Cink wins Safeway Open at 47; Jiménez captures win No 10 as Clarke fades to 12th
Darren Clarke. Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images
Stewart Cink bridged an 11-year gap to his 2009 Open win when he captured the season-opening Safeway Open in California.
But Darren Clarke could not end a nine-year drought since he lifted the Claret Jug at Sandwich when he finished six shots behind Miguel Angel Jiménez in the PGA Tour Champions’ Sanford International in South Dakota.
Cink (47) closed with a seven-under 65, rebounding from a bogey on the 17th with a birdie on the 18th for a two-stroke victory over Harry Higgs. Scores
As a result, he became the oldest winner on PGA Tour since Phil Mickelson won the 2019 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am aged 48.
"I've played some good golf over the years, but it's been a while since I really played well over four rounds," said Cink, who had his son Reagan on his bag. "When it came time for me to kind of wrestle the bull to the ground, we were able to keep our composure, me and Reagan both - at least it looked like it on the outside - and get the job done."
On the PGA Tour Champions, Clarke went into the final round at Minnehaha Country Club just a shot off the lead after carding an eight-under-par-, tournament record 62 in the second round. Scores
But he had to settle for tied 12th place ($34,560) on eight-under as he fell out of contention with a three-over-par front nine of 37 before coming home in 33 for a level par 70 with an eagle at the 12th the highlight.
Jiménez followed rounds of 65 and 66 with a closing 65 to claim his 10th PGA Tour Champions win ($270,000) by a shot on 14-under par from Steve Flesch with Bernhard Langer and Steve Stricker tied for third on 12-under.
“Yeah, it was amazing. It was a beautiful day and we have a beautiful day, beautiful sunshine to finish the tournament,” 56-year-old Jiménez said. “The field of the tournament is very good, you see Bernhard Langer, Steve Flesch, Stricker, Parel. There is a really good field.
“Under pressure the last few holes, but then nice birdie on the 16th to get the lead back up there, and parred 17 and 18 to finish the tournament. It was amazing, thank you.”
Miguel Angel Jiménez, 65-66-65 – 196 (-14)
Jiménez eagled the par-5 12th hole for the second time this week and took a two-shot lead over Steve Stricker, Bernhard Langer, Steve Flesch and Scott Parel.
With Flesch in the clubhouse at 13-under, Jiménez took a one-shot lead after a two-putt birdie on the par-5 16th, and he secured the win with a par-par finish.
Winner of the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai, he becomes the first player with two victories this season. This is his third straight multi-win season, and his streak of seven straight years with a victory is the second-longest active streak (14, Bernhard Langer).
Jiménez becomes the 39th player with at least 10 wins on PGA TOUR Champions
This is the third time he has won a tournament in his debut.
Safeyway Open notes
Final-Round Leaderboard
Stewart Cink 67-70-65-65—267 (-21)
Harry Higgs 69-62-70-68—269 (-19)
Doc Redman 70-69-69-62—270 (-18)
Chez Reavie 67-71-66-66—270 (-18)
Kevin Streelman 72-66-65-67—270 (-18)
Brian Stuard 67-67-66-70—270 (-18)
Things to Know
Stewart Cink picks up seventh PGA TOUR victory and his 100th career top-10 on TOUR
At 47 years old, Cink becomes the oldest winner on TOUR since Phil Mickelson at the 2019 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
The win marks 4,074 days since his last TOUR victory at The Open Championship in 2009
Harry Higgs finishes eagle-par-par to record his second career runner-up finish
Doc Redman closes with six straight birdies for his career-low round on TOUR
Phil Mickelson hit 12 of 56 fairways for the week to finish T44
Mark Anderson becomes the first player since Scott Piercy in 2019 to play 72 holes without a bogey and not win
Stewart Cink (1st/-21)
Picks up seventh PGA TOUR victory in his 596th TOUR start at the age of 47 years, 3 months, 23 days
With the win, collects 500 FedExCup points and leads the standings for the first time in his career
Fully Exempt through the 2022-23 season and earns a spot in 2021 Sentry Tournament of Champions, 2021 THE PLAYERS
Championship, 2021 Masters Tournament, 2021 PGA Championship, among other events
Oldest winner on TOUR since Phil Mickelson (48 years, 7 months, 26 days) at 2019 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
Second oldest winner of the Safeway Open behind Rocco Mediate (47 years, 10 months) in 2010
4,074 days since defeating Tom Watson in a four-hole aggregate playoff at The Open Championship in 2009
Earned his 100th career top-10 on TOUR; First player since Matt Kuchar (2019 Sony Open in Hawaii) to win in their 100th career top-10 finish
His 23-year-old son, Reagan, was on the bag as his caddie for the week
Led the field in par-3 scoring average (2.56), playing it in 7-under
Round highlighted by a chip-in birdie on the par-3, 11th hole from 20 feet, 3 inches
Ties his best score to par in a four-round PGA TOUR event (previous best: -21/2002 Buick Challenge and 2013 The American Express)
Harry Higgs (2nd/-19)
Played the par-5s in 14-under par this week, highlighted by an eagle (No. 16/R4) and an albatross (No. 9/R2)
Earned second career runner-up finish (2019 Bermuda Championship)
The albatross in the second round on No. 9 was with a 4-iron, holing out from 230 yards
Was one of four PGA TOUR rookies to qualify for 2020 BMW Championship, ending the season No. 55 in the FedExsCup
Miscellaneous Notes
After making the turn in 1-over 37, Chez Reavie (T3/-18) rebounded with a 7-under 29 on the back, including four straight
birdies on Nos. 10-13; Led the field in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green (9.806) and Driving Accuracy (41 of 56 fairways hit)
Doc Redman (T3/-18) ended his day with six straight birdies to card a bogey-free 10-under 62, his career-low round on TOUR (previous best: 63/R4/2020 Travelers Championship, 63/R3/2020 Wyndham Championship)
In his 11th appearance at the Safeway Open, Kevin Streelman (T3/-18) recorded his first top-10 finish at the event
54-hole co-leader Brian Stuard (T3/-18) recorded his best finish at the Safeway Open in his eighth tournament start
Mark Anderson (T36/-12) posted a 4-under 68 to become the first player since Scott Piercy at the 2019 AT&T Byron Nelson
to play 72 holes without a bogey and not win
Phil Mickelson (T44/-10) birdied three of his last four holes to card a 2-under 70 and had a streak of 48 consecutive holes without a bogey this week (No. 4/R1 through No. 6/R4), which is one hole shy of his career record of most consecutive holes played without a bogey in the ShotLink era (49/2004 The Open Championship)
Chesson Hadley wins the weekly RSM Birdies Fore Love program with 26 birdies or better to earn $50,000 for a charity of
his choice; Hadley beat Kevin Streelman, who also had 26 birdies, by recording more birdies or better in the final round
