Thomas Bjorn of Denmark drained a long birdie putt on the first playoff hole to win the Stifel Charity Classic on Sunday in St. Louis.
Bjorn defeated Australia’s Cameron Percy after both finished 12-under-par 201 through 54 holes at Norwood Hills Country Club. When they replayed the par-4 18th hole, Bjorn landed his drive in a fairway bunker and wound up farther from the hole than Percy after their second shots.
But Bjorn’s putt tracked perfectly into the hole, and Percy could not match him to extend the playoff.
“Well, it broke a little bit more right to left than I thought, but missing all them putts all day long, a bit yesterday as well, it was a good time to hole a long one,” Bjorn said. “Playoffs are funny, I was kind of very tense the last four or five holes about everything, but when you get in a playoff it’s almost like, well, that’s it, you can just let it go.”
That gave the 54-year-old Dane his first individual title on the PGA Tour Champions, three months after he teamed with Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke to win the American Family Insurance Championship team event.
“I played so well this year,” Bjorn said. “I got close in a few of the majors and I think when you’re in those senior major championships where you’re going up against some really strong guys that eventually you’re going to get over the line, eventually something’s going to go your way.”
After starting the day one shot off the lead held by Alex Cejka of Germany and Stewart Cink, Bjorn posted a 4-under 67 for his final round. He had a busy front nine with four birdies and two bogeys, but birdies at the par-3 10th and par-5 15th helped push him to 12 under.
Meanwhile, Percy had the round of the day, a 7-under 64, to rocket up the leaderboard. He eagled the par-5 second hole and had a run of three birdies at Nos. 7-9.
He added four more birdies in the final seven holes, sinking a putt at No. 18 to get in the clubhouse at 12 under.
“I felt really good going out, played really nicely,” Percy said. “I made one at 16 that was pretty lucky, I missed a short one on 17, then made one on 18 to force a playoff.
“Then I was a bit conservative I guess with a wedge shot. I just thought, ‘The ball’s by my feet, it might go a bit left,’ and it didn’t. Then Thomas holed a nice putt and I didn’t, so he’s the winner.”
Cejka missed a chance to be in the playoff. He made birdie at No. 17 but gave it back with a bogey at No. 18, settling for a round of 69 and a third-place finish at 11 under.
Heath Slocum (66) and Paul Stankowski (69) tied for fourth at 10 under. Cink struggled to a 72 and finished alone in eighth at 8 under.
