Miguel Angel Jimenez wins playoff at Firestone for his 4th PGA Tour Champions victory of the season

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Miguel Angel Jimenez won the Kaulig Companies Championship on Sunday for his fourth PGA Tour Champions victory of the season, rallying to force a playoff and beating Steven Alker with a 20-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole.

Two strokes down after playing partner Alker birdied the par-5 16th, Jimenez made a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-4 17th and an 18-footer on the par-4 18th.

“I knew I had to make birdie-birdie to have any chance.” Jimenez said. “I make birdie on the 17th, gives you wings to go to 18th, and then the rest is history.”

Tied for the lead entering the round at Firestone South, the 61-year-old Jimenez and 53-year-old Alker each shot 2-under 68 to finish at 10-under 270 in the major championship.

“It’s very special,” Jimenez said. “I win here and put my name beside of all the great names through the history of the golf tournaments here on this beautiful golf course, probably one of the better golf courses we’ll play all year. No words to explain, fantastic.”

Firestone South previously hosted the World Series of Golf and then a World Golf Championship.

They each parred the 18th on the first playoff hole, with Jimenez missing an 18-foot birdie try and Alker holing a 3 1/2-footer to send it back to tee for a second extra hole.

Before Jimenez’s winning putt, Alker missed a 20-foot birdie try after a recovery shot from the trees right of the fairway.

“He made the plays coming down the stretch,” Alker said.

Jimenez won his third major title after taking the Regions Tradition and the Senior British Open — both in 2018 — and earned a spot next year in The Players Championship at the TPC Sawgrass. The Spanish star has 17 career victories on 50-and-over tour.

“Amazing that my game is still nice.” Jimenez said, “I still have a good distance from the tee, my irons are good, they’re sharp, and then still enjoy what I’m doing. That to me is perfect. The only thing is keep counting. I hope it’s not the last one.”

Jimenez beat Alker by two strokes in the Trophy Hassan II in February in Morocco, then won the Hoag Classic in March in Newport Beach, California, and the Principal Charity Classic in a playoff three weeks ago in Des Moines, Iowa.

Stewart Cink was third at 8 under after a 66. Steve Flesch was another stroke after a 65.

The U.S. Senior Open begins Thursday at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf