2023 Cologuard Classic – Syndication Server

David Toms wins PGA Tour Champions Cologuard Classic, which will move to a new Tucson venue in 2024

David Toms led by four shots at one point en route to winning for the third time on the PGA Tour Champions.

TUCSON, Ariz. — David Toms posted a 6-under 30 on his front nine Saturday and led by two shots after 36 holes at the 2023 Cologuard Classic.

On Sunday, he led by four through 11 holes and was still up by two when he got to the par-4 18th, rated the most difficult hole on the PGA Tour Champions last season.

And for the third day in a row, the 18th proved trouble for Toms, who drove his tee shot into a lake down the right side of the fairway for the third time.

He said he didn’t see it go in Sunday and only discovered it was wet once he got up there, and that probably helped him avoid thinking about a bad shot for very long.

“It was more about ‘Let’s take our drop, let’s get our yardage,'” Toms said. “My caddie Scott [Gneiser] said ‘Hey man, we’re alright. Let’s hit a good shot here.'”

Toms only had five bogeys over the 72 holes and three of those came on the 18th. After a drop, his approach missed right but he got up-and-down for bogey and that was enough, as Toms closed with a 68 to finish at 15 under and beat Robert Karlsson by a shot. Toms (68-65-68) posted 19 birdies over three days and besides the first-place check, he also won a gold Conquistador helmet, which is the trophy for the tournament.

He sounded excited to be able to bring that home.

“It’s just kinda one of those things. I’ve always paid attention to it, saw the funny pictures of the guys putting it on their heads. I can tell you that my caddie’s got no chance to fit it on his head,” Toms quipped.

David Toms poses with the trophy after winning the 2023 Cologuard Classic at Omni Tucson National in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Gene Sauers had the best round Sunday with a 64 and tied Mark Hensby for third at 12 under. Doug Barron finished solo fifth at 11 under. Lee Janzen and Marco Dawson tied for sixth at 10 under.

Other notables this week:

Steve Stricker: Tied for eighth (70-66-71)
Brett Quigley: First-round leader bounced back from a second-round 73 with a closing 69
Miguel Angel Jimenez: Tournament’s defending champion shot 70-70-69 to finish 7 under.
Bernhard Langer: A Champions tour record 46th win will have to wait, as he shot 72-68-70 to tie for 19th
Jerry Kelly: tournament ambassador also tied for 19th.

New venue in 2024

The Cologuard Classic announced Sunday that the event will have a new home next season, as the Jack Nicklaus-designed La Paloma Country Club will be the host venue in 2024. The private club is about 10 miles northwest of this year’s locale, Tucson National, which hosted since 2015.

Cologuard had previously announced an extension of its title sponsorship of the event through 2027.

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David Toms cards nine birdies, takes two-shot lead at Cologuard Classic

“I thought it might be one of those days where I could go really low.”

David Toms shot a 7-under 65 on Saturday to jump into the lead at the 2023 Cologuard Classic.

Toms opened with consecutive birdies and made the turn with a 6-under 30. He birdied Nos. 10, 14 and 17 but had bogeys on Nos. 16 to 18 to finish 36 holes at 11 under at Omni Tucson National in Tucson, Arizona.

“Front nine, obviously when you shoot 6-under par first nine, a lot of things went well. I made a couple nice putts, but I hit a lot of nice shots, kept the ball in play, got pretty hot in the beginning actually,” Toms said. “I thought it might be one of those days where I could go really low.”

Toms last won at the 2021 Ascension Charity Classic in St. Louis in a playoff.

“Certainly you can’t ever really get ahead of yourself. Back when I used to win a fairly good amount on the [PGA] Tour, I just never really thought about winning too much, I went out there and played golf and it just kind of happened,” Toms said. “Tomorrow I’ll have to obviously play aggressive when you can because there’s a lot of guys out there, you saw a lot of good scores today. The weather’s going to be nice again, so it will be another day where I’ll have to be hot, but why not?”

Robert Karlsson is two shots back after his second-round 64. Steve Stricker is in solo third at 8 under after shooting a 66.

Chris DiMarco posted a 63, the round of the week so far, to get into a tie for fourth alongside Alex Cejka and Retief Goosen.

First-round leader Brett Quigley stumbled to a 73 on Saturday. He opened with a bogey, had birdies on Nos. 8 and 9 and then closed with back-to-back bogeys.

Bernhard Langer, tied with Hale Irwin for the most wins in Champions tour history with 45, is tied for 15th after rounds of 72 and 68. He will start the final round Sunday seven shots back.

Another milestone for @BernhardLanger6 🌟

1,000 rounds on the Champions Tour achieved at @CologuardGolf. pic.twitter.com/rjN2jxHhO0

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) March 4, 2023

Langer did celebrate a Champions tour milestone, playing in his 1,000th round Saturday.

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PGA Tour Champions Q school grad Brian Cooper a shot off lead at Cologuard Classic

Brian Cooper was 17 shots better Friday than his last outing on the PGA Tour Champions.

TUCSON, Ariz. — Padraig Harrington and Steven Alker made all the headlines the last time the PGA Tour Champions visited Arizona.

Harrington won the Charles Schwab Cup Championship at Phoenix Country Club, while Alker claimed his first season-long points title.

Fast forward the calendar three months and neither golfer is in the field this week at the Cologuard Classic. Champions tour stalwarts Steve Stricker (2-under 70), Miguel Angel Jimenez (2-under 70) and Bernhard Langer (even par 72) were well off the pace after 18 holes.

Add it all up and the door is cracked open for others to make a move, including 2022 Champions tour Q school grad Brian Cooper.

Cooper fired a 6-under 66 Friday in his seventh round on the tour this season and 34th round overall. It’s his lowest score to date. He was one of the five survivors of Q school last November and the 55-year-old came into Tucson with rounds of 78-83-77-77-84-83 in his first six outings in 2023.

Some of that he chalked up to his equipment, which he said he takes full responsibility for. He also suffered a pinched nerve in his neck two weeks ago.

So far this week, however, everything is firing on all cylinders.

“Living in Arizona, I mean, this week, playing well this week would really mean a lot,” he said. “I’m going to have family here, friends here. This week would really mean a lot.”

Playing the back nine first, he birdied Nos. 12 and 16 and then eagled the 17th. He had three more birdies on the front nine before closing with three straight pars.

“I think the way I hit it today, it’s kind of indicative of the way I’ve been hitting it and that’s what I expect out of myself. Whether it’s 66 or not, I expect to hit the ball good and give myself opportunities,” Cooper said. “In the first two weeks, honestly, I had zero opportunities. So this is what I expect of myself not only this week but the entire year.”

Cooper is a shot off the lead of Brett Quigley, who had the best round Friday with a 7-under 65, the day after the golf course was blanketed under a thick layer of snow.

“I loved it. I felt like I was a little kid yesterday,” he said. “I hadn’t seen snow in so long. It was a fun morning. The guys building the snowman out there on the driving range and driving in, seeing all that snow, it was like being a kid again.”

Brett Quigley was 0-for-his-careeer on the PGA Tour (408 starts) but won his second-ever start on the Champions tour three years ago.

Among the four tied for second with Cooper is John Huston, whose lone Champions win came 12 years ago. He knows it’s too early to start thinking about the winner’s circle just yet.

“I’m too smart for that. I know it’s a long ways to go,” Huston said.

Kirk Triplett also shot a 66. Alex Cejka is solo fifth at 5 under. Tournament ambassador Jerry Kelly, Marco Dawson, Ken Duke, David Toms and Mike Weir are tied for sixth at 5 under after shooting 67s.

John Daly, in the field on a sponsor exemption, shot an 81 and is tied for last with Gary Hallberg.

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