A double-bogey seven on the final hole on Sunday saw Ernie Els slip out of the top 10 in the PGA Tour Champions Boeing Classic as he ended up signing for a level-par 72 to finish in a share of 11th.
In fact, he had got his final round to three-under with a birdie on the 15th, to get within two shots of the top of the leaderboard, before he dropped a shot on the par-three 17th. Then came what was a bit of a digging spree on the 18th, as his approach to the par-five closing hole found the greenside bunker. He took three to get out of it, and then two-putted for his double.
The tournament was won by Australia’s Rod Pampling, who closed with a six-under-par 66 to reach 12-under for the tournament and beat Tim Herron, Billy Mayfair and Jim Furyk, all of the United States, by one shot.
With two victories on the PGA Tour Champions circuit this year, Els is in fourth position on the money list for the Charles Schwab Cup, just $148,632 behind leader Jerry Kelly.
