KA‘UPULEHU-KONA – 54 holes just weren’t enough.
Even after 55 holes at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, a champion hadn’t been crowned. Only after two playoff holes did Miguel Angel Jiménez finally defeat Steven Alker to claim the 2022 Mitsubishi Electric Championship.
“It’s a nice way to start a season,” said Jiménez. “It’s nice to be here winning again in Hualalai.”
Tied at 17-under, the 58-year-old Jiménez outlasted Alker to claim the makau hook trophy a record-tying third time, matching World Golf Hall of Famer Bernhard Langer. It was also the second time Jiménez won via playoff; his second victory in 2020 came in a three-man playoff against Ernie Els and Fred Couples.
After both golfers birdied the 18th hole in regulation to force the playoff, a pair of pars were all it took for the Spaniard to earn the victory. Alker’s second shot on the second playoff at hole No. 18 fell in the bunker to the left of the green, and the New Zealander wasn’t able to save par to force a third playoff hole.
“It was a poor bunker shot,” said Alker of the second playoff hole. “I feel like I’m a pretty good bunker player, so it was a hard shot and yeah, I hit a poor putt… It was fun to get in position and have a chance.”
Alker and Jiménez overcame slow starts on Saturday – both were only 1-under on the front nine – to force the playoff. Each golfer was 5-under on the back nine. Alker’s spot in second place marks his 10th top-10 finish in 11 PGA Tour Champions starts. The Hualalai newcomer was the lone player in the field this year to not record a single bogey through all three rounds of regulation.
In the lead group, Vijay Singh appeared to be in position to claim the makau hook trophy for the first time after sinking a birdie on hole No. 10, giving him a two-stroke lead. Bogeys on two of his next three holes, however, ultimately cost him the chance to join Jiménez and Alker in the playoff.
The low round of the day went to Jerry Kelly, who hit seven birdies and an eagle in his 7-under round on Saturday.
Saturday’s victory marked the 11th PGA Tour Champions victory for Jiménez, who now sets off to the United Arab Emirates to compete in the 2022 Dubai Desert Classic.
PGA CHAMPIONS TOUR
Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai
Saturday
Ka’upulehu-Kona, Hawaii
Purse: $2 million
Hualalai Golf Course
Yardage: 7,107; Par: 72
Final Round
1 Miguel Angel Jiménez* -17 67-66-66 199
2 Steven Alker -17 66-67-66 199
T-3 Vijay Singh -16 65-67-68 200
T-3 Stephen Ames -16 66-66-68 200
5 David Toms -15 67-68-66 201
T-6 Retief Goosen -14 66-67-69 202
T-6 Ernie Els -14 64-68-70 202
T-8 Jim Furyk -12 67-66-71 204
T-8 Brett Quigley -12 67-66-71 204
T-10 Corey Pavin -11 69-69-67 205
T-10 Bernhard Langer -11 66-71-68 205
T-12 Jerry Kelly -10 71-70-65 206
T-12 Shane Bertsch -10 68-67-71 206
T-14 Paul Broadhurst -9 69-70-68 207
T-14 Darren Clarke -9 66-72-69 207
T-14 Doug Barron -9 69-68-70 207
T-17 Lee Janzen-8 68-71-69 208
T-17 Scott Parel -8 70-66-72 208
T-19 Joe Durant -7 70-73-66 209
T-19 Mike Weir-7 69-72-68 209
T-19 K.J. Choi -7 67-70-72 209
T-19 Ken Tanigawa -7 71-67-71 209
T-23 Jeff Sluman -6 69-68-73 210
T-23 Jeff Maggert -6 67-70-73 210
T-25 Rocco Mediate -5 74-69-68 211
T-25 Cameron Beckman -5 68-72-71 211
27 John Daly -4 72-69-71 212
T-28 Rod Pampling -2 70-73-71 214
T-28 Jay Haas -2 69-74-71 214
T-28 Mark Calcavecchia -2 72-71-71 214
T-28 Mark O’Meara -2 72-68-74 214
T-32 Fred Funk -1 72-71-72 215
T-32 Michael Allen -1 67-71-77 215
T-34 Alex Cejka E 71-73-72 216
T-34 Scott McCarron E 73-73-70 216
T-34 David Duval E 74-70-72 216
T-34 Olin Browne E 71-71-74 216
T-34 Dicky Pride E 68-68-80 216
T-39 Larry Mize +3 71-77-71 219
T-39 Tom Lehman +3 73-71-75 219
41 Tom Watson +8 78-69-77 224
42 Stephen Dodd +12 85-68-75 228
*Jiménez defeated Alker in two-hole playoff
