A bunker, a short putt, a win
He started the day four shots back. He still won.
Stewart Cink took the Boeing Classic on Sunday in Snoqualmie, Washington. It needed a playoff to separate him from Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez. On the replay of the par-5 18th, Jimenez dumped his third into a greenside bunker. Cink rolled in a birdie putt from close range and that was that.
His final round was a 65, seven under. Tournament total 204, 12 under.
Jimenez had been the better player over the day. A 64, sparked by a run of nine holes in 28. His putt on 18 put him alone at the top on 12 under. Cink answered at the par-3 17th with a short one to pull level, then had match point at 18. It shaved the hole and stayed out.
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A year ago, on this course, he lost by one
Cink is 53. Last season, same layout, he finished second, a shot behind Australia’s Steve Allan. That one stayed with him.
“Last year really hurt, because I felt like I had played well enough to win,” he said. “I didn’t play that great on Sunday, and from where I drove it on 18, I didn’t cash in on a really good chance to make birdie and win it, or at least tie it and get to a playoff. So I came in here with a little bit of unfinished business in my heart, to be honest.”
This time he collected. Not prettily, but he collected.
“It’s a great feeling to shoot a good round and have it be enough to stay in it, even though I was pretty loose the first two days. I don’t want to harp on that too much because I ended up winning and I’m proud of that.”
Nine senior wins in under three years
That is five wins this season. Nobody on PGA Tour Champions has more. It is also his ninth on the senior circuit in less than three years.
The former major winner tightens his grip on top spot in the Charles Schwab Cup standings.
Behind him, Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen (68) took third at 11 under. Steven Alker, who led into the final round, signed for a 71 and finished fourth at 10 under, level with Ernie Els, David Toms, George McNeill, Fred Couples, Jerry Kelly and Steve Flesch.
in your pocket.
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