In an impressive display of skill, Stewart Cink shot a 9-under 63 on Sunday, clinching the Senior PGA Championship by a commanding six strokes. This triumph at Concession Golf Club marks Cink's first senior major and his third victory of the year on the PGA Tour Champions.
Entering the final round just one stroke behind the leader, Cink quickly took charge of the competition. His pivotal moment came on the par-5 seventh hole when he made eagle. He further asserted his dominance with two successive birdies to finish the front nine and then sank a remarkable 35-foot putt for birdie on the par-3 11th, continuing a five-hole stretch where he was 5-under par.
Once Cink secured the lead, the focus shifted to the rest of the competitors vying for second place. He added another birdie on the par-5 13th and followed it up with an 18-foot birdie on the 14th, solidifying his commanding position.
Ben Crane, playing in his Senior PGA Championship debut, finished in second place with a final round of 68. Meanwhile, South Africa’s Keith Horne, who began the day with a one-shot lead, struggled and fell back with a double bogey on the par-4 12th, unable to keep pace with Cink’s stunning performance.
This victory builds on Cink's impressive season, which has seen him maintain a perfect record of no rounds over par across his 16 outings on the PGA Tour Champions. In addition to his three wins, he has also recorded a runner-up finish, with his lowest result being a tie for sixth.
Cink ended the championship with a total score of 19-under 269, just shy of tying the record of 20-under par set by Sam Snead in the 1973 Senior PGA Championship.
Finishing in a tie for third were Australian players Scott Hend and Steve Allan, both of whom closed with a score of 71.