By Jocko Connelly
Ernie Els PGA Champions Tour 2nd in 3rd Round Kaulig Companies Championship July 13, 2024.mp3
2024 Kaulig Companies Championship
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.
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
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