Through three rounds at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, Stephen Ames leads by two as he searches for his first major title on PGA Tour Champions.
Ames, who shot a 4-under 67 Saturday, will be grouped with fellow Canadian Mike Weir and 2017 KitchenAid Senior PGA Champion Bernhard Langer in the final group on Sunday.
Sunday is shaping up to be a good one. @KitchenAid_Golf | #SrPGA pic.twitter.com/ZJLSQVFtvk
— KitchenAid Senior PGA Champ (@seniorpgachamp) May 28, 2022
Paul Goydos is in fourth, while Brian Gay (in his KitchenAid Senior PGA debut), Steven Alker, and defending KitchenAid Senior PGA Champion Alex Cejka are tied for fifth.
Here are three things to know with one round to go at Harbor Shores.
A COMEBACK IN THE CARDS?
Harbor Shores has often yielded low scores at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, and if Justin Thomas’ effort last week at the PGA Championship is any indication, then don’t count anyone out quite yet.
The lowest final-round score by a winner in championship history came in 2018 at Harbor Shores, when Paul Broadhurst shot an 8-under 63.
If Mother Nature allows for scorable conditions on Sunday, then watch for a leaderboard climber to make some noise.
One of those looking to claw up the leaderboard Sunday is Alker, who has five top-3 results so far this season on PGA Tour Champions including two victories. He made back-to-back birdies on No’s 15 and 16 to shoot a 2-under 69 Saturday.
He already has a gameplan set for the finale.
“I’ve got to be aggressive,” he said. “I’m four behind, so I’ve got to make something happen. Just kind of get in that mentality and I’ll be all right.”
LANGER’S LONGEVITY
Bernhard Langer is looking to become the oldest winner in the history of the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.
The 2017 champion is two shots back of the lead heading into Sunday. He turns 65 in August.
Jock Hutchison was the oldest winner of the KitchenAid Senior PGA – he was 62 when he won in 1947. More recently, Tom Watson captured his second KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship just after turning 61.
Langer, who has won 43 times on PGA Tour Champions, shot a 5-under 67 on Saturday. He said the reason he keeps competing on the over-50 circuit is for chances like this – to win championships.
Bernhard Langer was going to get this par by any means necessary. 👀#SrPGA pic.twitter.com/AcmFh2lRvU
— KitchenAid Senior PGA Champ (@seniorpgachamp) May 28, 2022
“If you are over 50, you’ve been playing this game a long time and (everyone has) won championships,” said Langer. “To a degree, I might have won a few more than most of the guys. Hopefully there will be another one tomorrow.”
NOTABLES LURKING
While Stephen Ames is looking for his maiden major title on PGA Tour Champions, there is a big-time collection of big-time players who are chasing him heading into Sunday’s finale at Harbor Shores.
Langer and Mike Weir – Green Jacket winners, both – will be grouped with Ames for Sunday’s finale, while the PGA Tour Champions’ hottest player in 2022, Steven Alker, is just four shots back. Alex Cejka is tied with Alker, as he looks to become the first golfer since Colin Montgomerie to win back-to-back KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship titles.
Miguel Angel Jimenez, a two-time major winner on PGA Tour Champions, shot the round of the day Saturday. His 6-under 65 moved him into a tie for 8th.
Multi-time major championship winners Padraig Harrington and Ernie Els are both inside the top-15 through 54 holes, while Montgomerie is just a shot further back and tied for 18th.
