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Vijay Singh comes from behind for first Champions Tour victory in 5 years at The Ally Challenge

Vijay Singh erased a deficit to win The Ally Challenge, marking the first time he won a Champions Tour event since 2018.

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Three-time major champion Vijay Singh came from behind to win The Ally Challenge, his first Champions Tour victory in almost five years.

He carded a 4-under 68 Sunday to finish at 14-under par, one stroke ahead of three-time PGA Tour winner Jeff Maggert.

“It was a long time coming,” Singh said after his victory. “Whenever I tee it up on the Champions Tour, I have a chance to win. I’ve been working really hard... So I’m really happy with this win, and I look forward to the next events. I think my game’s coming around and this was the start of it.”

Singh’s last victory came at the 2018 Charles Schwab Cup Championship at the Phoenix Country Club.

But he won Sunday thanks to a collapse from Paul Goydos, the 36-hole leader at The Ally Challenge.

At the par-3 17th, only 155 yards, Goydos made a costly triple bogey. He held the lead at 15-under but quickly plunged back to 12-under at the penultimate hole.

“I saw [Goydos] hitting it on the fairways,” Singh said of Goydos. “I said okay, back there I still have a chance. Then I looked at the scoreboard, I was [14-under], and Jeff was [13-under], and no Goydos. So I’m surprised what he did there.”

If golf fans recall, Goydos held the 54-hole lead at the 2008 Players Championship. But in that final round, Goydos shot a 2-over 74, which forced a playoff with Sergio Garcia .

The lone playoff hole happened to be the famous par-3 17th at TPC Sawgrass, where Goydos plunked his shot into the water. Garcia went on to win, which marked the biggest victory of his career before he won the 2017 Masters .

Goydos, meanwhile, never won again on the PGA Tour but did manage to claim five PGA Tour Champions events.

Funny enough, before this week, Singh had five victories on the PGA Tour Champions too. And because Goydos collapsed on the 17th—as he did all those years ago at TPC Sawgrass—Singh was left in the winner’s circle.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.

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Complete | PGA TOUR Champions

The Galleri Classic

Mission Hills Country Club

Rancho Mirage, California

Mar 29 - 1 Apr , 2024

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Champions Tour - News, Highlights, Scores, Stats and Analysis

Ames wins seventh career Champions Tour event

Stephen Ames captured his seventh PGA Tour Champions title on Sunday without hitting a shot when the final round of the Chubb Classic was canceled because of a massive storm system moving across Florida.

Two-time Masters champ Langer announces '24 tournament will be his last

Bernhard Langer will make his 41st and final start at Augusta National Golf Club during this year's tournament, the German golfer announced on Wednesday.

Alker holds on to win PGA Tour Champions finale, $1 million payoff

Steven Alker had to get up-and-down for par on the last three holes for a 1-under 70 that allowed him to hang on and win the Charles Schwab Cup Championship on Sunday and a payoff of just over $1 million.

Alker with a 65 builds four-shot lead in PGA Tour Champions finale

Steven Alker pulled away from the pack Saturday with a 6-under 65, finishing with a birdie that extended his lead to four shots going into the final round of the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

Alker, Dawson tied for Schwab Cup lead on PGA Tour Champions

Steven Alker and Marco Dawson each made birdie on the par-5 18th hole Friday and each posted a 7-under 64 to share the lead in the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

Harrington wins TimberTech Championship by seven strokes

Padraig Harrington ran away with the TimberTech Championship on Sunday for his second PGA Tour Champions title of the year, birdieing six of the first seven holes in a seven-stroke victory.

Jaidee outlasts Leonard in playoff to win at Pebble Beach

Thongchai Jaidee won his second PGA Tour Champions title, beating Justin Leonard on the fourth playoff hole in the Pure Insurance Championship on Sunday when Leonard hooked his tee shot into a penalty area abutting the Pacific Ocean on the par-5 18th at Pebble Beach.

Flesch matches career-low with 62, rallies for Champions Tour win

Steve Flesch put all parts of his game together Sunday and matched his career-low on the PGA Tour Champions with a 9-under 62 that took him from a two-shot deficit to a three-shot victory in the Ascension Charity Classic.

Ames captures Boeing Classic for fourth Champions victory of year

Stephen Ames opened and closed with eagles Sunday in a runaway victory in the Boeing Classic, his fourth PGA Tour Champions win of the season.

Cejka wins playoff with Harrington at wet and windy Senior British Open

Germany’s Alex Cejka prevailed over Ireland’s Padraig Harrington on the second playoff hole to win the Senior British Open at Royal Porthcawl on Sunday.

Jimenez takes first-round lead at Senior British Open

Miguel Angel Jimenez shot a 5-under 66 to take the first-round lead at the Senior British Open on Thursday, five years after he became the first Spaniard to win the tournament.

Molinari in three-way tie for clubhouse lead at BMW International Open

Ryder Cup vice-captain Edoardo Molinari was in a three-way tie for the clubhouse lead after the first round of the BMW International Open was suspended for the day by the threat of lightning.

Daly confirms participation in Calgary's 2023 Shaw Charity Classic

Two-time major championship winner John Daly has confirmed he will play in the 2023 Shaw Charity Classic from Aug. 14-20, the tournament announced Tuesday.

Harrington shoots 8-under 64 for early lead at Senior PGA Championship

Padraig Harrington shot 8-under 64 in the first competitive round at the new Texas headquarters of the PGA of America for an early two-shot lead at the Senior PGA Championship on Thursday.

Stricker wins second straight Regions Tradition championship

Steve Stricker tied the Regions Tradition record with a 23-under 265, including Sunday's closing 65, and ran away with his second straight championship at the PGA Tour Champions major by six strokes over Ernie Els and Robert Karlsson.

Karlsson, defending champ Stricker share 54-hole lead at Regions Tradition

Robert Karlsson and defending champion Steve Stricker surged into the lead Saturday at the Regions Tradition, with Karlsson shooting a 9-under 63 to match the low score since this PGA Tour Champions major moved to its current venue.

Canada's Ames sets new goals after second win of Champions Tour season

After nearly four decades as a professional golfer, Stephen Ames is past the idea of setting goals for a season. Instead, his hopes are just to keep doing more.

Canadian Ames gets second Champions Tour win of season

Stephen Ames capped off his dominant week on the TPC Sugarloaf with a 4-under 68 on Sunday that gave him the tournament scoring record and a four-shot victory in the Mitsubishi Electric Classic.

Toms claims Galleri for second Champions win of the season

David Toms fired a 7-under 65 Sunday for a four-stroke, wire-to-wire win at The Galleri Classic to become the first two-time winner on the PGA Tour Champions this season.

Els win on PGA Tour Champions, denies Langer record title

Ernie Els kept making birdies no matter how he gripped the putter Sunday, and it carried him to a 6-under 65 to win the Hoag Classic and deny Bernhard Langer a chance at setting the career victory mark on the PGA Tour Champions.

Toms wins Cologuard Classic on PGA Tour Champions

David Toms got up-and-down for his third bogey of the week on the par-4 18th hole at Tucson National on Sunday to beat Robert Karlsson by one stroke in the Cologuard Classic on the PGA Tour Champions.

Langer wins 45th Champions title to tie Irwin's victory mark

Bernhard Langer matched Hale Irwin's PGA Tour Champions victory record of 45 on Sunday, winning the Chubb Classic for the fifth time.

Alker claims Schwab Cup by finishing third behind Harrington

Steven Alker shot 3-under 68 to finish third behind record-setting Padraig Harrington in the Charles Schwab Cup Championship on Sunday, completing his climb from career journeyman to champion of the PGA Tour Champions.

Harrington takes five-shot lead over Alker at Schwab Cup

Padraig Harrington shot a 9-under 62 to take a five-shot lead over Steven Alker in the third round of the Charles Schwab Cup Championship on Saturday.

Langer wins 44th on Champions to get within one of record

Bernhard Langer broke his own record as the oldest winner on the PGA Tour Champions with a 6-under 66 for a six-shot victory Sunday in the TimberTech Championship, leaving the 65-year-old German one win away from matching the career record.

Langer beats age again with 63 for PGA Tour Champions lead

The ageless Bernhard Langer beat his age by two shots Saturday with a 9-under 63, giving him a one-shot lead over Paul Goydos in the TimberTech Championship and a chance to move closer to the PGA Tour Champions record for career wins.

Stricker wins for the fourth time this year on Champions tour

Steve Stricker followed his plan to perfection Sunday until the final hole, and by then it didn't matter. He closed with a 3-under 69 for a two-shot victory in the Constellation Furyk & Friends, his fourth PGA Tour Champions title this year.

Flesch wins PGA Tour Champions event at Pebble Beach

Steve Flesch birdied the 18th hole at Pebble Beach on Sunday to win the Pure Insurance Championship, his second PGA Tour Champions victory of the season.

Harrington wins in St. Louis for third PGA Tour Champions win

Padraig Harrington built a comfortable lead and even a few mistakes at the end couldn't keep him from winning the Ascension Charity Classic on Sunday for his third title this year on the PGA Tour Champions.

Harrington leads Ascension Charity Classic

Padraig Harrington bogeyed the final hole Saturday for a 5-under 66, leaving him just a stroke ahead of Steve Stricker and Bernhard Langer with a round lead in the Ascension Charity Classic.

Langer, Harrington lead PGA Tour Champions in St. Louis

Bernhard Langer holed out for eagle from 76 yards on the opening hole and shot his age for the second time this year with a 6-under 65 for a share of the lead with Padraig Harrington in the Ascension Charity Classic.

Jimenez wins Boeing Classic for third win of year

Miguel Angel Jimenez won the Boeing Classic on Sunday for his third PGA Tour Champions victory of the season, closing with a 5-under 67 to hold off David McKenzie by two strokes.

Jimenez, Andrade share Boeing Classic lead

Miguel Angel Jimenez shot an 8-under 64 on Saturday for a share of the Boeing Classic lead with Billy Andrade. Jimenez had a bogey-free round to match Andrade at 10-under 134 at The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge.

Kelly wins Shaw Classic in one-hole playoff with Huston

Jerry Kelly beat John Huston in a one-hole playoff on Sunday to win the Shaw Charity Classic at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club.

Last-hole birdie gives Clarke victory at Senior British Open

Darren Clarke birdied the last hole to beat a resurgent Padraig Harrington and win the Senior British Open by one shot on Sunday.

Clarke, Broadhurst tied for 9-under at Senior British Open

Darren Clarke's bid for a first senior major title wobbled as he lost his overnight two-shot lead at the Senior British Open and Paul Broadhurst pulled level at 9 under overall after the third round on Saturday.

Ames shares lead with Day at Senior British Open

Glen Day converted an 8-foot eagle putt at the par-5 18th at The King’s Course to match Stephen Ames’ bogey-free 6-under 64. The 56-year-old American, who said he arrived in Scotland with “nothing,” didn’t feel he hit it well with his new driver or putter all day.

Kelly, Cejka share lead at Firestone in Senior Players

Jerry Kelly shot a 5-under 65 on Saturday for a share of the third-round lead with Alex Cejka in the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship.

Alker takes share of lead in Senior Players Championship

Steven Alker shot a bogey-free 4-under 66 on Friday for a share of the second-round lead in the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship with Joe Durant, Tim Petrovic and Alex Cejka.

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The PGA Tour Champions will begin its 44th season this week in Hawaii, and there is an abundance of storylines to keep an eye on this year.

Steven Alker, the reigning Charles Schwab Cup winner, looks to continue his Cinderella run in 2023, which will be his second full season on tour. The 51-year-old New Zealander, who won four times in ’22, is looking to become the first repeat Schwab Cup champion since Bernhard Langer claimed the title in three consecutive years from 2014-16.

Speaking of Langer, he’s staring at history.

The 65-year-old German, who became the tour’s oldest-ever winner last season, has 44 senior tour titles — one victory away from tying Hale Irwin’s all-time record. Langer has strung together 10 straight multi-win seasons, and if the two-time Masters champion makes it 11 in 2023, he’ll sit alone at the top.

Langer is defying time. He finished sixth last year in the cup standings and won it in ’21. Father Time, however, is ultimately undefeated, and in November, days before winning the TimberTech Championship, Langer said he’s “closer” to retirement, but isn’t ready to shelve his clubs just yet.

Some of Langer’s biggest challengers for a seventh Schwab Cup will be 2021 Ryder Cup captains Steve Stricker, 55, and Padraig Harrington, 51, who both tied Alker for the most wins (four) in ’22. Stricker notched that feat despite missing nearly half of the season recovering from a mysterious illness.

Jerry Kelly, Fred Couples, Thongchai Jaidee, Retief Goosen, Darren Clarke, Steve Flesch and Miguel Angel Jiménez, who led the circuit last year in top-10s with 16, hope to follow up strong seasons. Ernie Els, Mike Weir, David Toms, K.J. Choi, Alex Cejka, Stephen Ames and 2021 Rookie of the Year Jim Furyk are looking to take home a trophy after a winless ’22.

Second-year players Y.E. Yang, Ken Duke, Tim Petrovic, Brian Gay and Robert Karlsson are aiming for their maiden wins, while former world No. 1 David Duval hopes for a bounce-back sophomore campaign after his best finish last year in 21 events was a T-31.

Several years ago, Notah Begay III and Justin Leonard both traded in their clubs for a microphone. However, after turning 50 last year and getting their feet wet on the PGA Tour Champions, they both headline this year’s rookie class.

Leonard, the 1997 Open champion, last played full-time on the PGA Tour in 2015, but called it quits after failing to record a top-10 in consecutive seasons. Begay, a four-time Tour winner, made his final Tour-sanctioned start in 2013, as back injuries took a toll on him. They both competed a little last year on the senior set, with Begay playing twice and Leonard four times.

Both still plan to fulfill their broadcasting duties with Golf Channel and NBC Sports and hope their double schedule won’t wear them down as try to recapture glory on the course.

“It’s a little bit of a juggling act,” Leonard said in September, “but I knew going in and I enjoy both things. It’s a great crew at NBC, but I’ve really enjoyed also getting back into playing and practicing ... It’s something that I didn’t really know I had missed.”

“I’m trying to schedule around my kids’ birthday parties and basketball games and things like that,” Begay said in October. “My NBC schedule, obviously I’m going to do a little bit of television next year. I took a look at the schedule and looking at somewhere between 12 and 15 events and hopefully make some of the playoff events. It’s a pretty full docket for me and I’m going to require some good organization. Do you know anybody that can help me?”

Begay and Leonard, however, won’t be the only notable newbies on the over-50 circuit this season. There’s the five Q-School recipients, which include Tim O’Neal. Plus, Tour winners Boo Weekley, Jason Bohn, Daniel Chopra, Brian Bateman and Stewart Cink are expected to make their debuts this year.

“I will probably sprinkle in a few [PGA Tour Champions] events, but my plan is to focus on PGA Tour golf for a while,” Cink, the 2009 Open champion who turns 50 in May, said at December’s PNC Championship.

But every season, you never know whose golf career can be given a second lease on life.

In August 2021, Alker was virtually unknown, never recording a top-10 in 122 career Tour starts. However, shortly after turning 50, he Monday qualified for the Boeing Classic and finished T-7. With the top 10, he got into the following event and then recorded six straight top-10s before notching his maiden victory.

Now, playing alongside a slew of regular major winners, Alker is arguably the face of the tour entering 2023.

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Last week of March belongs to PGA Tour Champions in the desert now

If we are honest, the inaugural Galleri Classic last year felt, well, a little strange.

Not because the stars of the PGA Tour Champions were back in the desert after nearly 30 years. That felt like it should have happened years earlier, and it was a welcome addition to the desert golf scene.

But that was David Toms and Steven Alker and Steve Stricker out there on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course. Shouldn’t it be Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko and Brooke Henderson?

The phrase, “I miss the girls,” was uttered time and time again in the first year the Dinah Shore Tournament Course didn’t host an LPGA event since 1972. For everything that the PGA Tour Champions brought to Mission Hills Country Club, it was still a distinct change from the LPGA.

The LPGA’s history on the Shore Course crept into almost every aspect of the senior event, from trying to figure out differences in the golf course setup from the women to the seniors to constant questions about whether the senior winner would continue the LPGA tradition of the winner leaping into Poppie’s Pond next to the 18th green.

More: Bad back and all, Fred Couples hopes to keep playing Galleri Classic for a few more years

As the second year of the Galleri Classic is played this weekend, the seniors have started to take a firm grip on the dates and the golf course that for so long served the LPGA in the desert. In other words, the Galleri Classic is becoming its own golf event, not a replacement event for the LPGA.

Consider what has already happened this week in the second playing of the senior event at Mission Hills. Talk of a player jumping into the lake on Sunday has been limited to one or two hushed questions, far different from 2023 when there was from fans, but not the players, for a leap.

As defending champion David Toms said at the start of this week, “I had some guys, some of my fellow competitors, heckling me on the last hole wanting me to do it (last year), and I said we'll leave that to the girls because that was always a big thing for them at this tournament.”

Then there is the new Wall of Champions, separate from the Wall of Champions for the LPGA. The LPGA’s wall has plaques of 51 winners along the long wall bordering Poppie’s Pond. The new Galleri Classic Wall of Champions is on the bridge crossing the pond to the 18th green. It’s a nod to the past without being part of the past.

Players are loving the course

More importantly, the PGA Tour Champions players are seeing the course as their own, while acknowledging the LPGA’s storied history on the Shore Course.

“This is a great spot for us. It was a great spot for the ladies when they were here, and it's a good spot for us, too,” said Steve Stricker, the 2023 senior tour player of the year. “The whole setup is really nice. We're here at a good time of the year where weather is usually pretty good. The course is in great shape, the facilities here are really nice and yeah, the demographics, you know, it's a little bit older clientele just like we are so they can kind of relate to us.”

Everyone, from fans to officials to the players themselves, are now seeing the week as more of a senior tour week and less of an old LPGA week. That’s not to say that many fans don’t still miss the LPGA major and the golfers who played in it. Someday, if the desert is lucky, the LPGA might return to the desert, though very likely on another course.

But the desert is already lucky to have a PGA Tour Champions event in the desert and on a famed desert course that has proven already it can handle the differences between the top LPGA players and the top senior players quite nicely.

Yes, the LPGA and people in the desert need to work hard to bring the women pros back to the desert. And there will always be some fans who will say, “I miss the girls.”

At the same time, desert fans should continue embracing the PGA Tour Champions and the fact that the Shore Course is still being played by top pros on television. As Fred Couples said this week, “It's a great course, it really is.”

It’s great to have the PGA Tour Champions in town, too.

Larry Bohannan is the golf writer for The Desert Sun. You can contact him at (760) 778-4633 or at [email protected]. Follow him on Facebook or on Twitter at @larry_bohannan. Support local journalism. Subscribe to The Desert Sun.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: PGA Tour Champions taking control of last week of March in Palm Springs area

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Jon rahm's 2024 masters champions dinner brings liv golf, pga tour players together: 'we’re a fraternity', share this article.

AUGUSTA, Ga. — The Champions Dinner tipped its hat to Spain on Tuesday evening.

On what would’ve been the 67th birthday of Seve Ballesteros, the table of 33 champions welcomed its newest member — Jon Rahm — before flooding the room with memories of Augusta’s first European victor.

“It was a great night; an emotional night,” said Larry Mize, the 1987 winner. “Ben (Crenshaw) made sure that tonight was all about Jon, Seve and Jackie Burke.”

Rahm sat at the head of the table, side-by-side with Ben Crenshaw, marking the first time a LIV golfer played host to the dinner.

And even though the narrative of PGA Tour vs. LIV Golf remains heated to some, for one night, the sides united.

“We’re a fraternity,” said Crenshaw, who emcees the annual supper.

Added Charles Coody: “It couldn’t have been more congenial. Even Tom Watson at the very end of dinner, he stood from his chair and said how happy he was to see the camaraderie within our group. It was a wonderful night.”

Crenshaw, in his Texas drawl, opened the evening by welcoming Rahm to the Masters Club; he then gifted the Spaniard an inscribed gold locket in the form of the Club emblem.

Two years ago, at the 2022 Champions Dinner, Hideki Matsuyama stunned the table by reciting a speech in English, prompting Gary Player to toast in Japanese.

When asked earlier in the week about congratulating Jon Rahm in Spanish, Ben Crenshaw reflected on his Austin High School diploma.

“I took French,” said Crenshaw, laughing.

A Masters pin flag blows at the practice facility during the second round of the 2023 Masters. (Photo: Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Network)

From there, stories immersed the room about Seve.

Bernhard Langer orated a tale about the 1983 Ryder Cup at Palm Beach Gardens when Ballesteros struck a 3-wood out of a bunker from 230 yards onto the green.

Langer told the table that from the lie Seve had, no golfer — aside from Ballesteros — would’ve cleared the lip with anything less than a six iron.

Crenshaw also mentioned the passing of 1956 Masters Champion Jackie Burke.

Burke, who shared a Champions locker with Tiger Woods, died on Jan. 19, 10 days before his 101st birthday.

“God put me down here for a long spell,” Burke said on his 100th birthday.

Thirty-three past champions attended the dinner. The only two absent were Angel Cabrera and Sandy Lyle.

According to Mize, Lyle’s wife, Jolanda, was having inner ear problems, and the 1988 Masters winner elected to remain home.

“Jolanda tried to get Sandy to come,” Mize said. “But he didn’t want to come without her.”

As defending champ, Rahm selected the menu for Tuesday evening, with his spread giving homage to Spain’s Basque region.

The meal began with six options for tapas and pintxos, Spanish for starters, before offering two main courses: Chuleton a la Parrilla, a ribeye with Piquillo peppers, or Rodaballo al Pil-Pil, a fish dish with white asparagus.

José María Olazábal chose the fish. Craig Stadler ordered red meat.

Coody picked fish.

“I didn’t want to venture too far into no-man’s land,” Coody said.

According to multiple past winners, similar to last year, Phil Mickelson remained quiet, and despite being close to Rahm, he elected not to give a toast.

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Masters 2024: Prize money payouts at Augusta National

I t says something about what it means to compete in the Masters that players aren’t thinking twice about the fact they have no idea what the prize money payouts were this week at Augusta National before teeing off in the opening round. Club officials don’t officially announce the purse until after a cut is made in the tournament. Frankly, the chance to win a green jacket, a spot in the Champions Locker Room and a lifetime exemption into the major are enough reward to make it worth everybody’s while.

That said, the uncertainty was ended on Saturday when the club announced this year’s prize money payout. For the third straight year, the overall purse at the Masters increased, growing to $20 million with Sunday's runaway winner, Scottie Scheffler, earning $3.6 million. This brings it in line with the $20 million purses offered in the PGA Tour’s signature events as well as the $20 million paydays being played for individually on the LIV Golf circuit.

RELATED: A brief history of the Masters prize money payout

This year’s prize payout is a bump from the $18 million the Masters offered in 2023, and up from $15 million in 2022. Amazingly, too, it was only three years ago that the overall purse was just $12 million. That’s a 66-percent increase in just three years’ time.

The Masters now matches the U.S. Open as the top paying men’s major championship, with the USGA also paying $20 million in prize money during last year’s championship at LACC. The PGA Championship bumped up its purse last year at Oak Hill to $17.5 million and the Open Championship paid $16.5 million at Royal Liverpool in 2023. All the majors are currently dwarfed by the Players Championship, which paid out $25 million in March with winner Scottie Scheffler earning $4.5 million.

Below is how much will be paid out to everybody who made the cut this week at Augusta National.

Win: Scottie Scheffler, -11/277, $3,600,000

2: Ludvig Aberg, -7/281, $2,160,000

T-3: Tommy Fleetwood, -4/284, $1,040,000

T-3: Max Homa, -4/284 , $ 1,040,000

T-3: Collin Morikawa, -4/284 , $ 1,040,000

T-6: Cameron Smith, -2/286, $695,000

T-6: Bryson DeChambeau, -2/286, $695,000

8: Xander Schauffele, -1/287, $620,000

T-9: Will Zalatoris, E/288, $540,000

T-9: Tyrrell Hatton, E/288, $540,000

T-9: Cameron Young, E/288, $540,000

T-12: Matthieu Pavon, +1/289, $405,000

T-12: Patrick Reed, +1 /289 , $405,000

T-12: Adam Schenk, +1 /289 , $405,000

T-12: Cameron Davis, +1 /289 , $405,000

T-16: Sepp Straka, +2/290, $310,000

T-16: Chris Kirk, +2 /290 , $310,000

T-16: Byeong Hun An, +2 /290 , $310,000

T-16: Nicolai Hojgaard, +2 /290 , $310,000

T-20: Taylor Moore, +3/291, $250,000

T-20: Lucas Glover, +3/291, $250,000

T-22: Keegan Bradley, +4/292, $175,500

T-22: Min Woo Lee, +4 /292 , $175,500

T-22: Harris English, +4 /292 , $175,500

T-22: Adam Scott, +4 /292 , $175,500

T-22: Rory McIlroy, +4 /292 , $175,500

T-22: Joaquin Niemann, +4 /292 , $175,500

T-22: Matt Fitzpatrick, +4 /292 , $175,500

T-22: Patrick Cantlay, +4 /292 , $175,500

T-30: Tom Kim, +5/293, $124,200

T-30: Jason Day, +5 /293 , $124,200

T-30: S.W. Kim, +5 /293 , $124,200

T-30: J.T. Poston, +5 /293 , $124,200

T-30: Rickie Fowler, +5 /293 , $124,200

T-35: Kurt Kitayama, +6/294, $103,000

T-35: Camilo Villegas, +6/294, $103,000

T-35: Akshay Bhatia, +6/294, $103,000

T-38: Russell Henley, +7/295, $86,000

T-38: Corey Conners, +7 /295 , $86,000

T-38: Hideki Matsuyama, +7 /295 , $86,000

T-38: Luke List, +7 /295 , $86,000

T-38: Ryan Fox, +7 /295 , $86,000

T-43: Phil Mickelson, +8/296, $72,000

T-43: Shane Lowry, +8 /296 , $72,000

T-45: Denny McCarthy, +9/297, $57,200

T-45: Jose Maria Olazabal, +9 /297 , $57,200

T-45: Brooks Koepka, +9 /297 , $57,200

T-45: Sahith Theegala, +9 /297 , $57,200

T-45: Jon Rahm, +9 /297 , $57,200

T-45: Danny Willett, +9 /297 , $57,200

51: Grayson Murray, +10/298, $49,200

52: Eric Cole, +11/299, $48,000

T-53: Adam Hadwin, +12/300, $47,200

T-53: Neal Shipley, +12/300, $0 (amateur)

T-55: Jake Knapp, +13/301, $46,000

T-55: Erik van Rooyen, +13/301, $46,000

T-55: Tony Finau, +13/301, $46,000

T-58: Vijay Singh, +14/302, $45,000

T-58: Thorbjorn Olesen, +14/302, $45,000

60: Tiger Woods, +16/304, $44,400

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Watch CBS News

Scottie Scheffler wins 2024 Masters Tournament for 2nd win in 3 years

By Emily Mae Czachor

Updated on: April 14, 2024 / 10:00 PM EDT / CBS News

Scottie Scheffler secured his second Masters Tournament  victory in three years on Sunday, finishing 11 under and four strokes up on his closest competitors.

The 27-year-old American was tied with Ludvig Aberg, Max Homa and Collin Morikawa coming into the eighth hole before the world no. 1 hit three straight birdies to take the lead for good. Aberg ended up placing second in his debut at the Masters. 

Scheffler has been ranked No. 1 in the world for more than two years now and also won the 2022 Masters tournament, which was his first major championship win.  

The tournament was marked by unruly weather and at least one history-making moment. Golf icon and returning Masters champion Tiger Woods opened the tournament's last leg with his 100th round at the major.

The Masters Tournament is an invitational event held yearly at the Augusta National Golf Club, a private golf course in Augusta, Georgia. Since its establishment in 1934, the tournament has grown to become one of the four most important championships in men's professional golf. The tournament typically takes place during the first week of April, so they are the first major event of every season, followed by the PGA Championships, the U.S. Open and the Open Championship, which are usually held in May, June and July, respectively. 

Scheffler and Morikawa held first and second on the 2024 Masters leaderboard , in that order, heading into the fourth round, on Sunday. They teed off in the afternoon as the last pairing of the day. Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau also began their play in a featured afternoon slot, with DeChambeau in fifth place on the leaderboard and Schauffele in sixth at the start of the round. 

Spanish golfer Jon Rahm , the 29-year-old who won the Masters tournament last year, returned to the course Sunday to defend his title, although his performances during the preceding rounds this weekend meant he was no longer competing to win. Woods had fallen out of contention, too, by the tournament's last day. After making his 24th consecutive cut on Friday, which was a new record at the championship, the star golfer went on to shoot a personal worst during the next and third round. At 48, Woods is a decorated golfing champion with five previous wins at the Masters. He teed off Sunday morning with the 23-year-old amateur Neal Shipley, commencing his 100th Masters round.

Scheffler will receive a huge cash prize in addition to the traditional green jacket, which is given to the Masters winner each year. The overall purse for the 2024 Masters is $20 million, setting a new record-high and jumping $2 million from last year's prize fund. 

The champion this year will receive $3.6 million from the purse, which is also a new record and up from the $3.2 million payout that Rahm received for his Masters win in 2023. What remained of the total $18 million purse in that case was divided among 50 golfers who participated in the tournament, with their individual scores determining how much prize money they were eventually awarded.

• The Masters
• Tiger Woods

Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She covers breaking news, often focusing on crime and extreme weather. Emily Mae has previously written for outlets including the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.

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Power Rankings: These 10 Players Look Ready to Win the Masters

The 2024 Masters is here, and our model has identified the 10 players with the best chance to claim a green jacket. Here's the breakdown.

• Author: Jim Stracka

Welcome to Power Rankings, a weekly feature on SI Golf from our partners at KeyCompete . This week the PGA Tour drops into San Antonio for the Valero Texas Open, the final stop before the Masters. Here’s how our model sees this week shaping up:

2024 Masters Preview 

The azaleas are in bloom and our focus is on Augusta National for the 2024 Masters Tournament. Designed by the legendary Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie, ANGC has been a theater of dreams since its inception in 1933. Known for its immaculate condition, strategic layout and iconic features like Amen Corner, the course requires a combination of precision, power and creativity. Its undulating greens, perilously placed bunkers and ever-present threat of Rae’s Creek are a pure physical and mental test. Here are the 10 players our model likes this week.

KeyCompete’s 2024 Masters Power Rankings

1. Scottie Scheffler (+450) - The reigning king of consistency. No 1 in the World and playing like it at just the right time.

2. Jon Rahm (+1100) - The defending champion . Powerful game, fiery competitiveness won’t go out of style. Repeat win would not surprise.

3. Xander Schauffele (+1600) - Balanced game and mental toughness make him as a serious threat. Three top 10s in his last four visits. Still chasing elusive first major.

4. Brooks Koepka (+2500) - Unmatched major championship pedigree and a couple of previous close calls here. He’ll be ready.

5. Hideki Matsuyama (+2500) - A past champion, and his precise iron play and calm demeanor are dialed in. Won the Genesis in Febrary and hasn’t finished outside the top 12 since then.


6. Rory McIlroy (+1000) - The pursuit of the elusive Grand Slam continues . Recent form and refined short game signal this could be the year.

7. Will Zalatoris (+3500) - Still early in his comeback season from back surgery, but has looked strong so far. Consistency will be key to his success.


 8. Jordan Spieth (+2200) - Exceptional putting and course management could launch him right into the mix. Should be a thrill ride regardless.


9. Joaquin Niemann (+2500) - Unique blend of creativity, power, and finesse fits Augusta like a glove. Ready to step into the major-championship spotlight.


10. Sahith Theegala (+4500) - A rising star who seems to be building to something big. Fearless approach and adaptability make him a dark horse.

About Last Week

The 2024 Valero Texas Open will be remembered for the dramatic emergence of Akshay Bhatia and a playoff that ended in heartbreak for Denny McCarthy. The playoff was only one hole but it was theatrical, and Bhatia’s victory earned him an invitation to Augusta National for his first Masters.

KeyCompete had —dare we say—a masterful week, going 5-1 on our picks. Our yearly record is 62-45 heading into the first major of the year.

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Tour Championship 2024 LIVE RESULTS: Mark Williams SHOCKS Ronnie O’Sullivan to win final – latest snooker updates

• Williams WINS Tour Championship
• Rocket reaches final
• Jon Boon , Features writer
• Updated : 10:54, 8 Apr 2024

RONNIE O'SULLIVAN has been beaten by Mark Williams in the Tour Championship final in Manchester.

Welsh wizard Williams dominated O'Sullivan in both sessions to win the final 10-5.

Attention now turns to the long-awaited World Snooker Championship at The Crucible.

• Session times : Evening session started at 7pm
• FREE live stream: ITVX / ITV Sport
• TV channel: ITV4
• Explainer : Tour Championship full schedule
• What is the prize money 2024?

Join us for The Sun World Snooker Championship Preview Night featuring Judd Trump and Mark Allen

Here's the moment

This is when humble Mark Williams lifted the Tour Championship trophy.

He was serenaded in confetti, as he held back the tears.

Job well done, Mark.

Family affair

For Williams it was a family affair at the Tour Championships.

Afterwards, he was joined by his wife and their three sons to pose with the trophy.

Williams is the victor

It's Williams' 26th ranking title.

This will certainly put him in people's thoughts at the Crucible.

The form guide

Williams must have feared a ninth successive loss against the Rocket today.

It goes all the way back to 2016, and he was 5-3 down in this Tour Championship final.

However, the Welshman saw it differently.

Winning seven consecutive frames, he saw off O'Sullivan. Astonishing stuff.

'He likes to play golf and chill out, enjoy his life'

Ronnie O'Sullivan joked that Mark Williams would be No1 in the world, if he didn't prefer to 'chill out' and 'play golf'.

"If he was to dedicate his whole life to it, he would probably be number one in the world," he said.

"But he doesn’t – he likes to play golf and chill out, enjoy his life.

"He doesn’t do badly for someone that just plays about it in the sport."

O'Sullivan's modest in defeat

Listen, I think Mark has been the most consistent player for the last five years. “The way he has been hitting the ball. Very rarely does he play a poor match. “The way he has played this week and in the final, he’s such an amazing player. He’s so talented. “I think he’s better now than he has ever been to be honest with you. He seems so strong. “I tried, I gave it everything, but he’s so consistent, so strong. “If you don’t keep playing top-level snooker against him, he’ll just eat you alive. I think I did well to get five frames.” Ronnie O'Sullivan ITV Sport

More Williams reaction

Not bad. I played well all day. I took it to him, I played well. I cannot believe I won. “It’s not bad for a part-timer. I am a part-timer pool player now! “I never thought I would win tournaments at the age of 49. Who knows, the world championships are round the corner? I will try my best. “This is up there in my career. As Ronnie said, I think I am a better all-round player now. Considering I don’t practice that much. But I always try my absolute nuts. “I have beaten the best three players in the world. I haven’t done it the easy way. “It’s nice to have family up here. One son always comes with me. Two of my sons only come up to watch Ronnie. “The crowd have been fantastic. They have given everybody great support.” Mark Williams ITV Sport

Frame-by-frame

Williams reaction

"I can't believe I won. "Who knows the world championship is around the corner, he's the man to beat and I'll try my best. "I think I'm better all round than I've ever been. I've beat Judd Trump, Mark Allen and Ronnie O'Sullivan the best three players in the world. Mark Williams ITV Sport

O'Sullivan praises Williams

Incredibly, this is O'Sullivan's first final loss in five years.

But, he was quick to take his hat off to his opponent.

He said: "I think he's better now than he's ever been," O'Sullivan said.

"I think he's been the best player for the last five years."

Williams is the Tour Championship winner

What a remarkable performance from Williams.

He was in unbeatable form today, and O'Sullivan just couldn't keep up with his opponent.

The Welshman is the Tour Championship winner.

O'Sullivan 5-10 Williams

With Williams on 40, he misses a red.

But an out of sync O'Sullivan misses a pot he would usually make.

It's catching. Williams then misses with the rest, with Rocket returning to the table.

O'Sullivan's short on a red! Williams returns and makes no mistake. But guess what? An easy pot hits both sides of the bottom left cushion and bounces out.

What a frame. O'Sullivan then gives Williams the opportunity to plant a double - which he does.

A missed yellow from O'Sullivan is then sunk by Williams. It's all over.

O'Sullivan 5-9 Williams

One frame now from glory.

It has been quite the exceptional performance from Williams.

He is reborn.

O'Sullivan 5-8 Williams

Well, well, well.

O'Sullivan's game has gone to pot here. A routine red missed, Williams capitalised.

Earlier in the frame, Williams played a brilliant double - showing off, perhaps, his pool skills.

Another century break gives him a big extension of his lead.

And we're back on

After the evening interval, we're back under way.

Williams blitzed that last session.

Best of 19 frames, it means Williams is just three frames away from glory.

O'Sullivan 5-7 Williams

Williams was in danger of losing the frame very early on when he was told by the ref another miss would see him concede.

But, he managed to find a way out of trouble and a series of safety's followed.

Williams seemed to take the initiative when Ronnie left a long red open, which he potted - but he couldn't quite get a run going.

Another mistake from Ronnie gifted Williams the frame with a break of 99.

O'Sullivan 5-6 Williams

Williams has stole another frame.

Rocket run up a score of 42, but the Welshman got to 60, before missing the pink.

Ronnie needed a snooker, and tried to force the issue until Williams finally sunk the pink.

Williams is playing with such poise and calmness out there.

O'Sullivan 5-5 Williams

This is superb from Williams.

He's shown determination and amazing character to fight back and level the scores up.

We're in for an epic night, clearly.

A break of 104 - with Ronnie failing to pot a ball - seals the 10th frame.

O'Sullivan 5-4 Williams

Williams stops O'Sullivan's run after the interval to go within one.

A brilliant shot to the middle pocket on a red that appeared to be blocked by the pink was dealt with beautifully with a bit of swerve.

It was a tight frame, but the Welshman got over the line and is back in it.

Williams' plan of attack

I'm just going to enjoy it. "How many more times is this going to happen? "I couldn't pick a better player to play in a final. I'm going to attack and try my best. "I know I haven't played Ronnie in a final for a long time but that's because he keeps beating me before the final!" Mark Williams ITV Sport

Ronnie's mental health battle

Ronnie O'Sullivan has been candid about his mental health battle, revealing he has seen a psychiatrist during the Tour Championship.

He told ITV: "I've just got to commit to it [speaking to a psychiatrist] now for a good year to try to get myself out of this sort of hole I've got myself in mentally with the obsession of the game, tinkering.

"I know I'm never going to stop tinkering, but I have to somehow get my head strong enough to be able to deal with it and not go too deep into that horrible murky world that it is.

"Every sportsman - maybe golfers, tennis players, snooker players - I suppose we all do it, but I went so deep into that it's like detoxing myself from it.

"It kind of felt like I've had the yips in a way - mentally, physically - it feels like you get scared to even want to go and play.

"That's not a nice place to be, so I've got nothing left to do other than to try to get myself mentally out of it and hopefully my game will start to flow again, maybe."

Pre-match meal

Mark Williams showed his fans he was just like Luke Littler by tucking into a kebab before his match-up with Ronnie O'Sullivan.

The family meal clearly went down well.

The respect between these two is there to see.

Before proceedings, O'Sullivan and Williams shared a fist bump.

And it's a close encounter in the final. Who will prevail when the evening sessions resumes at around 7pm.

Rocket by name...

Incredibly, Rocket Ronnie won the last four frames in astonishing amount of time.

It took the legend just 37 minutes.

That included breaks of 102, 127, and 121,

He's not wasting any time.

• Sport Live Blogs
• Ronnie O'Sullivan

South Carolina championship celebrated with parade, rally

Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks celebrate their undefeated season with a parade to the South Carolina statehouse in Columbia. (0:27)

• Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley and her national champion Gamecocks celebrated with a jam-packed downtown parade and rally at the statehouse a week after completing their undefeated season.

Staley and her players rode some seven blocks to the cheers of a crowd that Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann called the largest ever in the downtown area of the capital city. And then Staley teased a repeat celebration 12 months from now.

"I hope we can end our [next] season at the same time, in the same place on this beautiful day," Staley said. "Thank you so much for loving up on us. We truly appreciate it."

It would be difficult to bet against the Gamecocks, who were an inexperienced, untested group that lost seven seniors from the team that lost to Iowa Hawkeyes and Caitlin Clark in the 2023 Final Four.

Staley recalled to the crowd that, when asked about her young players and the new roles they would have to fill, she said to "expect the unexpected."

The Gamecocks exceeded almost everyone's expectations, finishing 38-0 to become the 10th undefeated national champion after beating the Hawkeyes 87-75 on April 7. It was Staley's third NCAA crown in the past seven tournaments.

University president Michael Amiridis said he loves talking up Staley and her program until the listeners tell him to stop.

"Some people call it a 'Dawn-asty,' some call it a 'dynasty.' I don't know the right word," he said. "But I know we're building an empire."

Staley singled out the lone player, as of now, not coming back in 6-foot-7 Final Four most outstanding player Kamilla Cardoso , who passed on a WNBA draft orientation session in New York City to take part in the parade.

"You all have made it a special time for here to take on to the next level," Staley said.

Cardoso, a key reserve on the 2022 national championship team, and Staley will both be at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on Monday, when Cardoso is expected to be among the top five selections.

Even without Cardoso, South Carolina should be a formidable team next season. Barring any surprise jumps into the transfer portal -- NC State star Saniya Rivers left the Gamecocks a few days after celebrating in the 2022 title parade -- players such as sophomores Ashlyn Watkins and Chloe Kitts and freshmen MiLaysia Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson should easily slide into larger roles.

The Gamecocks add the game's No. 2 college prospect in Joyce Edwards of Camden, South Carolina.

Staley is not afraid to bring in necessary players via the portal. One of the top 3-point shooters nationally this season in Te-Hina Paopao transferred in from Oregon last offseason.

Paopao, who will be back next year, used point guard Raven Johnson 's words to set the bar high for 2025.

"It's time for the repeat tour," she said to wild cheers.