ST. LOUIS -- Rory Sabbatini made up a four-shot deficit on the back nine by closing with an eagle and three straight birdies for a 9-under 62 to win the Stifel Classic on Sunday for his first PGA Tour Champions title.
Sabbatini played his final six holes in 6-under par, which included his 25-foot eagle putt from the fringe on the par-5 15th hole. His final birdie was from 40 feet up the hill on the 18th at Norwood Hills Country Club, and he wound up winning by one shot over Darren Clarke (65).
Sabbatini, the South African-born Slovakian who turned 50 in April. moved to No. 7 in the Charles Schwab Cup as the leading 54 players on the points list advanced to next week in Arkansas.
Clarke and Henrik Stenson appeared to be in a two-man race, with Mario Tiziani lurking, until none could keep with Sabbatini and his explosive final round. It was similar to when he won the silver medal in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 with a 61 on the final day.
"Just one of those days when you're trying to stay out of your own way," he said.
Stenson, who turned 50 in April and couldn't join the PGA Tour Champions until he was one year removed from LIV Golf, shot a bogey-free 68 on a day when he needed more than three birdies. He twice missed birdie chances inside 5 feet on the back nine and closed with 12 straight pars.
He still managed to advance to the second week of the Schwab Cup playoffs despite playing in only eight tournaments. Stenson tied for third with Steven Alker (66) and Tiziani (68).
Stenson and Tim Petrovic moved into the top 54 to advance to next week, knocking out J.J. Henry and Chad Campbell, who bogeyed three of his last five holes to miss out the 54th spot by $402.
