Ernie Els won the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship on Saturday for his seventh PGA Tour Champions victory, closing with a six-under 66 to beat Bernard Langer, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Alex Cejka by two strokes.
The 67-year-old Langer missed a chance to win for the 19th straight season on the 50-and-over tour. The German star won the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship last year for his record-extending 47th senior title.
Els finished at 18-under 198 at Hualalai Golf Course. Playing alongside Els and Cejka in the final group, Langer parred the final four holes in a 66. Jimenez closed with a 64, and Cejka shot 68. Langer and Jimenez have each won the event three times.
Els and Langer broke out of a six-way tie for the lead with matching birdies on the par-five 14th, and Els moved ahead of Langer with a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-four 15th.
Els saved par on the par-four 16th with a 10-footer, then left a 25-foot birdie try an inch short on the par-three 17th. On the par-four 18th, after Langer’s long birdie try slid past, Els holed a 10-footer for the two-shot margin.
Els won three times last season. The 55-year-old South African is a four-time major champion, winning the US Open and the Open twice each.
Defending champion Steven Alker and Jerry Kelly each shot 65 to tie for fifth at 15-under.
Steve Stricker tied for 19th at 10-under after a 69 in his first official PGA Tour Champions event since September.