Retief Goosen takes Hoag Classic title; Scottie Scheffler wins at Bay Hill

Retief Goosen holed out for eagle from a greenside bunker on the short par-four first hole, birdied the next two and cruised to an eight-under-par 63 and a four-stroke victory Sunday in the Hoag Classic.

A stroke behind fellow South African star Ernie Els entering the round, Goosen pulled away quickly at Newport Beach Country Club in breezy but calmer conditions than the players faced Saturday.

After hitting his opening drive into the left bunker, Goosen’s long blast hit the flagstick and dropped in the cup without touching the green.

Goosen finished at 15-under 198. Coming off offseason shoulder surgery, the two-time U.S. Open champion won for the second time on the 50-and-over tour. He also won the 2019 Senior Players.

Goosen followed the early four-under burst with a birdie on the par-four sixth. He birdied the par-three 10th, rebounded from a bogey on the par-four 11th with birdies on the par-four 12th and par-five 15th and finished with 12-foot birdie putt on the par-five 18th.

K.J. Choi was second after a 66.

Lee Janzen (69) and Stephen Ames (67) tied for third at nine under. Doug Barron and Tim Petrovic each shot 67 to finish at seven under.

Els was sixth at six under after a 73. He won the event in 2020 the last time it was played.

Bernhard Langer closed with a 70 to tie for eighth at five under. The 64-year-old German star, the 2008 winner, won the Chubb Classic two weeks ago in Florida for his 43rd senior title, two behind Hale Irwin for the tour record. Langer is the oldest winner in tour history.

Scheffler wins at Bay Hill

Scottie Scheffler played the kind of golf that wins a traditional U.S. Open, and that’s what the Arnold Palmer Invitational felt like Sunday at Bay Hill in Orlando, Fla.

In another final round that featured some of the toughest scoring conditions in four decades, Scheffler made key putts to save two unlikely pars, followed with a pair of lag putts and closed with an even-par 72 for a one-shot victory.

Scheffler now has two PGA Tour titles in the last month, having picked up his first victory at the Phoenix Open. That one was loud. This one was stressful for everyone with a chance.

Scottie Scheffler hits from an awkward stance along the 16th fairway during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament Sunday.

(John Raoux / Associated Press)

The scoring average was 75.48, by a fraction lower than it was a year ago. Only 10 players finished the tournament under par.

Billy Horschel was the last player with a shot at catching Scheffler with a 30-foot birdie putt on the last hole that never really had a chance. Horschel shot 75 and tied for second along with Tyrrell Hatton (69) and Viktor Hovland (74).

The real heartbreak went to Gary Woodland, trying to win for the first time since the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Steady all day, he surged into the lead with a shot from a sandy lie, around the trees and onto the green at the 16th, where he made a 25-foot eagle putt.

But on the 17th, he took two shots to get out of a front bunker and then missed a five-foot putt, taking double bogey. He found the left rough off the 18th and closed with a bogey for a 73 to finishing in a tie for fifth with Chris Kirk.

Kirk was right there with a chance at five under with a birdie on the 13th. He three-putted the 14th for the first of two straight birdies and closed with three pars for a 72.