Playoff pain, yet another near-miss for Richard Green

Richard Green's stunning tale of near-misses has gained another chapter as the Australian lefthander seeks an elusive maiden victory of golf's Champions Tour.

This time it was American great Steve Stricker who beat Green, winning the Sanford International with a birdie at the fourth hole of their playoff in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Sunday.

It was 53-year-old Green's fourth runner-up finish of the season, and his second playoff defeat on the 50-and-over tour following one to Harrison Frazer last year.

Green had holed a 12-foot birdie putt on the final hole of regulation to force the playoff as he shot a closing 69 to be tied with Stricker (68) at eight-under 202 at Minnehaha Country Club.

Stricker, a 12-times PGA Tour winner, claimed the title for a third straight time when he hit a wedge shot out of the rough that banged into the pin and stopped close by at the fourth playoff hole.

Green missed his eight-foot birdie putt before Stricker tapped in.

Green had previously also finished second in the Senior PGA Chamionship in May, at the British Senior Open in July and at the Rogers Classic in August. He was also third at the US Senior Open in June.

He is ranked No.4 in the Charles Schwab points standings.

Stricker was more emotional than usual, winning for the first time since his father died in January. That partially explains why Stricker, who won six times on the PGA Tour Champions a year ago, had to wait so long for his first one of 2024.

"I was trying to win one so bad," Stricker said. "I owe him everything. We miss a lot. He was the guy who showed me the game, how to act on the course how to be a professional. I was putting some extra pressure on myself to win one and dedicate one to him."

Stricker now has four victories at the Sanford International, and he became the first player to win a tournament three straight times on the PGA Tour Champions and the PGA Tour (John Deere Classic from 2009 through 2011).

-with AAP