Toledo Nails Down First Champions Tour Victory


Mexico's Esteban Toledo survived a three-way sudden-death playoff to win the Insperity Championship for his first Champions Tour title. The $1.8 million Champions Tour event was held at The Woodlands Country Club in Texas.

Toledo, a self-taught golfer who grew up in poverty in Mexicali, closed with a 5-under 67 Sunday to tie 36-hole leader Gene Sauers and first-round leader Mike Goodes in regulation at 6-under 210.

After carding three birdies and three bogeys to stay at even-par through 14 holes, Sauers, who began the final round with a two-shot cushion over Goodes and Loren Roberts and extended it to four at one point, triple-bogeyed the par-5 15th to fall out of the lead. The 50-year-old, however, birdied the par-3 16th and parred out for a 2-over 74 to tie Goodes (72) and Toledo in regulation.

Sauers, like Toledo a rookie on the over-50 circuit and also in search of his first win, and Goodes both parred the first playoff hole - the par-4 18th - and Sauers was eliminated on the second extra hole - also the 18th - when his approach found water. Goodes and Toledo both missed their birdie tries and moved to the par-4 17th.

Toledo won when Goodes missed his 10-foot par attempt and he made par. Toledo's victory was worth $255,000.

Tying for fourth at 213 were Mark Calcavecchia (69) and Loren Roberts (72), while in sixth at 215 were Jay Haas (67) and England's Barry Lane (71).

Haas's 67 was the lowest score on Sunday; the 6-under 210 total by Toledo, Sauers and Goodes was the Champions Tour's highest total in a 54-hole event since Jerry Pate won the 2008 Turtle Bay Championship in 5-under 211.

Defending champion Fred Funk closed with a 70 to take a share of 25th at 5-over 221, the same number accrued as 2013 Charles Schwab Cup leader Bernhard Langer.

For all the scores, visit http://www.pgatour.com/content/pgatour/champions/leaderboard.html.