Joe Durant made a highlight-reel eagle putt that provided the winning margin, as he went on to claim the Cologuard Classic title by two strokes on Sunday in Tucson, Ariz.
Durant shot a final-round, 4-under 67 to go 13-under 200 for the three-day event. He staved off New Zealander Steven Alker (65), Jerry Kelly (67) and Kevin Sutherland (68), who tied for second at 11 under at La Paloma County Club.
Durant, 59, won for the fifth time on the PGA Tour Champions and the first time since August 2021.
As the tournament’s title sponsor is a screening test for multiple forms of cancer, this win carried an extra meaning to Durant.
“I tell you what really put things in perspective, and I’m sorry if I get emotional, but we lost my nephew, Lee Stewart, who was like my little brother, last August to cancer,” Durant said. “I was thinking about him all day today and I just want to make him proud.”
Durant birdied three holes on the front nine and had just picked up his only bogey of the day at No. 10 when he reached the par-5 11th. His second shot stopped a few feet shy of the green, which featured an awkward slope before the hole.
Rather than try to chip, Durant aimed a putt far to his left and lifted both hands to the sky as he watched his ball drop for eagle.
That got him to 13 under, and he made pars the rest of the way home while his competitors got no closer than 12 under. Sutherland needed a birdie at the 18th to force a playoff but bogeyed the hole.
“I’m always watching leaderboards, I just can’t help myself,” Durant said. “I knew I was going to have to finish strong.”
Alker, the 2022 Charles Schwab Cup winner, made a late charge with an eagle at No. 11 and birdies at Nos. 15 and 16, but he could get no closer than 11 under. His 65 matched the low round of the day.
Marco Dawson shot a 68 and tied Alex Cejka of Germany (69) for fifth at 10 under.
Stewart Cink, who opened the tournament with a 62 and led after each of the first two rounds, struggled to a 2-over 73 Sunday and tied for seventh at 9 under.
–Field Level Media