LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Padraig Harrington capped off a stellar performance with a 5-under 67, securing a two-shot victory in the Simmons Bank Championship on Sunday. This win marked Harrington’s third title of the year on the PGA Tour Champions circuit.
Harrington took an early lead, and most of his competitors struggled to keep pace in front of a large crowd at Pleasant Valley Country Club. Y.E. Yang made an impressive push with 10 birdies in his final round of 65, closing the gap to just one shot after Harrington made his only bogey on the 14th hole. However, Harrington maintained his composure by playing three consecutive pars, then launched a powerful drive down the 18th fairway that set him up for a long iron approach to the green, needing just two putts for a final birdie.
“It’s a nice way to finish,” Harrington remarked after the win. “It gives me some confidence, and I really didn’t give anyone else a chance.” This tournament also served to determine the top 36 players who will qualify for the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship, scheduled to take place in two weeks in Phoenix.
Cameron Percy of Australia, who recently qualified for the 50-and-over tour in May, was on fire with a 7 under through 14 holes before three consecutive bogeys threatened to push him out of the top 36. The competition was so tight that it was ultimately Miguel Angel Jimenez’s missed 10-foot par putt on the final hole that eliminated him from a three-way tie for fifth place, allowing Percy to squeeze into the 36th position in the Schwab Cup standings, thereby extending his season.
Jason Caron, who had previously played two full seasons on the PGA Tour before stepping away in 2011, claimed a significant consolation prize this weekend. As the head professional at Mill River Club in New York, he notched three top five finishes this year, including at the Senior PGA Championship. Caron shot a 68, tying for third with Hiroyuki Fujita, and made a move from 53rd to 35th in the Schwab Cup standings, which was made certain after Fujita narrowly missed an 8-foot birdie putt on the 18th.
Fujita, along with Caron and Percy, is now among the top 36, displacing notable names like Mike Weir, David Brandson, and Scott Dunlap. Ernie Els, who is currently ranked first in the Schwab Cup, concluded his round with a 65, dramatically closing a seven-shot gap on Steven Alker to maintain his status as the top seed.
Harrington, finishing the tournament at 17-under 199, earned $365,000 and moved from the 11th to the 4th position in the Schwab Cup standings, placing him in a strong position as he heads towards Phoenix.