Oct 14,2024
Pádraig Harrington saw a putt lip out on his final hole as he was unable to force a play-off at the SAS Championship in Cary, North Carolina.
American Jerry Kelly shot a five-under closing 67 to win by one stroke for his first PGA Tour Champion victory in two years.
Kelly made his only bogey of the day at the 18th hole to settle for 13-under 203, and Harrington moved to 13-under around the same time with a birdie at the 17th.
But Harrington also proceeded to bogey the last after missing both the fairway and the green on his first two shots.
Harrington's par attempt to force a play-off hit the edge of the cup and lipped out.
It marked Kelly's 12th win on the PGA Tour Champions and his first since August 2022.
"Did I win?"
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) October 13, 2024
The moment @JerryKelly13PGA returned to the winner's circle!@SASChampionship pic.twitter.com/4ZTdjVdKs4
"It's a long time coming," Kelly said on the Golf Channel broadcast. "You wonder if you're even going to do it again when the injuries start piling up."
Kelly began the day tied for second, three shots off the pace of Harrington, who has won eight times since joining the tour in 2022.
As Kelly caught up and passed Harrington, the Dubliner was left frustrated by missed birdie chances on the back nine, which ultimately proved costly.
Sunday marked the end of the PGA Tour Champions regular season, and the top 72 players in the points standings qualified for the Charles Schwab Cup playoffs.
