Calif., on the course of Mission Hills Country Club which has hosted a major LPGA tournament for 51 years.

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