CARY — Rod Pampling of Australia had to play 33 holes Sunday in the rain-delayed SAS Championship at Prestwood Country Club, and it was worth every step when he finished off a 68 and then closed with a 5-under 67 for his second career PGA Tour Champions title.
The SAS Championship was the final tournament before the Charles Schwab Cup playoffs begin for the top 72 players. Pampling’s victory moved him up 13 spots to No. 17.
David Duval shot 71 and tied for 11th, just enough for him to move up seven spots and finish at No. 71 in the Schwab Cup to qualify for the postseason.
Pampling finished with a bogey for a two-shot victory over Steven Alker, who moved up to No. 2 in the standings behind Steve Stricker.
The Australian finished off 15 holes of the second round in the morning with back-to-back birdies, and then he played bogey-free in the final round until the end, when it only affected his margin of victory.
“I just walked as slow as I could,” Pampling said. “It was a long day. We knew what we were going to be in for. Just eat the food, take your time. Thankfully, it wasn’t too quick out there.”
Pampling had a one-shot lead over Alker, Paul Broadhurst and Vijay Singh when the second round was finished. Singh and Broadhurst fell back early in the final round, and Pampling had three birdies in a four-hole stretch around the turn to seize control.
“We’ve been working hard,” Pampling said. “We got rid of our bad stuff about a month-and-a-half ago. Been closer and closer and this week it was just a great ball-striking week, putting well, everything. It’s a great feeling to win again.”
Ernie Els had a 68 and tied for third with Mario Tiziani, who closed with a 65.
Tiziani, the brother-in-law of Stricker, split time this year playing on the PGA Tour Champions, managing his wife’s brother and occasionally caddying for Stricker. He made it to the postseason for the second straight year and starts out at No. 42.
