Seventh place was a popular landing pad in the PGA Tour Champions’ Hoag Classic in Newport Beach, Calif. Six players finished there at 10 strokes under par, including Darren Clarke and Padraig Harrington. Three strokes separated them from champion Ernie Els.
Clarke’s and Harrington’s scores had a certain symmetry about them. Clarke signed to rounds of 66, 68 and 69, while Harrington posted 69, 68 and 66.
The highlight for Clarke was holing out for eagle from the fairway at the 11th hole on Friday. As for Harrington, he played his final 29 holes without a bogey but was unable to close the gap on Els, who shot a closing 65.
The action stays in California this week as the Galleri Classic tees off in Rancho Mirage.
DP WORLD TOUR
Tom McKibbin continues to play at a high level. He produced his fifth top-20 finish of the season, taking a share of 18th place in the SDC Championship in Eastern Cape, South Africa.
McKibbin dug a deep hole for himself with an opening 76, combining only two birdies with as many bogeys and double bogeys. He found his stride during Friday’s 65, when he played the back nine in 29 – five birdies and an eagle.
The weekend yielded rounds of 72 and 69, which left him six strokes under par for the event and a dozen off the winning standard set by Matthew Baldwin.
McKibbin stands 72nd on the Race to Dubai. The Tour stays in South Africa for this week’s Jonsson Workwear Open.
