Ernie Els entered the week leading the Charles Schwab Cup Standings, and will rue not winning his fourth championship of what has been his best PGA Tour Champions season. Tied with Stephen Ames for the lead, Els, 54, stuffed a seven-iron inside four feet at the 196-yard 17th hole, but missed the putt that would have given him a one-shot lead with one to pay. He paid a price for it.

Els, forced to lay up at the 495-yard 18th after finding the right rough with his tee shot, then failed to birdie the par-five 18th, his attempt from 18 feet drifting left. He shot 68. Ames had the stage and knocked in a 4-footer for birdie to get to 11-under. Karlsson (75) and Stephen Alker (68) tied Els for second.

A familiar champion, Ames would step up to shoot five-under 67 and win one of the better Sunday shootouts of the season, prevailing by a shot over a formidable trio.

Ames roared home in four-under 32, making four birdies in his final seven holes, including one at the last, to collect his third title of 2024. Ames, playing the best golf of his career at 60, has now captured seven titles since the start of 2023. In victory, he became the third player to win multiple Boeing titles, and the first to do so in back-to-back years.

A year ago, he shot 63 on Sunday and won by seven.

Keith Horne closed with a 70 to finish on five-under in a share of 13th.