Stephen Ames leads a packed leaderboard at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship where he’ll look to secure his first major on the PGA Tour Champions with a solid round on Sunday. But, there are plenty of players lurking and poised to make a final round charge with 11 players just behind Ames and inside the top 10. Here’s a look at some of the players poised to make a move on Sunday at Harbor Shores.
Paul Goydos
A bogey-free 67 lifted Paul Goydos within three strokes of the lead on moving day. Goydos is making his seventh appearance at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship where he’s on pace to pick up his first top 10. Goydos says he hasn’t played well since the PGA Tour Champions’ break due to covid, but over the last six weeks he’s seen his game improve tee to green. He expects he’ll need to putt a little better on Sunday to give himself a chance at winning his first major title.
“I haven't made a ton of birdies but I've just kind of plotted around and kind of what I need to do to be successful,” Goydos said on Saturday. “Hopefully tomorrow I'll maybe make a few more putts but we'll see how the weather plays out too.”
Alex Cejka
Defending champion Alex Cejka will look to defend his title with a low round on Sunday. He would become the first since Colin Montgomerie to successfully defend his title at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship when he won in 2014 and 2015. On moving day, Cejka rebounded from a double bogey, bogey stretch with four birdies on the back nine to shoot 68 and sit four strokes back of the lead heading into Sunday.
“This is what we practice for, to be on Sunday in a position like this,” Cejka said after his round. “As long as the last group or the last two groups don't run away and finish 13- and 14-under, there's a chance. But still 18 holes to go. A lot of things can happen as we have seen in the past on any tour and any tournament.”
Miguel Angel Jimenez
Saturday, Miguel Angel Jimenez carded one of the lowest rounds of the day with eight birdies and two bogeys en route to a third round 65. The Spaniard made a significant bounce back on moving day after a 74 in challenging weather conditions on Friday. Jimenez, a two-time major winner on the PGA Tour Champions, jumped to 7-under par through 54-holes and will be lurking five strokes back heading into the final round.
