Zach Johnson birdied his final three holes to finish the Kaulig Companies Championship in style, winning his first senior major title by six strokes on Sunday in Akron, Ohio.
Johnson’s 2-under-par 68 was more than enough after he began the final round with a four-shot cushion. He finished at 15-under 265 for the week. Boo Weekley (9 under) and Slovakia’s Rory Sabbatini (8 under) finished a distant second and third, respectively, after closing with rounds of 66.
Stewart Cink (68) took fourth at 7 under and George McNeill (66), Ben Crane (68) and Australian Cameron Percy (71) tied for fifth at 6 under. Cink was searching for his third major of the year.
Instead, Johnson joins the club of senior major winners in his first start at Firestone Country Club, the former PGA Tour venue. Johnson turned 50 in February and now has three PGA Tour Champions titles in that short time.
The man with a Masters and an Open Championship on his resume said he felt “like I’ve already won” entering the round.
“I mean that in the sense that like regardless of what happens today, like my game’s good, scorecard’s irrelevant,” he said. “I just know I’m at peace with whatever comes my way, I mean that sincerely.”
Following a Saturday round of 63 that vaulted him in front, Johnson had two bogeys and two birdies across his first six holes Sunday. He was still even for his round until birdieing No. 11 and immediately following that with bogeys at Nos. 12 and 13 after missing the green at each.
“It was hard today,” Johnson said. “Hitting the middle of the face on the driver and not even coming close to hitting fairways is not something I’m accustomed to. But you said it, golf’s hard. And I was off. There’s no other explanation other than I was off.”
Yet no one was able to come challenge Johnson’s position, as Weekley and Sabbatini were four back when Johnson saved par from the bunker at the par-3 15th. Then came his closing surge of birdies at the par-5 No. 16 and par-4 Nos. 17 and 18.
Johnson chipped in for birdie at the 18th to finish the job and he reacted with a mixture of disbelief and contentment.
“I feel very fortunate, I feel extremely blessed. The finish was ridiculous,” Johnson said.
Weekley, 52, and Sabbatini, 50, were also hunting for their first senior major championships.
“I didn’t hit many fairways the last two days, but I made a lot of putts. That’s what kept me in the game this week, putted the ball real well and my caddie helped me read the greens real well,” said Weekley, who made six birdies to two bogeys Sunday. “We just executed on that end of it and everything panned out like it should. I’m very fortunate that — I didn’t even know I was in second place, I thought I had like tied for third or something.”
Sabbatini was among the golfers who praised Firestone and expressed their unhappiness that the major will relocate to Newport Beach, Calif., next year under a new title sponsor.
“I’m disappointed. It’s sad to say that,” Sabbatini said. “You know, you never know what the future holds. Who knows (if a pro tournament will return). … I know this golf course does mean a lot to the local economy and to the people here. It’s close enough to Cleveland, so hopefully in the foreseeable future we’ll see another event.”
