Paul Broadhurst keeps an ‘eye’ on the prize to win on Champions Tour

Former Ryder Cup player employed a unique putting technique to edge David Toms for first victory in five years

By KT Golf

Published: Tue 23 Apr 2024, 6:10 PM

Paul Broadhurst won the rain-hortened $2.2 million Invited Celebrity Classic at Los Colinas Country Club in Texas on the PGA Champions Tour.

It was the first tournament win in five years for the 58-year-old Englishman, a former Ryder Cup player. Broadhurst has won five times previously on the PGA Champions Tour including Senior Majors in 2016 and 2018.

With Saturday’s play wiped out with rain, the event was reduced to 36 holes, with a sprint finish on Sunday.

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Broadhurst shot a five-under second round of 66 for an 11 under 131 total, beating American David Toms by one shot.

Highlights of his round included an eagle on hole three to get the round going, a birdie on the difficult par four 15th and three pars to close on the final three holes. His strength in the final round was his putting – using his technique of looking at the hole rather than the ball.

Perhaps we will all be trying that in our next round!

David Toms finished a competitive second. - Instagram

Broadhurst said: “I just kept plugging away really. Just did some work back home with my mind man, and it seemed to work. Just stayed in the moment. Didn’t get ahead of myself, which I have done a little bit the last few weeks.”

An army of 40 workers and volunteers from the maintenance staff at the club began moving accumulated water from tunnels at 2 am on Sunday morning to get the course ready for play later in the day.

The format included two waves of tee times with a celebrity element – with YE Yang (69) and first-round leader and former Dubai resident Thomas Bjorn (70) in the morning wave who both posted eight under totals of 136 to set the target and eventually finished tied third.

Results

(6,703 Yards, Par 71).

Broadhurst (Eng) 65. 66. 131.

Toms (US) 67. 65. 132.

E. Yang (South Korea) 65. 69. 134.

T, Bjorn (Den) 64. 70. 134

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