CALGARY, Alberta – Jerry Kelly missed a chance to win in the regulations, then made short work of the playoff Sunday with a 4-foot birdie putt to win the Shaw Charity Classic for his third title of the season on the PGA Tour Champions.
Kelly finished with a 3-under 67 to win the playoff over John Huston, who shot 65 in one of his best chances of winning in his 11 years on the 50-and-over circuit.
The final round was so tight that five players ended up one shot behind.
Full-field scores from the Shaw Charity Classic
Kirk Triplett, who was in the lead going into the final lap, birdied 1.2m on the par-5 18th to join Kelly and Huston at 9-under 201. But it lost speed and grabbed the lead. rim of the cup. Triplett shot 69.
US Senior Open champions Padraig Harrington (66), Joe Durant (62), Dean Wilson (66) and Alex Cejka (66) also missed the playoff by one shot. Cejka took a victory on the Legends Tour in Europe last week.
The nervous moment for Kelly came into regulation. He had a 15-foot birdie putt about four feet off the hole—about the same distance Triplett had missed—and he needed the par to get into the playoff.
But on the 18th in overtime, Kelly got the birdie he needed to join Steven Alker as the only three-time winner of the PGA Tour Champions this week. Alker, who still leads the Charles Schwab Cup standings, did not play this week.
“I love coming to Canada,” Kelly said. “Winning here is something I’ve always wanted to do.”
Kelly played the Canadian Open on the PGA Tour 13 times, but only finished in the top 10 twice.
The PGA Tour Champions then head to the Seattle area for the Boeing Classic.