By Jocko Connelly
Third-Round Notes
Saturday, July 13, 2024
Firestone Country Club (South Course) | Akron, Ohio
16th of 28 PGA TOUR Champions events in the 2024 Season
Course Setup: Par 70 / 7,102 yards
• Round 3 Scoring Average: 70.650
• Cumulative Scoring Average: 71.274
• Weather: Partly cloudy with temps in the high-80s and winds WNW at 5-10 mph
Player To Par Scores
1 Steve Stricker -9 66-68-67 – 201
T2 Ernie Els -8 70-68-64 – 202
T2 Robert Karlsson -8 70-66-66 – 202
T4 Michael Wright -6 70-71-63 – 204
T4 Jerry Kelly -6 71-66-67 – 204
T4 K.J. Choi -6 69-68-67 – 204
Things to Know
• Looking to win the Kaulig Companies Championship for the third time in four years, Steve Stricker chipped in
twice over his final five holes to take a one-stroke lead into the final round.
• World Golf Hall of Fame member Ernie Els, looking to become the first three-time winner of the 2024 season,
and Robert Karlsson, seeking his first win on PGA TOUR Champions, each sit one stroke behind Stricker.
Steve Stricker, 66-68-67 – 201 (-9)
• This is his 20th time leading/co-leading entering the final round on PGA TOUR Champions
o Is 12-for-19 converting those into victories (6-for-8 in 72-hole events)
• The 57-year-old seeks his 18th win on PGA TOUR Champions (73rd start)
o A win would move him into T14 on the all-time PGA TOUR Champions wins list
o Last win: 2023 Sanford International
• Seeks his eighth senior major title, which would move him into T3 on the all-time list
o Last senior major win: 2023 Kaulig Companies Championship
• Looks to become the second three-time winner of the Kaulig Companies Championship (2021, 2023)
o Would join Bernhard Langer (2014, 2015, 2016)
• Has led/co-led after nine of the last 15 rounds at the Kaulig Companies Championship, including finishes
• Has been inside the top 5 after 14 of the last 15 rounds at the Kaulig Companies Championship, including finishes
• Making his 10th start of the 2024 season, he has eight top-10 finishes and entered the week No. 4 in the Charles
Schwab Cup standings
o Best finish of 2024: 2nd (American Family Insurance Championship)
• Will play in the last group of the final round for the fourth time this season
o Is 0-for-3 converting those into victories
Most Major Wins in PGA TOUR Champions History
Rank Player Major Wins
1 Bernhard Langer 12
2 Gary Player 9
3 Jack Nicklaus 8
T4 Steve Stricker 7
T4 Hale Irwin 7
6 Tom Watson 6
Ernie Els, 70-68-64 – 202 (-8)
• Matched his low 18-hole score of the 2024 season (40th round)
o Previous instances: KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship (2nd Round); American Family Insurance
Championship (2nd Round)
• The 54-year-old seeks his sixth win on PGA TOUR Champions (94th start)
• Seeks his third win of the 2024 season (13th start)
o Previous wins: Principal Charity Classic; American Family Insurance Championship
o With a win, he would become the first three-time winner of the 2024 season on PGA TOUR Champions
o Entered the week No. 3 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings
• Making his fifth appearance at the Kaulig Companies Championship, he has finished T5 (2020), 5th (2021), T3
(2022), T3 (2023)
• Seeks his first major title on PGA TOUR Champions
o Best finish in a senior major: T2 (2023 Regions Tradition)
• Has top-10 finishes in each of the first three senior majors of the 2024 season
o T3 (Regions Tradition); T6 (KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship); T8 (U.S. Senior Open)
• Will play in the last group of the final round for the sixth time this season
o Is 2-for-5 converting those into victories
Robert Karlsson, 70-66-66 – 202 (-8)
• The 54-year-old seeks his first win on PGA TOUR Champions (80th start)
o Best finish: 2nd/T2 (five times)
• Making his 10th start of the 2024 season, he has one top-10 finish
o Best finish of 2024: T10 (DICK’S Open)
• Making his third appearance at the Kaulig Companies Championship, his best finish is T14 (2020)
• His best finish in a senior major is T2 (2023 Regions Tradition)
• Made 132 starts on the PGA TOUR, most recently in 2015
o Best finish: 2nd/T2 (2010 FedEx St. Jude Classic; 2011 FedEx St. Jude Classic)
• Earned 10 wins on the DP World Tour (410 starts)
o Last win: 2010 DP World Tour Championship
• With a win on Sunday, he would snap a winless streak of 13 years, 7 months, 16 days (or 4,977 days), dating
back to the 2010 DP World Tour Championship
• Will play in the last group of the final round for the first time this season
Other Notes
• Two-time champion (2020, 2022) Jerry Kelly sits T4 at 6-under after carding 67 as he looks to become the
second three-time winner of the Kaulig Companies Championship. The 57-year-old seeks his 12th win on PGA
TOUR Champions (166th start).
o Last win: 2022 Rogers Charity Classic
• Fourth alternate Michael Wright carded the low round of the day with 7-under 63 to move from T23 to T4 on the
leaderboard. The rookie, who turned 50 on February 21, seeks his first win on PGA TOUR Champions (12th
start).
o Best finish: T17 (2024 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship)
o Was one of five players to earn his card via Q-School (Final Stage) in December 2023 (finished 2nd)
• K.J. Choi, who finished T3 at this event last year, sits T4 at 6-under after carding bogey-free 67. The 54-year-old
seeks his second win on PGA TOUR Champions (79th start).
o Last win: 2021 PURE Insurance Championship
• Y.E. Yang and Paul Stankowski each sit T7 at 5-under.
• 36-hole leader Steven Alker posted 4-over 74 and sits T10 at 3-under.
• Mark Calcavecchia (back) withdrew during the third round.
COURTESY PGA TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
