Ernie Els Wins Hoag Classic PGA Tour Champions Event at Newport Beach Country Club

Ernie Els is all smiles as he holds his trophy for winning the Hoag Basic golf tournament at Newport Seashore Nation Club / image by Jim Collins

With birdies on two of his very last a few holes, Ernie Els overcame a 5-stroke deficit beginning with the remaining spherical to claim his second Hoag Common title (his very last was in 2020) on Sunday, March 19 at the Newport Seaside Country Club. It was his third occupation PGA TOUR Champions title.

Els finished at 13 underneath for the match, one stroke superior than Steve Stricker and Doug Barron, who had been tied for next at minus 12.

The victory, his third on PGA TOUR Champions, will come in his 62nd get started at the age of 53. For the week, Els performed Newport Beach Country Club’s entrance nine in 11-less than par, as opposed to 2-below on Nos. 10-18.

With the acquire, Els results in being the fourth player to acquire the Hoag Classic on a number of situations he joins Hale Irwin (1998, 2002), Jay Haas (2007, 2016) and Fred Partners (2010, 2014).

According to Els, he looked at the weather conditions report for Sunday, which reported gusty and rainy, so he was decided to get off to a decent start off and get himself proven on the program.

“That’s particularly what transpired,” claimed Els. “I virtually performed a perfect spherical. If I did not miss that shorter tiny putt on 15, it would have been fantastic, but it is even now fantastic definitely successful. You know, the final 5, six holes were tougher than we typically get it. I did not pretty precisely see Doug Barron’s putt, but it sounded like it was quite near. Just fired up to get again. I have not received far too several moments out here. You’ve got to commence somewhere.”

Fred Partners strains up a set at the Hoag Typical at Newport Seashore Place Club / photo by Jim Collins

On 18 Els hit what he termed the “shot of the tournament” right after hitting his second shot into a bunker.

“I had a 63 property shot, which is not a incredibly great yardage to have, but luckily for us the greenskeeping’s fantastic, it was a nice business lie. I hit the shot out to about 12, 15 feet and designed the putt. That shot, we don’t genuinely observe individuals pictures, we’re type of heading on intuition there. I just played the ball off the back foot and obtained it up on the inexperienced and then designed the putt for the moment.”

Els famous that he’s performed very good golf, primarily last yr when he completed in the top rated 10 many moments and a pair of second area finishes, so it was good to gain this time.

“I just enjoy this place,” mentioned Els of the Newport Beach front Place Club training course. “It matches my eye. The grass, the temperature, the total area, it just experience at house here. I’ve constantly performed properly more than below in California. Hopefully they preserve this event going.”

Steve Stricker, who tied for 2nd at the Hoag Basic / photograph by Jim Collins

For a person 7 days each year, the global highlight shines brightly on Orange County’s only formal PGA TOUR Champions event. Hosted at Newport Beach front Nation Club, the Hoag Basic, with Hoag as the title sponsor and presenting companions Konica Minolta and Town Countrywide Bank, showcases golfing legends such as Fred Partners, John Daly and Ernie Els as very well as tournament newcomers which includes Justin Leonard, Notah Begay and Steve Stricker as they compete with much more than 80 players for the title.

As one particular of the most significant philanthropic functions in PGA TOUR Champions background, the Hoag Vintage has elevated much more than $20 million in total proceeds for Hoag’s courses and expert services, as nicely as other regional charities.

For additional information stop by www.HoagClassic.com.

PGA TOUR Champions is a membership business of skilled golfers age 50 and older, like 34 users of the Earth Golf Corridor of Fame. The Tour’s mission is to give money chances for its players, entertain and inspire its lovers, provide significant price to its associates, generate stores for volunteers to give again and make major charitable and economic effect in match communities.

Perched previously mentioned Pacific Coast Highway, Newport Beach Country Club has captured the spirit of the Southern California way of life for additional than 65 several years. Spanning approximately 56,000 sq. toes and boasting panoramic views, the Clubhouse tends to make an architectural statement on coastal California Craftsman layout. With a course originally designed by world-renowned designer William “Billy” Bell, NBCC has been just one of the most well known stops on the PGA Champions Tour for much more than 25 many years and is the household of the yearly Hoag Vintage.