Rod Pampling goes wire-to-wire, captures victory at SAS Championship

Rod Pampling went wire-to-wire to win the PGA TOUR Champions SAS Championship on Sunday at Prestonwood Country Club in Cary, North Carolina.

Pampling, 54, entered the day with a one-stroke lead and made it stand up with a tidy 5-under 67. He shot 66-68-67 to finish at 15-under par. It was his second win on PGA TOUR Champions; his other came at the Boeing Classic in 2020.

The Australia native played his first 17 holes on Sunday without a bogey. It meant he could afford the one he had on No. 18 after building a three-shot cushion.

“We've been working hard and it's finally -- got rid of our bad stuff about a month and a half ago and it's just been getting closer and closer, and this week was just great,” Pampling said. “Great ball-striking day -- week I should say, and putting as well. Everything was just nice. Yeah, it's a great feeling to win again, that's for sure.”

Steven Alker briefly challenged Pampling, but he finished two shots back after a 68. The New Zealand native has put together consecutive solo runner-up finishes, his best on PGA TOUR Champions since he won the Insperity Invitational on April 30.

“You know, just kind of had a couple weeks off, I just kind of cleared the mind and got kind of back on track,” Alker said. “Just focused on my short game a lot more, that was the difference. And just hitting better approach shots, that kind of hasn't quite been there for a couple of months. Approach shots are getting there and that's been the difference.”

Ernie Els and Mario Tiziani tied for third at 11 under. Tiziani, Steve Stricker’s brother-in-law, shot the low round of the day with a 65. The T3 marked the best finish of his PGA TOUR Champions career.

With his T11, David Duval moved from 78th in the Charles Schwab Cup standings to 71st, meaning he will make it into the first event of the Charles Schwab Cup playoffs, the Dominion Energy Charity Classic. Only the top 72 after the SAS Championship advance.