Jerry Kelly was instrumental in winning the first PGA Tour Champions in 2 years

ICARY, NC — Jerry Kelly closed with a 5-under 67 and won the SAS Championship on Sunday after Padraig Harrington narrowly missed an 8-foot par putt that would have forced a playoff, giving Kelly his first major title. PGA Tour Champions in two years. .

Kelly was bogey-free and had a two-shot lead at Prestonwood Country Club until he birdied the par-5 17th and three-putted from 40 feet on the 18th, sending his first putt 10 feet. -10 hole.

He finished at 13-under 203 and was setting up a playoff when Harrington, who started the final round with a three-shot lead, hit a perfect pitch to set up a birdie on the 17th.

They were tied for the lead until Harrington went long on the 18th from the fairway, bounced about 8 feet and drained the par putt. Harrington shot a 71.

Kelly won for the 12th time in the 50-and-over circuit, and for the first time since the Shaw Charity Classic in August 2022. He has spent much of this year dealing with wrist injuries and arthritis.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Kelly said. “You wonder if you’re going to do it again when the risks start piling up.”

The SAS Championship was the final tournament before the Charles Schwab Cup qualifiers begin next week for the top 72 players.

Woody Austin, despite a 75 in the final round, tied for 17th and moved up two spots to No. 71. Lee Janzen took 72nd place. Ernie Els enters the postseason as the No. 1 seed.