Vijay Singh wins the 2023 Ally Challenge | Photo by Jorge Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Vijay Singh erased a deficit to win The Ally Challenge, marking the first time he won a Champions Tour event since 2018.
Three-time major champion Vijay Singh came from behind to win The Ally Challenge, his first Champions Tour victory in almost five years.
He carded a 4-under 68 Sunday to finish at 14-under par, one stroke ahead of three-time PGA Tour winner Jeff Maggert.
“It was a long time coming,” Singh said after his victory. “Whenever I tee it up on the Champions Tour, I have a chance to win. I’ve been working really hard… So I’m really happy with this win, and I look forward to the next events. I think my game’s coming around and this was the start of it.”
Singh’s last victory came at the 2018 Charles Schwab Cup Championship at the Phoenix Country Club.
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Vijay Singh putting during the final round of the 2023 Ally Challenge.
But he won Sunday thanks to a collapse from Paul Goydos, the 36-hole leader at The Ally Challenge.
At the par-3 17th, only 155 yards, Goydos made a costly triple bogey. He held the lead at 15-under but quickly plunged back to 12-under at the penultimate hole.
“I saw [Goydos] hitting it on the fairways,” Singh said of Goydos. “I said okay, back there I still have a chance. Then I looked at the scoreboard, I was [14-under], and Jeff was [13-under], and no Goydos. So I’m surprised what he did there.”
If golf fans recall, Goydos held the 54-hole lead at the 2008 Players Championship. But in that final round, Goydos shot a 2-over 74, which forced a playoff with Sergio Garcia.
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Paul Goydos on the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass.
The lone playoff hole happened to be the famous par-3 17th at TPC Sawgrass, where Goydos plunked his shot into the water. Garcia went on to win, which marked the biggest victory of his career before he won the 2017 Masters.
Goydos, meanwhile, never won again on the PGA Tour but did manage to claim five PGA Tour Champions events.
Funny enough, before this week, Singh had five victories on the PGA Tour Champions too. And because Goydos collapsed on the 17th—as he did all those years ago at TPC Sawgrass—Singh was left in the winner’s circle.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.
