GRAND BLANC, Mich. (AP) — Steve Stricker won The Ally Challenge on Sunday at Warwick Hills for his second PGA Tour Champions victory of the season and ninth overall.
The 55-year-old Stricker closed with a 5-under 67 — rebounding from a bogey on the 12th with four straight birdies — for a one-stroke victory over Brett Quigley.
“I didn’t play that well early on and I told (wife/caddie) Nicki, I’m like, `We’ve just got to be patient and just keep plugging along,’” Stricker said. “It was a little bit different day, it was windy, it was a little bit harder, I thought.
“Then I had that stretch of four holes where I made four in a row and that was the difference. I just kept plugging.
“It’s about time he helps me,” Stricker said. “You know, I help him all the time. No, seriously, him and Nicki got me on the putting green after the first round. I didn’t putt very good the first round and they noticed a couple things. Jerry got right in there, he helped me. He knows my putting stroke as much as I know his, so we help each other and he came through for me this time. I owe him this one because all of a sudden it clicked and I was off and running.”
Stricker also won the major Regions Tradition in May in Alabama.
Quigley finished with a 68.
Jeff Maggert was third at 13 under after a 65.
Second-round leader Scott Dunlap (71) and Padraig Harrington (66) tied for fourth at 12 under. Harrington won the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open last week in upstate New York.
Canadian Stephen Ames finished tied for sixth at 11 under, four shots back of Stricker.
The Associated Press
