Corey Pavin made a 12-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to defeat Australian Peter Senior and win the Allianz Championship for his first Champions Tour title on Sunday at Broken Sound.
Both players shot a final-round 71 to finish tied at 11-under 205. Senior, still looking for his first Champions Tour win after 48 attempts, forced the playoff with a birdie on the last hole of regulation, but his birdie try in the playoff stopped an inch short of the cup.
Mark Calcavecchia appeared to be cruising to the victory when he birdied the par-5 11th hole to take a three-shot lead over Pavin. But Calcavecchia, who was 5 under for the day at that point, bogeyed six of his last seven holes to finish tied for seventh after a 73.
Bernhard Langer (71) and Michael Allen (69) tied for third place, a shot ahead of Jay Haas (69) and John Cook (69).
Pavin had one of the best par saves of his career after his tee shot at the par-3 14th rolled over the green, stopping against a tree root.
Pavin was forced to turn his club over and hit the chip left-handed, somehow managing to hit it to 5 feet for a par that kept him tied for the lead and even had Calcavecchia clapping his approval. This was Pavin’s 35th career start on the Champions Tour.
Defending champion Tom Lehman (71) finished tied for 31st.