RICHMOND, Va. – Justin Leonard showed patience and precision in putting, earning him a standout victory at the Dominion Energy Charity Classic.
Leonard sealed his triumph with an impressive finish: birdie, par and eagle, completing a round of 68 strokes, four under par. This performance secured him a one-stroke victory over Ernie Els.
This is Leonard’s second title on the PGA Tour Champions this year, which catapulted him into the top 10 after the first playoff event of the Charles Schwab Cup.
The tournament was crucial, as the top 54 golfers advance to the next postseason event, which will be held next week in Arkansas.
Ernie Els seemed to be in control in the second half of the round at the Country Club of Virginia, with birdies on holes 15 and 16. However, a bogey on 17 allowed Leonard to get closer.
Leonard, after a birdie on the 16th, executed an exceptional shot with a 4-hybrid iron, leaving the ball about 20 feet from the hole. Then, he holed an eagle putt downhill, setting a score of 12 under par (204 strokes).
Els failed to convert a 10-foot birdie putt on the final hole, which would have forced him into a playoff. He finished with 72 strokes, sharing second place with Thomas Bjorn, who also turned in a card of 68.
Bernhard Langer, at 68 years old, stayed two strokes off the top until an unfortunate bogey after a long three-stroke putt, which cut short his aspirations. He finished with 72 strokes, finishing three strokes from victory and seeking his first Champions win of the year.
Scott Parel, with a round of 71, tied for 21st place, climbing three positions to number 53 and securing his place in next week’s Simmons Bank Championship. David Bransdon, on the other hand, did not advance.
After next week, the top 36 will compete in the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, marking the end of the season.
