Ally Challenge Goes to Steve Stricker with Late Birdie Surge

0
894

Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club, Grand Blanc, MI — August 28, 2022

The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren wrapped up today at the Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club. With a weekend of beautiful weather, the PGA Tour Champions professionals posted some spectacular scores. Including a 63 by Scott Dunlap on Saturday that tied the Ally Challenge course record.

Also Saturday, some of the biggest crowds the tournament has ever experienced enjoyed the Celebrity Shootout with Jack Nicklaus highlighting a fun four-hole exhibition mini-scramble event for charity.  Kane Brown entertained in the shootout and on the stage for the Community Concert. John Daly briefly joined Brown to demonstrate his musical chops during the show.

The Final Day of Play

Gene Sauers, with a 66, and Lee Janzen, who shot 67, were the early golfers making a run up the leaderboard. Both finished at six-under-par.

The leader’s scores moved up and down all afternoon as perfect conditions fought final round nerves to keep things tight as the field turned for the clubhouse after nine. With six holes to play, Dunlap was in sole possession of the lead at -12. However, he had six players chasing him one stroke back.

Jeff Maggert finished with six birdies over the final nine holes to become the leader in the clubhouse at 13 under. After making bogey on the par-four, 12th hole, Steve Stricker dropped out of a tie for the lead and joined the group at -11. Birdies on 13, 14, and 15 vaulted Stricker to the top of the leaderboard at -14.

Padraig Harrington made an eagle on the first, followed by ten straight pars. A bogey on the 12th dropped him into the group at 11 under until a birdie on 14 got him back to -12.

Padraig Harrington / Lasco Press Photo

Dunlap had three birdies on the front nine but also carded two bogeys keeping him in touch with the field. With a bogey on 14, it looked like the tournament would slip through his hands. A birdie on 15 brought him back to 12 under and still in contention.

Brett Quigley made two birdies on the opening nine holes and followed them up with bogeys to remain at -10, where he started the day. Then an eagle on 16 turned him into a contender at -12 with two holes to play.

Brett Quigley / Lasco Press Photo

The Finish

Inconsistency ended Dunlap’s bid for the trophy. He went bogey, birdie, birdie, bogey on 14 to 17 and finished at 12 under. Harrington, after making birdie on 14, bogeyed the 15th and then birdied the 16th to tie Dunlap.

Quigley followed the eagle with birdies on 17 and 18 to take the lead in the clubhouse at 14-under-par.

Stricker made his fourth consecutive birdie on 16 to stretch his advantage to three strokes. Then watched as Quigley, playing one group ahead of the final threesome, cut two strokes off Stricker’s lead.

A par on 17 followed by an approach to seven feet from the pin on 18 gave Stricker the chance to close out the competition.

Steve Stricker lines up a possible birdie putt on the 18th green of the Ally Challenge / Lasco Press Photo

His birdie putt hung on the edge of the cup, and he earned the title with a simple tap-in.

Lasco Press Photo

In his winner’s interview, Stricker credited help from a former Ally winner Jerry Kelly and his wife/caddie Nicki. After not putting well in his opening round, the coaching helped him correct a minor flaw, and Stricker began rolling putts into the cup.

Winner Steve Stricker / Lasco Press Photo

The fifth different winner in five years speaks to the intensity of the competition at Warwick Hills. The crowds this week speak to the success of Ally and McLaren at promoting the event. The 4.5 million given to charities in the first four years of the Ally Challenge presented by McLaren indicate how fortunate Grand Blanc is to have this tournament in the community. The post-tournament theme immediately shifted to “bigger and better next year.” Can’t wait!

Results of the Ally Challenge at Warwick Hills

Position Player To Par Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
1 Steve Stricker -15 70 64 67 201
2 Brett Quigley -14 66 68 68 202
3 Jeff Maggert -13 68 70 65 203
T4 Scott Dunlap -12 70 63 71 204
T4 Padraig Harrington -12 68 66 70 204
T6 Rod Pampling -11 69 68 68 205
T6 Stephen Ames -11 66 69 70 205
T6 Ernie Els -11 68 67 70 205
T9 John Huston -10 71 68 67 206
T9 Steven Alker -10 68 68 70 206
T11 Paul Broadhurst -9 69 71 67 207
T11 Shane Bertsch -9 68 68 71 207
T13 Fred Funk -8 65 75 68 208
T13 Jim Furyk -8 69 70 69 208
T13 David Toms -8 69 67 72 208
T16 Jerry Kelly -7 70 70 69 209
T16 Ken Duke -7 68 70 71 209
T16 Woody Austin -7 66 71 72 209
T16 Kent Jones -7 68 70 71 209
T16 Mario Tiziani -7 69 68 72 209
T16 Joe Durant -7 69 67 73 209
T16 Duffy Waldorf -7 69 66 74 209
T23 Gene Sauers -6 73 71 66 210
T23 Lee Janzen -6 68 75 67 210
T23 David Frost -6 68 74 68 210
T23 Rocco Mediate -6 69 72 69 210
T23 Paul Stankowski -6 69 70 71 210
T28 Scott Parel -5 67 76 68 211
T28 K.J. Choi -5 69 71 71 211
T28 Paul Goydos -5 70 69 72 211
T28 Bernhard Langer -5 70 69 72 211
T28 Alex Cejka -5 69 68 74 211
T33 Ricardo Gonzalez -4 72 73 67 212
T33 Jesper Parnevik -4 73 71 68 212
T33 David McKenzie -4 73 70 69 212
T33 Thongchai Jaidee -4 73 69 70 212
T33 Alan McLean -4 68 71 73 212
T38 Rob Labritz -3 69 75 69 213
T38 John Daly -3 73 70 70 213
T38 Scott McCarron -3 71 71 71 213
T38 Corey Pavin -3 72 69 72 213
T38 Jeff Sluman -3 70 71 72 213
T38 Robert Karlsson -3 68 72 73 213
T38 Brian Gay -3 73 68 72 213
T38 Doug Barron -3 69 71 73 213
T38 Brandt Jobe -3 71 69 73 213
T38 Wes Short, Jr. -3 69 67 77 213
T48 Ken Tanigawa -2 73 73 68 214
T48 Marco Dawson -2 69 76 69 214
T48 Stuart Appleby -2 73 69 72 214
T51 Mike Weir -1 70 76 69 215
T51 Tom Gillis -1 74 71 70 215
T51 Steve Flesch -1 72 72 71 215
T51 David Branshaw -1 68 75 72 215
T51 Cameron Beckman -1 68 74 73 215
T51 Glen Day -1 71 70 74 215
T57 John Senden E 72 73 71 216
T57 Skip Kendall E 74 70 72 216
T59 Tom Byrum 1 73 73 71 217
T59 Olin Browne 1 71 73 73 217
T59 Steve Pate 1 73 70 74 217
62 Andrew Johnson 2 72 75 71 218
T63 Joey Sindelar 3 73 76 70 219
T63 Y.E. Yang 3 74 76 69 219
T63 Chris DiMarco 3 72 75 72 219
T63 David Duval 3 77 71 71 219
T63 Tim Petrovic 3 74 73 72 219
T63 Carlos Franco 3 74 73 72 219
T63 Roger Rowland 3 71 75 73 219
T63 Tom Pernice Jr. 3 73 72 74 219
T71 Billy Mayfair 4 76 73 71 220
T71 Robert Allenby 4 71 73 76 220
73 Michael Allen 6 74 74 74 222
T74 Tim Herron 7 72 76 75 223
T74 Harry Rudolph 7 77 71 75 223
T74 Mark O’Meara 7 73 75 75 223
77 Steve Jones 9 74 75 76 225
78 Larry Mize 12 73 78 77 228