Tag: Tucson National

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.

2023 Cologuard Classic
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.

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.”

2023 Cologuard Classic
Snow covers Tucson National in Arizona on Thursday, March 2, 2023, ahead of the 2023 Cologuard Classic. (Photo: Cologuard Classic)

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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Photos: Snow blankets Tucson National ahead of PGA Tour Champions Cologuard Classic

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

A winter storm moved in over Arizona on Wednesday and by Thursday morning, the green fairways at Tucson National Golf Club, host venue for the 2023 Cologuard Classic on the PGA Tour Champions, were blanketed white with snow.

The golf course sits at about 2,300-foot elevation. The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory Wednesday evening that said the Tucson area was likely to get 1-to-3 inches of snow, with areas above 6,000 feet likely to get as much as 16 inches.

“It’s pretty, very pretty. Holy cow, the mountains look beautiful,” said Steve Stricker, who held his pre-tournament news conference just after lunch Thursday. “It doesn’t look so good on the golf course when you’re trying to play. But at least we’re getting out there today, we’ll see some of it somehow, either par 3, scramble or play nine holes. Yeah, it was something different to wake up to, for sure.”

The pro-ams scheduled for Thursday were adjusted to nine holes, starting at noon and 3 p.m. local time (2 p.m. and 5 p.m. ET).

The start of the tournament’s first round on Friday is expected to begin as scheduled, with the first tee time at 10:08 a.m. local time.

Miguel Angel Jimenez, who had two aces a year in the event, is the defending champion.

Bernhard Langer, tied for most PGA Tour Champions wins with 45, can break the record long held by Hale Irwin if he wins the 54-hole event Sunday.

Phil Mickelson on Tiger Woods: ‘We’re thankful he’s still with us’

Phil Mickelson was asked about Tiger Woods on Thursday at Omni Tucson National ahead of the PGA Tour Champions Cologuard Classic.

TUCSON, Ariz. — Like the rest of the golf world, Phil Mickelson says he’s grateful that Tiger Woods is still alive.

Mickelson finished his pro-am round on Thursday at the Omni Tucson National Golf Course ahead of the PGA Tour Champions Cologuard Classic and then met the media, with the first question being about Woods, who was injured in a single-car accident on Tuesday morning in Los Angeles.

“All the guys here understand and appreciate what he has meant to the game of golf and for us and the PGA Tour,” he said. “We all are very appreciative and supportive of what he’s done for us, but right now that’s so far from our minds.

“And I thought Rory McIlroy really said it well when he said that we’re just lucky and appreciative that his kids didn’t lose their father. We all are hoping and praying for a full and speedy recovery, but we’re also thankful, because that looked awful, and we’re thankful he’s still with us.”

Mickelson, who is seeking to become the first player to win his first three starts on PGA Tour Champions this week, was later asked about how his relationship with Woods changed over the years.

“We we were opponents. … You know, competing against each other for quite some time,” Mickelson said. “Then we started working together to try to get the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup team events, to get our players to play our best, and then we became partners in developing a couple of matches. It’s been fun to be able to work with him. Again, I realize, just like all the guys here do, how much he’s meant to the game of golf and the growth and getting us off the back page and onto the front page. We’ve all benefited from him.

“It has really evolved from competing against each other to working with each other.”

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Phil Mickelson on Tiger Woods: ‘We’re thankful he’s still with us’

Phil Mickelson was asked about Tiger Woods on Thursday at Omni Tucson National ahead of the PGA Tour Champions Cologuard Classic.

TUCSON, Ariz. — Like the rest of the golf world, Phil Mickelson says he’s grateful that Tiger Woods is still alive.

Mickelson finished his pro-am round on Thursday at the Omni Tucson National Golf Course ahead of the PGA Tour Champions Cologuard Classic and then met the media, with the first question being about Woods, who was injured in a single-car accident on Tuesday morning in Los Angeles.

“All the guys here understand and appreciate what he has meant to the game of golf and for us and the PGA Tour,” he said. “We all are very appreciative and supportive of what he’s done for us, but right now that’s so far from our minds.

“And I thought Rory McIlroy really said it well when he said that we’re just lucky and appreciative that his kids didn’t lose their father. We all are hoping and praying for a full and speedy recovery, but we’re also thankful, because that looked awful, and we’re thankful he’s still with us.”

Mickelson, who is seeking to become the first player to win his first three starts on PGA Tour Champions this week, was later asked about how his relationship with Woods changed over the years.

“We were opponents. … You know, competing against each other for quite some time,” Mickelson said. “Then we started working together to try to get the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup team events, to get our players to play our best, and then we became partners in developing a couple of matches. It’s been fun to be able to work with him. Again, I realize, just like all the guys here do, how much he’s meant to the game of golf and the growth and getting us off the back page and onto the front page. We’ve all benefited from him.

“It has really evolved from competing against each other to working with each other.”

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Phil Mickelson won a PGA Tour event as an amateur on this day 30 years ago

In a career chock full of major milestones, there is one Phil Mickelson accomplishment that still stands 30 years later.

In a career chock-full of major milestones, there is one Phil Mickelson accomplishment that has stood the test of time for three decades.

On Jan. 13, 1991, Mickelson won the Northern Telecom Open in Tucson, Arizona, as an amateur. He remains the last amateur to win a PGA Tour event.

Lefty, then 20, was a junior at Arizona State and made the 90-minute drive south to Tucson National, where he won by a shot over Tom Purtzer and Bob Tway.

Mickelson saw his one-shot lead in the final round turn into a three-shot deficit after a triple-bogey 8 on the par-5 14th hole.

“I never thought I’d see anyone come back from something like that,” said Corey Pavin, who played with Lefty in the final group that day.

But Mickelson rallied with birdies on two of the final three holes. He also got some help when Purtzer double-bogeyed the final hole.

The win was the first of 44 PGA Tour titles for Mickelson, who returned to Tucson to win two more times as a professional, in 1995 and 1996. In ’96, it was again Tway who was runner-up, this time by two strokes.

Phil Mickelson Northern Telecom
Phil Mickelson won the Northern Telecom Open at Tucson National Resort and Spa in Tucson, Arizona, on Jan. 22, 1995, as an amateur at Arizona State. He is the last amateur to win a PGA Tour event. Photo by Kevin Warren/PGA TOUR Archive

The first-place check in 1991 was $180,000, which Mickelson could not accept as an amateur.

“Money is not a problem,” he told the Associated Press. “I’m on a scholarship and my folks help me.”

Only five other golfers have won a Tour event as an amateur. Before Mickelson, the last one to do so was Scott Verplank at the 1985 Western Open when he beat Jim Thorpe in a playoff at Butler National Golf Club in Oak Brook, Illinois. Prior to that, it was Doug Sanders at the 1956 Canadian Open.

Three months after Mickelson won in Tucson, he was low amateur at the Masters. He came up short at the NCAAs a month after that but won his third individual national championship in 1992 before embarking on his pro career.

Amateurs who have won a PGA Tour event

  • 1945 – Fred Haas, Memphis Invitational
  • 1945 – Cary Middlecoff, North & South Open
  • 1945 – Frank Stranahan, Durham War Bond Tournament
  • 1948 – Frank Stranahan, Miami Open
  • 1954 – Gene Littler, San Diego Open
  • 1956 – Doug Sanders, Canadian Open
  • 1985 – Scott Verplank, Western Open
  • 1991 – Phil Mickelson, Northern Telecom Open

Source: pgatour.com