Winning two consecutive major championships on the Champions Tour is not unheard of, but winning them back-to-back is a different matter. That’s what Miguel Angel Jimenez will attempt to do this week at the Senior PGA Championship.
Jimenez won his first major on the senior circuit when he captured the Regions Tradition by three strokes last week. He had been close two other times, having the lead in the final round, but couldn’t finish.
Now the pressure of winning a Champions Tour major is behind him and it was a big relief to the Spaniard.
“It’s nice to win one, though it took a little longer,” Jimenez said. “I’m so happy to get one. It’s amazing really.”
Chances of Twofer
Jimenez is an 8/1 favorite to win this week at Michigan’s Harbor Shores, not only because of last week, but his strong 2018 season. He has four other top-10 finishes this year.
This week, however, will test golfer’s stamina. Usual tournaments are three rounds. The majors are four and this will be the second consecutive tournament they will be playing Thursday through Sunday.
Jerry Kelly, who is 9/1 to win, isn’t overly concerned about the extra rounds. He finished tied for eighth at the Regions, has won once this year, and has three other top 10s.
Despite finishing no lower than 17th in his last four events, but told reporters he feels his game needs to be more consistent.
“I’ve felt like I’ve played really well at Hualalai (where he won), and it’s been really spotty since,” Kelly said. “I haven’t put three rounds or four rounds together yet.”
One golfer who might sneak in and win could be Rocco Mediate. He won this event two years ago at this same course and finished tied for eighth last week. At 40/1, he might be an attractive longshot. He told reporters that he is playing some of his best golf ever.
“Yeah, it’s as good as it’s ever been really in my entire career,” Mediate said. “A lot of changes. A lot of changes, in a good way.”
Star Golfers Missing
One person the other golfers won’t have to worry about is Bernhard Langer. Even though he is the defending champion, he is skipping the event to attend his son’s high school graduation. Langer expressed his intentions last month at a press conference for the tournament.
“Family comes first in my life,” Langer said.
Langer’s dominance at the big tournaments has been remarkable. He has won five of the 10 senior majors in the past two seasons, including three in 2017.
Another golfer that would have been a favorite but won’t be there is Steve Stricker. The 51 year old still has status on the PGA Tour and has been bouncing between the two. He is entered at the Fort Worth Invitational this week. He is listed at 66/1 to win.
His record on the PGA Tour is respectable, especially when he is playing against golfers that could be his sons. He has entered six events and made the cut in four of them. His best finish is a tied for 12th at the Valspar Championship. He competed in The Players Championship two weeks ago and finished tied for 23rd.
