Stewart Cink Wins The Ally Challenge For His 1St Pga Tour Champions Title

Stewart Cink watches his tee shot on the second hole during the third round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Stewart Cink watches his tee shot on the second hole during the third round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

GRAND BLANC, Mich. (AP) — Stewart Cink won The Ally Challenge on Sunday for his first PGA Tour Champions title, closing with a 6-under 66 for a four-stroke victory over K.J. Choi.

The 51-year-old Cink, the 2009 British Open champion, won in his 10th career start on the 50-and-over tour. He became the 22nd player to win on each of the PGA Tour's three tours — the PGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions and Korn Ferry Tour.

He won about five months after blowing a late lead in Tucson.

“It was a motivation, for sure, once I got near the lead in the first round,” Cink said. “I know I’m capable of winning, but we have this funny way of believing in like the 2% of things that happen instead of the 98%. Tucson I think was probably a 2%,but it happened.”

Cink finished at 17-under 199 at Warwick Hills to match the tournament record set by Joe Durant in 2021. The eight-time PGA Tour winner has made 14 starts this season, the best a tie for 24th in the Sony Open in Hawaii.

“I was just really proud of myself the way I stayed in the moment and just did the best I could on every shot,” Cink said. “Today, the best I could do was pretty darn good. It was some of the best golf I’ve played in quite a while.”

K.J. Choi closed with a 67. Mike Weir (64) was another stroke back, and Darren Clarke (67) followed at 10 under.

Bernhard Langer (65) was 9 under with David Duval (65), Bob Estes (70), Steve Allan (71) and David Branshaw (71). The 66-year-old Langer has a record 46 PGA Tour Champions victories.

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