ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Stephen Ames was in the top three after all four rounds this week at The Senior Open presented by Rolex, including T1 after 36 holes. He carded a final-round 69 and finished T3, his best finish and third top-10 in a senior major.

Miguel Angel Jimenez became the first Spaniard to win The Senior Open presented by Rolex on Sunday, edging defending champion Bernhard Langer by one shot.

Jimenez dropped only one stroke en route to a final round 3-under 69 and ended on 12-under 276 at the historic Old Course.

Jimenez was following in famous footsteps as the second Spaniard to win at St. Andrews after Seve Ballesteros won The Open in 1984.

“This is the place where everyone wants to win and the place where Seve won his second British Open,” Jimenez said. “It has always been my ambition to win here. It feels like I am part of history.”

The 54-year-old Jimenez played the sort of round every professional golfer dreams of on the final day at St. Andrews, and often in unpleasant — occasionally vicious — weather conditions.

Langer shot a 68 to come second.

Americans Kirk Triplett (69) and Scott McCarron (68) tied for third alongside Canada’s Stephen Ames (69). All three finished on 10 under.

Jimenez won the Regions Tradition in May, holding off a hard-charging Steve Stricker for his first senior major title.

On Sunday, in the immediate aftermath of his second major title of the year, the self-styled “most interesting man in golf” played down his celebrations but the prolonged raising of his arms was evidence enough of his delight.

And relief. Only by making a vital nine-foot putt for par on the penultimate green had Jimenez held onto his overnight lead.

“I didn’t play too good over the last few holes,” Jimenez said. “I didn’t hit many solid shots. And I missed short putts on both the 14th and 15th. At that stage I was feeling the stress. My heart was really pumping very fast.”

In search of a fourth victory in this event, Langer had cause to regret a couple of lapses, most notably the three-putts he needed to complete the par-4 13th hole. It was his only bogey of the day, but it was enough to give Jimenez a three-shot edge that proved just too much to overcome.

“Miguel played an awesome four days of golf, and he’s a very well-deserved winner,” said Langer, who closed with a 4-under 68. “I was pretty happy overall. It wasn’t easy in some of the conditions that we had.”

The leaders made their share of mistakes down the stretch into a diminishing wind but their problems were nothing compared with earlier in the day. At its height, the wind and rain transformed the back-nine into a succession of par-5s. Despite the late improvement in the conditions, the 72-man field was a collective 136-over par.

Former Australian Open champion Peter Fowler – not exactly the shortest hitter in the field – was short of the 465-yard 13th after a good drive and full-blooded 3-wood. Even worse, two holes later he was unable to reach the fairway on the 455-yard 15th with his best drive. Around three hours later, Jimenez comfortably found both greens with mid-irons.

There was ultimate disappointment for Tom Watson. Playing what could be his final competitive round at St. Andrews, the 68-year old American — five times a British Open champion and three-times a winner of this event — had a closing 77 that left him in a lowly tie for 21st place at 1 under.

Watson was still afforded a rousing send-off.

“As ever, the fans were really very good to me,” Watson said. “I gave it right back to them. I appreciate what they do for me. This is a unique setting in golf, probably the most unique. You come into the town on the last hole and finish amongst all the buildings with the people hanging over the rail up there. There’s no other place like it.”

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – Miguel Angel Jimenez and Stephen Ames were sharing the lead on 9-under when darkness ended play early in the second round of the Senior British Open on Friday.

Ames is among 18 players who must return on Saturday morning to complete their rounds. The golfer form Calgary has one hole to go.

Earlier, pony-tailed Spaniard Jimenez fired a 5-under 67 for a total of 135, one better than American pair Jeff Sluman (68) and Kirk Triplett (71), and defending champion Bernhard Langer (69).

Among three players in the clubhouse on 137 was three-time winner Tom Watson, who remarkably shot his age by posting a 68. On the same 7-under overall mark were Jarmo Sandelin of Sweden and Vijay Singh of Fiji.

“I have been playing well and I attribute it to practicing quite hard before I came here,” Watson said. “I shot 68 on the Old Course under pretty good conditions and I’m very pleased.”

Jimenez’s round was highlighted by an eagle-birdie-birdie run from the 14th.

“I played … super golf,” he said. “It was very difficult with very strong winds on the first nine holes, and then on the back nine I played solid. It would mean a lot to win the Senior Open, especially here at St. Andrews, but some of the top players in the world are here.”

Triplett said he had no strategy for the historic links layout and simply planned to react according to the daily conditions.

“You can take the yardage book and throw it away most of the time”, he said. “Whatever comes, you’ve got to figure out how to play it. I really enjoy links golf. I just haven’t ever been very good at it.”

To the delight of the crowd, Scottish pair Sandy Lyle (66) and Colin Montgomerie (68) were among a group on 5-under 139.

“Yesterday, my putter let me down badly,” said Lyle. “I had chance after chance after chance. Today, though, I played very tidy golf.”

Montgomerie was less pleased with his performance.

“I was 4-under through eight,” he said. “Had 10 more chances, missed them all. So very poor really. No positives at all. It’s all negative in my world.”

Play was delayed for 85 minutes at the start of the round due to thick fog.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Stephen Ames came out of the gate recording par on Thursday after the first round of the U.S. Senior Open. He’s sitting T10 after the first round, five strokes behind the lead.

Though John Smoltz may have felt very much alone on the wind-whipped, sun-baked Broadmoor course, he wasn’t.

The main difference between him and most of the guys battling the conditions Thursday was that Smoltz does not do this for a living.

The pitching Hall of Famer spent Day 1 of his fantasy golf camp in much the same position as the rest of the players – gouging out of ankle-high rough, then scrambling to put himself in position for par putts. But Smoltz didn’t make many. His round of 15-over 85 included only five pars and no birdies.

“I’m just being honest,” Smoltz said. “I don’t have enough game for this course yet.”

The ultimate test for the seniors produced only six below-par scores through the morning rounds, with the wind forecast to pick up as the day wore on.

Rocco Mediate was in an early three-way tie for the lead at 2 under – in the mix again for a national championship 10 years after his epic, 19-hole playoff loss to Tiger Woods at the U.S. Open.

“I love our national Open. I don’t care if it’s the regular national Open or a Senior national Open, it looks like a U.S. Open golf course,” Mediate said. “It is a U.S. Open golf course. It will show you quickly that it is, if you hit it in the wrong place. That’s what I love most about the setup.”

Deane Pappas and Kevin Sutherland were tied with Mediate, with Billy Mayfair, Scott Parel and two-time U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen a shot behind.

Defending champion Kenny Perry was 1 over and not feeling all that bad about a round that included only a single birdie.

“Here, the greens, they’ve got you on edge,” said Perry, whose title last year gave him entry into the U.S. Open earlier this month. “ I feel like I’m at Shinnecock again.”

The USGA took its usual drubbing for the course set-up earlier this month at Shinnecock, and though the spotlight isn’t nearly as bright here, the record-high forecast for this week (high 90s) has left tournament organizers ‘pacing“ themselves when it comes to firming up the Broadmoor, according to the USGA’s daily course set-up notes.

Even when softened up for resort players, conquering this course takes its fair share of local knowledge. Virtually every putt – even those that appear to be aimed uphill – break away from the Will Rogers Shrine located on Cheyenne Mountain to the southwest of the course.

“You have to hit them a few times to trust you know what you’re doing,” Janzen said.

Janzen and Mediate trekked to Colorado Springs last month to play a few practice rounds and gain some of the valuable local knowledge.

Smoltz walked onto the Broadmoor for the first time this week. He hired a local caddie, Colin Prater, who was a Division II All-American at Colorado-Colorado Springs.

Almost immediately, though, Smoltz received a crash course in the difference between casual rounds of golf and the sport at its highest level.

“I never expected to get that many bad lies,” he said. “Nothing I could do about it. And I had a lot of tough shots that I have not practiced and that I am not used to hitting.”

A few times during the round, Smoltz had to stop, take off his shoes and tape up his toes, which were raw and aching. Lesson: Don’t break in new golf shoes at the U.S. Open.

“It was fun to have him out here,” said Bob Ford, who was in the threesome with Smoltz. “But I didn’t expect him to break 80. I know how good he is. But this is just another world. It’s not his world.”

Smoltz’s first turn through this world will end after Friday’s round.

“I hit three bad shots, and I shot 85,” he said. “It just tells you, from an amateur standpoint, and for people sitting at home, how great these players are.”

PGA TOUR Champions event sets fundraising goal at $10 million for 2018, names nine official charitable partners

CALGARY—The Shaw Charity Classic will take aim at raising $10 million for 182 children’s charities in Alberta, thanks to renewed support from its title partner Shaw Communications Inc. and AltaLink for the award-winning tournament’s Birdies for Kids program.

Shaw has announced it will become the new title sponsor of the charitable giving program, donating

$1 million to positively impact 182 charities from across the province.  Additionally, AltaLink extended its commitment as presenting sponsor for three more years. Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink will support more than 500,000 youth in the areas of sports, arts, health, development and counselling.

“We are touched by the work of so many people associated with the Shaw Charity Classic to create a foundation of giving and support for the charities that are working tirelessly to improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of children, youth and families across Southern Alberta,” said Brad Shaw, CEO, Shaw Communications. “We have set a high bar for the tournament this year, and we are eager to work with all of our partners to do even more for the organizations that work every day to make the lives of more children and youth better.”

Building on the title partner’s leadership, it was the tournament’s relationship with AltaLink around the creation of the unique Birdies for Kids program in 2015 that has sparked tremendous growth in the Shaw Charity Classic’s fundraising efforts.

“We are incredibly proud to be the presenting sponsor of the Birdies for Kids program since its inception in 2015 and to announce we are enthusiastically signed on for three more years,” said Scott Thon, President and CEO of AltaLink. “Increasing the number of eligible charities will only help make a greater impact for kids across Alberta and we look forward to working with Shaw Communications to grow this program even more.”

Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink gives corporations and individual donors alike the opportunity to give to the partnered children’s charity of their choice. On top of those donations, the charities will receive a match of up to 50 per cent of each contribution through a tiered matching program.

Having raised a total of $22.1 million over the event’s first five years, Birdies for Kids has flourished from impacting 90 charities with $2 million in 2015 to having raised $6.9 million for 159 charities last year after welcoming donations from more than 2,400 Canadians in all corners of the country. Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink hopes to raise $9.6 million by the time the 2018 champion is white-hatted on the 18th green on September 2.

“The tournament’s charitable spirit is rooted in the generous support of these two community leaders: Shaw Communications and AltaLink,” said Clay Riddell, Tournament Chairman, Shaw Charity Classic.

“Never could we have imagined that year-after-year our tournament would shatter records for charitable giving on the PGA TOUR Champions, but this is not possible without a shared passion we have with these incredible partners for watching the greatest names in golf come to Calgary, and a commitment to helping our youth. I know we will continue to have a tremendous impact on the lives of Alberta youth through the continued support of this program.”

The Shaw Charity Classic also announced nine official charitable partners for the sixth edition of the Shaw Charity Classic, including: Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre, Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, Calgary Police Foundation, Classroom Champions, Horizon Housing, Junior Achievement Southern Alberta, Kids Cancer Care, KidSport Calgary, and The PREP Program. In addition to participating in the Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink program, each of these nine official partners will receive an additional donation through the tournament.

To mark the occasion, tournament officials paired a representative from each of the nine charities with a community personality for a five-hole team golf competition at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club on Wednesday. The winning team received $1,000 for its charity, representing the first official donation of 2018.

Companies and individuals can begin pledging their donations to Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLinkby visiting www.shawcharityclassic.com for full list of participating charities. All donations qualify for a charitable tax receipt, and 100 per cent of every donation goes directly to the selected participating charity.

BILOXI, Miss. – Steve Stricker moved into position for his second straight PGA Tour Champions victory, shooting a 3-under 69 in gusting wind Saturday to take a one-stroke lead in the Rapiscan Systems Classic.

Stricker won the Cologuard Classic three weeks ago in Tucson, Arizona, for his first victory on the 50-and-over tour. He tied for 12th the following week in the PGA Tour’s Valspar Championship.

“It was a tough day today. It was a grind out there,” Stricker said. “The wind made it very difficult. The greens are very quick, you just had to hit some shots. I made a couple putts on the back side that got things going a bit for me, so in a good spot heading into tomorrow.”

Stricker had a 7-under 137 total at Fallen Oak, the Tom Fazio-designed layout with big, speedy greens. First-round leader Joe Durant followed his opening 66 with a 72 to drop into a tie for second with Jeff Sluman (67). Stephen Ames (68) and Billy Andrade (70) were 5 under.

Today was a good day for @StephenAmesPGA ?

He’s T4 at the @RapiscanClassic, 2 off the lead ?? pic.twitter.com/bMhYDaWVNF

— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) March 25, 2018

Stricker bogeyed Nos. 2-3, rebounded with birdies on Nos. 6-7, birdied the par-4 12th and ran in a 75-footer for eagle on the par-5 13th.

“Just trying to get it up there in a 3-foot circle, really, around that hole,” Stricker said about the eagle. “The wind was blowing pretty good at the time, and there’s a lot of variables. Up the hill, it had a pretty big break to it. Just tried to lag it up there. Sometimes those are the ones that you end up making.”

The 51-year-old Wisconsin player has six top-three finishes in eight career senior starts, tying for second behind Durant in the Chubb Classic last month in Naples, Florida.

“I don’t feel as much pressure, but still feel the pressure to try to win,” Stricker said. “It will be a challenge tomorrow for everybody who’s up around the lead. I think we’re going to get a little breezy day again tomorrow and the greens are still fast.”

Durant had an early double bogey and bogey.

“It was tough,” Durant said. “The wind was gusty and the greens were fast, so that combination makes it really difficult.”

The 60-year-old Sluman won the last of his six senior titles in 2014.

“Very, very difficult,” Sluman said. “I think our officials did a great job of setting the golf course up. We had a few tees up on really long holes that were into the wind.”

Mark Calcavecchia, a stroke back after a first-round 67, had a 75 that left him tied for eighth at 2 under.

Two-time defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez was tied for 45th at 4 over after a 76.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Scott Parel beat fellow PGA Tour Champions player Scott Dunlap on the first hole of a playoff Sunday to complete a wire-to-wire victory in the Diamond Resorts Invitational.

The 52-year-old Parel won the 32-player professional division with a par on the extra hole, the 203-yard 18th at Tranquilo Golf Club. Dunlap hit a fat shot short into water and made a double bogey.

In regulation, Dunlap made an 8-foot birdie putt for three points, and Parel failed to get up-and-down and made a bogey to fall into the playoff. Unable to play a practice round before the event because of the flu, Parelearned $125,000.

“Beware the injured animal,” Parel said. “I think low expectations (helped). My expectations were just to try to finish and do the best I can.”

Parel and Dunlap finished with 93 points in the 54-hole Modified Stableford event, Parel earned 32 points in the final round. He spent 10 years as a computer programmer before turning pro at age 31.

Dunlap had 34 points in the scoring system that awards six points for eagle, three for birdie, one for par, zero for bogey and minus-two for double bogey or worse. John Daly was third with 88 points after a 34-point day.

Five-time LPGA Tour winner Brooke Henderson, playing from the same tees as the men, was seventh with 80 points. The 20-year-old Canadian had 25 points Sunday.

Finishes 7th ✔️
Beats most of the @ChampionsTour guys ✔️
Pretty solid week at #DRIGolf for @BrookeHenderson! ? pic.twitter.com/ouQGMJj7IW

— LPGA (@LPGA) January 14, 2018

Former tennis player Mardy Fish won the 52-man celebrity division for the second time in three years, finishing with 75 points. Former hockey star Jeremy Roenick was second at 61.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The Shaw Charity Classic, Dominion Energy Charity Classic and DICK’s Sporting Goods Open were among the award winners for the PGA TOUR Champions 2017 season. In all, six awards were presented by PGA TOUR Champions at the TOUR’s Tournament Meetings on Thursday, Dec. 7 in Boca Raton, Fla.

At the annual gathering, six specific tournament categories were recognized:

• President’s Award – Shaw Charity Classic
• Players Award – Dominion Energy Charity Classic
• Sales Award – DICK’s Sporting Goods Open
• Bruno Award – Gene Smith (PGA TOUR Champions Rules Official)
• Outstanding Achievement Award – Tiffany Nelson (Charles Schwab Cup Championship)
• Volunteer of the Year – Maggie Hatcher (Boca Raton Championship)

President’s Award
For the third time in its five-year history, the Shaw Charity Classic in Calgary, Alberta, was named the recipient of the prestigious President’s Award, which captures the criteria of all PGA TOUR Champions awards, as well as the intangibles that make it stand out amidst a plethora of successful tournaments.

“It is remarkable to see a tournament win the President’s Award for the third time,” said PGA TOUR Champions President Greg McLaughlin. “On behalf of PGA TOUR Champions, it is an honor for me to present the President’s Award to the Shaw Charity Classic. This event has achieved great success very quickly and continues to raise the bar every year. Shaw Communications has been a tremendous partner in allowing this event to support the local Calgary community, and the charitable impact throughout Alberta has been extraordinary.”

The 2017 edition of the Shaw Charity Classic carried on the tournament’s tradition of extraordinary charitable giving. The tournament exceeded its fundraising goal by nearly 30 percent, raising more than $8.3 million for children’s charities across Alberta. In all, the tournament secured donations from more than 2,400 donors that ultimately impacted the lives of more than 480,000 children, and in five years, the tournament has raised more than $22 million and donated to more than 150 charities.

Once again, the community came out in droves, as more than 1,200 people volunteered, and the weekly attendance exceeded 45,000 fans. During the tournament, fans were treated to several off-course activities in the Fan Zone, which included a petting zoo, crafting stations, golf simulators, and an interactive Shaw experience where fans had the opportunity to interface with newest home entertainment and communications technology.

“We began our five-year celebrations by encouraging the public to find a small way to make their mark on this powerful event in Alberta. Receiving the President’s Award for a third time is recognition that needs to be celebrated by communities across Alberta who have generously supported our mission,” said Sean Van Kesteren, Executive Director of the Shaw Charity Classic. “We have not wavered in our goals of bringing world-class golf to Calgary, while raising more than $20 million in an effort to provide hundreds of thousands of Alberta kids hope and the opportunity to live a better life.”

Canadians Danny King of Aurora, Ont. and Jim Rutledge of Victoria, B.C., are among the 78 players looking to secure status this week at the final stage of PGA Tour Champions Qualifying in Scottsdale.

Final qualifying runs November 28-December 1 and is conducted over 72 holes, with no cut.

The top five players receive full exempt status, while the next seven are conditionally exempt. Conditionally exempt players are accepted in tournaments on a space-available basis.

Tee times and scoring are available here.

CALGARY — Canadians made a major mark on the fifth anniversary of Calgary’s Shaw Charity Classic by chipping in to raise a record $8,391,413 for 159 youth-based charities across Alberta.

The fifth straight record-setting donation for any event on the PGA TOUR Champions now brings the award-winning tournament’s fundraising totals to more than $22.1 million.

“We began our five-year celebrations by encouraging the public to find a small way to make their mark on this powerful event in Alberta that is having a lasting impact on communities throughout the province. This donation proves Albertans have made their mark in a major way,” said Clay Riddell, Tournament Chairman, Shaw Charity Classic. “More than 2,400 generous donors from around the world played a key role in helping us achieve our goals through their unbelievably generous donations that will help positively impact the lives of more than 480,000 children.”

The tournament’s title sponsor, Shaw Communications, teed off the tournament’s 2017 fundraising efforts with a total $1 million contribution split between the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation and the RESOLVE campaign, two of the Shaw Charity Classic’s charitable partners.

“Five years ago, we wanted to help bring to our city a world class event that would benefit charities, children, and families across Alberta,” said Brad Shaw, CEO, Shaw Communications. “Since then, the Shaw Charity Classic has become a cornerstone of our community, supporting hundreds of charitable organizations that are making meaningful impacts to families and kids across the province. We are sincerely grateful to the Patron Group, PGA TOUR Champions, the hundreds of volunteers, and most importantly, the thousands of fans who have made this event one of the biggest in Calgary.”

Shaw Communications launched two new initiatives this year to further the charitable giving. Birdies for Charity saw $500 donated for each birdie made on the 18th hole during the tournament. There were 83 birdies made over the three-round event, which raised $41,500. However, the company bumped it up to a $50,000 donation at the trophy ceremony. Additionally, Shaw donated $100,000 for Make Your Mark Day held on August 6, which saw thousands of local golfers attempt to make a birdie on a designated hole at one of 20 participating golf courses across the city.

Building on the leadership of its title partner, the tournament’s Birdies for Kids program once again played a critical role in helping to smash the tournament’s previous annual fundraising totals.

Thanks to the support of Birdies for Kids presenting partner, AltaLink, individuals and corporations have the opportunity to make a one-time donation directed to the children’s charity of their choice. Those donations were further leveraged through a tiered matching program that saw a percentage of the first $250,000 donated to each charity. This year, Birdies for Kids expanded its reach to include more donors who helped provide a positive impact on more charities.

“We’re incredibly proud of the impact the Birdies for Kids program is making on charities across Alberta dedicated to bettering the lives of children,” said Scott Thon, President and CEO of AltaLink. “This year marks another record-breaking year for the tournament overall and the Birdies for Kids program, and it’s possible only because of the generosity and can-do spirit of the people of this province.”

The records didn’t stop with the financial side of the tournament in 2017. A star-studded field of PGA TOUR Champions players, including Sir Nick Faldo, Jose Maria Olazabal, Colin Montgomerie, Fred Couples, Billy Andrade and 2017 champion Scott McCarron, played in front of another record number of spectators, with more than 45,000 people lining the fairways of Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club throughout the week.

Shaw Communications originally launched the five-year anniversary celebrations last spring by reinforcing its commitment to bringing world-class golf to Calgary in an effort to raise big money for charities with a commitment to extend its title sponsorship of the event for three more years through to 2020. Officials are already focused on reaching new goals in 2018. Many of the greatest names in golf will once again tee it up at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club from August 27 to September 2, 2018. Corporate packages for the Shaw Charity Classic are available online at www.shawcharityclassic.com.

PHOENIX – Kevin Sutherland finally broke through on the PGA Tour Champions, taking the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship – and the topping the yearlong competition, too.

Sutherland closed a 5-under 66 on Sunday for a one-stroke victory over Vijay Singh at Phoenix Country Club, the tree-lined course hosting its first tour event since the Phoenix Open left for TPC Scottsdale in 1988.

Bernhard Langer, the winner of the first two playoff events, had a 64 to tie for 12th – five strokes back. Langer slipped to second in the season standings, missing a chance to win the title for the fourth straight year and fifth overall.

The 53-year-old Sutherland won for the first time in 78 starts on the 50-and-over tour. He entered the week fifth in the Charles Schwab Cup season points standings, the last spot where the player had to only win the tournament to take the $1 million annuity. He earned $440,000 for the tournament victory.

The only player to shoot 59 in senior tour history, Sutherland had 15 top-10 finishes this season, finishing second three times and third twice. His lone PGA Tour victory came in 2002 at La Costa in the Accenture Match Play Championship.

Sutherland finished at 15-under 198. He had a bogey-free round, opening with a birdie on the par-5 first, eagling the par-5 seventh and adding birdies on the par-4 ninth and 16th.

Singh shot a 63. He opened with an eagle and birdied the last two.

John Daly (65), David Frost (67), David Toms (67) and Lee Janzen (67) tied for third at 13 under.

Sutherland had a 63 on Friday to move within two strokes of leader Paul Goydos, the tournament winner last year at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale. Goydos closed with a 72 to tie for ninth at 9 under.

Langer led the tour with seven victories, winning three of the five majors, and set an earnings record with $3,677,359. The 60-year-old German has never won the season-ending event.

Canadian Golf Hall-of-Famer Stephen Ames was the lone Canadian in the field, finishing T27 at 6 under par.