Ernie Els finished in a share of 13th on Sunday after the final round of the PGA Tour Champions Charles Schwab Cup Championship, and that was not enough to keep him ahead of his nearest rival at the top of the season-long race for the Charles Schwab Cup.
Even though he finished with his best round of the week, a four-under-par 67, it was not enough to stop New Zealand’s Steven Alker at the Phoenix Country Club.
Alker, who closed with a round of five-under 66, missed from eight feet at 18 to force extra holes with eventual winner Bernhard Langer of Germany, his tie for second (with Australia’s Richard Green) good enough to pass Els.
Every dollar earned in each of the three Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs events was doubled in points; Alker’s earnings for his share of second ($276,000) helped him to pass Els in the overall standings. Els had been atop the Charles Schwab Cup points standings for 14 weeks, and it had been the South African’s best season of senior golf. He won his first major title (Kaulig Companies Championship) and was a consistent force.
“This week was a tough week. I didn’t quite have my ‘A’ game,” Els said. “I was really trying hard, but hung in there. Even today, you know, I was really trying to find some magic at the end there just to try to get to the top five… but it is what it is. It’s been a really good year, and we’ll come back stronger next year.”
Retief Goosen also finished with a four-under-par 67 to close out the week in a share of eighth. That saw him slip two spots in the rankings to finished the year in 17th place.
