Schulz wins 1st Champions Tour title

Unheralded overnight leader Ted Schulz went on to win his maiden Champions Tour title at the First Tee Open on Sunday.

Unheralded overnight leader Ted Schulz went on to win his maiden Champions Tour title at the Home Care & Hospice First Tee Open on Sunday.

Schultz holed a 12-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole at Pebble Beach Links in Carmel in Northern California en route to a 2-under 70 and a one-stroke victory over Tom Pernice Jr who closed with a 67.

The 50-year-old Schulz, in the field on conditional status in his 12th start on the 50-and-over tour, finished at 14-under 202 to claim his first victory since winning the 1991 Nissan Open for the second of his two PGA Tour titles.

“This is huge,” said a beaming Schulz, who posted an eagle, a birdie and two bogeys.

“I played pretty solid most of the day. I didn’t hit is as close as yesterday and I figured I would win if I shot four under. It turned out, two under was enough.”

Schulz, who quit the PGA Tour in 2000 and is now the director of golf at the University of Louisville, earned $315,000, the biggest payday of his career and nearly twice what he earned for his Nissan Open title.

“I was pretty nervous. I got up four times last night,” Schulz said. “But once I got it going today, I was pretty solid the whole day.

“I didn’t know Ted had birdied 17 behind me,” Pernice said. “I would have played 18 differently. I hit a terrible lay up. But I’m happy for Ted. He hasn’t been there in a while.”

Mark Calcavecchia and Tom Kite both shot 69s to tie for third at 12 under.

Fred Couples was a further shot back alone in 5th place at 11 under after posting a 68.

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