PETER SENIOR has finished third in the US Champion Tour’s season long Charles Schwab Cup picking up a cool US$300,000 in the process.
Senior concluded his 2011 US campaign on a high shooting an equal best final found 68 in the end of season championship to maintain his standing behind the Cup winner Tom Lehman and runner-up Mark Calcavecchia.
Senior will return to Australia after a superb second year on the lucrative over 50’s Champions Tour circuit. In 22 starts he had three second placings, one 3rd placing, 12 top 10’s and 17 top 25’s to net himself US$1,434,119 in prize money.
The only thing obviously missing for the 51 year old was a win. He went so close on a number of occasions and that can’t be far off.
On Sunday his 3-under par 68 wasn’t enough to overcome a crippling second round 76 but he still finished alone in 17th spot 1-over for the tournament.
American Jay Don Blake won the 2011 Charles Schwab Cup Championship event at San Francisco’s TPC Harding Park. It was his second victory of the season following a 20-year drought.
Lehman took the US$1 million annuity for winning the season points title. Blake closed with an even-par 71 for a two-stroke victory, finishing at 8-under for the tournament.
Mark Calcavecchia (69), Loren Roberts (70), Michael Allen (71) and Jay Haas (71) tied for second.
Lehman shot a 72 to tie for 18th at 2 over, enough to hold off Calcavecchia by 74 points. Calcavecchia needed to finish no worse than a tie for second with one other player to have a chance to overtake Lehman.
Senior will be back in Australia no doubt with a spring in his step to, among other events, defend his title at the Australian PGA Championship at Coolum.
Senior will be teeing it up this week at the Australian Open with fellow Champions Tour players Fred Couples and John Cook.
2011 Charles Schwab Championship Final Leaderboard


KENNY PERRY has won his maiden US Champions Tour title with a one stroke victory at the 2011 SAS Championship at the Prestonwood Country Club in North Carolina.

PETER SENIOR fired a blemish-free five under 66 to be just one stroke behind leader Jeff Sluman after the first round of the year’s final senior golf major today.


