Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez birdied the final hole of regulation to force a playoff with Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen and Australia's Cameron Percy, then birdied the same hole in the playoff to win the Principal Charity Classic on Sunday at Wakonda Club in Des Moines, Iowa.
"It was hard," Jimenez said. "People (were) playing very well, as you can see."
Jimenez, who shot 2-under-par 70 on Sunday, started the final round with a two-shot lead over Percy. Kjeldsen was lodged seven shots back, but the 50-year-old making his second Champions Tour start fired a bogey-free 63 to take the lead into the clubhouse at 17-under 199.
Kjeldsen owned a one-shot edge when Jimenez and Percy reached the 18th hole, a drivable par-4. Jimenez and Percy lined their tee shots to the front of the green, then two-putted for birdie and a three-way playoff.
The three players returned to the 18th tee, but only Jimenez produced a solid tee shot. While the 61-year-old Jimenez drove just short of the green to the right – setting up a good angle to the pin – Kjeldsen sliced his drive off the cart path to the No 1 tee box on the right and the 51-year-old Percy yanked his drive underneath a scoreboard to the left.
Kjeldsen and Percy scrambled to earn pars, but Jimenez calmly chipped within 3 feet and drained a straightforward birdie putt to claim his third title of the year and 16th since he joined the Champions Tour in 2014.
Jimenez's $300 000 payday increased his 2025 earnings to $1 813 297, which leads second-place Angel Cabrera by $375 000. He celebrated by pulling a cigar out of his bag just off the 18th green.
"The cigar tastes amazing," Jimenez said.
At least one runner-up, meanwhile, didn't walk away with a bad taste in his mouth.
"I played great today, so no regrets," Kjeldsen said. "Miguel is a great champion."