Steve Stricker prevails in Akron for third major of Champions season

Steve Stricker continued his dominant season on the PGA Tour Champions by winning the Kaulig Companies Championship for his third major title of 2023 on Sunday in Akron, Ohio.

Stricker's final-round 66 at Firestone Country Club gave him a final score of 11-under 269 and a three-stroke victory at the major formerly known as the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship.

Stricker, 56, previously won the Regions Tradition and the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in May. He now has seven major championships on the 50-and-older tour.

"It's fun getting into contention on a day like today and knowing that you have to do certain things," Stricker said on the Golf Channel broadcast. "The more times I've been there, the more times I've been able to handle it and that's been the fun part. That's what keeps me motivated to come out here and continue to play."

Stricker birdied the par-4 first and par-3 seventh holes Sunday to go out in 2-under 33. He made a short birdie putt at the par-4 10th before his lone bogey of the day came at the par-4 14th, where he ran into trouble in a fairway bunker.

But that quickly became a distant memory at the very next hole, the par-3 15th, where he made a long birdie putt over a ridge before one final birdie at the par-5 16th.

"When I can pull off a putt like I did at 15 and then hit that nice wedge in at 16, that means a lot to me," Stricker said.

David Toms posted a 5-under 65 to earn solo second at 8 under. Harrison Frazar, who led after 36 holes, shot 70 for the second straight day to drop into a tie for third at 7 under with South Korea's K.J. Choi (68 Sunday) and South Africa's Ernie Els (68).

Bernhard Langer of Germany, who was coming off a victory at the U.S. Senior Open earlier this month, shot 66 Sunday to place sixth at 5 under.

With his victory, Stricker qualified for the 2024 Players Championship. It also marked his fifth win of the Champions season and expanded his already hefty lead in the Charles Schwab Cup standings.

"I'm just having a ball, I'm enjoying the ride and just hopefully continue and just trust and believe in what I'm doing," Stricker said.