Alex Cejka closes out 3-stroke victory at SAS Championship

Alex Cejka of Germany shot a 1-under-par 71 on Sunday to finish with a three-stroke win at the PGA Tour Champions' SAS Championship in Cary, N.C.

On a high-scoring day at Prestonwood Country Club, Cejka managed one of the lower scores of the final round by weathering a slow start and finishing hot. Cejka suffered bogeys on Holes 4, 12 and 15 that balanced against birdies on the sixth and 13th to leave him at 1 over going into the final three holes.

That came in contrast to his Saturday, when he shot a tournament-best 6-under 66 to give him a three-stroke cushion coming into the final round.

But Cejka recaptured some of that magic and closed with birdies on his final two holes to finish 9-under 207 and secure his first title since the 2023 Senior Open Championship, which also was earned in rugged weather. The 54-year-old collected a $315,000 check for his troubles.

"It's tough golfing out there when you have a tough track, conditions like this, windy, rainy," Cejka said. "I don't know, maybe I focus better. Maybe I -- I honestly can't tell you why. Maybe I focus a little bit more, I don't know. I'm just happy the day is over today, let me tell you."

Fellow German Bernhard Langer, who was second coming into the day, fell off the pace into a tie for seventh (2 under) with his 3-over 75. But he cheered on his countryman through the difficult conditions.

"I was really a little bit emotional. It's the first three-round tournament I won," Cejka said. "Especially playing alongside my idol, Bernhard Langer, who I admired for the last, I don't know, 34 years. Being with him in the final round and in tough conditions on a tough golf course, and I held my stuff together. I'm really, really proud. I cannot even put it in words what it means to me."

South Africa's Ernie Els finished second thanks to his 4-under 68, which gave him the distinction of Sunday's low round. Only three other golfers broke 70.

Els' day featured birdies on Holes 4, 8, 10, 12 and 17 with a bogey on No. 15.

Third on the podium was New Zealand's Steven Alker, who finished 4 under after his 1-under 71 Sunday.

Tied for fourth were Steve Flesch (71), Tim O'Neal (71) and Sweden's Robert Karlsson (72).

--Field Level Media