A week ago, Steve Stricker was at Mission Hills Country Club not playing golf but instead working as the caddie for his daughter Bobbi in 100-plus degree temperatures at the first stage of LPGA Qualifying. She was among the 106 golfers to advance.
This week, he was back at work at his regular job and doing it quite well, shooting a final-round 67 to win the PGA Tour Champions 2022 Ally Challenge in Grand Blanc, Michigan, by a shot at 15 under.
Stricker, making his debut in the Ally Challenge, has now won nine times on the senior circuit. Brett Quigley, closed with a 68 to finish second.
Jeff Maggert posted Sunday’s best round, a 65, and got it to 13 under which was good enough for the outright lead but it wouldn’t hold. He would finish solo third, two shots back.
Scott Dunlap, who tied the tournament record with a 63 on Saturday, started the final round leading by a shot on Stricker, Padraig Harrington and Brett Quigley. He closed with a 71 and finished tied for fourth along with Harrington, last week’s Champions tour winner.
Fred Funk, 66, beat his age by a shot on Friday and held the solo lead after 18 holes but ended up in a tie for eighth. It was the sixth time a golfer on the PGA Tour Champions shot his age or better this season.
Bernhard Langer, who turned 65 on Saturday, shot 70-69-72 to finish tied for 28th.