Paul Goydos got up-and-down for tap-in birdie on the final hole to win the Allianz Championship by one stroke over Gene Sauers on the Old Course at Broken Sound in Boca Raton, Fla.
The 50-year-old Goydos, who claimed his second victory in 12 career starts on the Champions Tour, closed with a 3-under-par 69, playing the last 11 holes in a flawless 3-under. The Long Beach native, who played at Long Beach State, hit his chip shot from behind the final green stopped about one foot from the hole.
“It was a shootout without great scores,” said Goydos, who won the Pacific Links Hawaii Championship last season. “The course played tough today.
“Statistics are a wonderful predictor of the past. Part of it is experience and maturity. If I played like I did today 10 years ago, I don’t think there’s any way I would have won this tournament. I didn’t have my best game, but I got it around.”
Sauers birdied the last two holes in his second straight 67, making only one bogey over the last 37 holes, only to fall one stroke short.
Fred Funk chipped in for an eagle on the final hole to close out a 66 and tied for third, two shots behind, with defending champion Michael Allen of San Mateo and Nevada Reno, who shot 67, and John Huston, who had a 66.
Jose Coceres of Argentina had eight birdies and an eagle in a 63 to tie for sixth, three strokes behind, with Tommy Armour, who carded a 66, and Jay Haas, who came in at 69.
