THE WOODLANDS, Texas — Gene Sauers’ bid for the Savannahian’s first victory in 10 career starts on the Champions Tour fell short on the second hole of a three-man playoff.
Instead, Esteban Toledo celebrated Cinco de Mayo by becoming the first Mexican winner in the tour’s history, beating Mike Goodes with a par on the third hole of a playoff Sunday in the Insperity Championship.
The 50-year-old Toledo, making his ninth start on the 50-and-over tour, eagled the opening hole and finished with a 5-under 67 to match Goodes and Sauers at 6-under 210 at The Woodlands Country Club.
Goodes shot a 72, and Sauers — eliminated on the second playoff hole with a double bogey — had a 74.
A three-time winner on the PGA Tour, Sauers joined the Champions Tour after turning 50 in August, and with teammate Kenny Perry tied for second last week in Savannah at the Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf.
Sauers completed Saturday’s second round with a two-stroke lead. He birdied Nos. 1, 10, 13 and 16, but bogeys at Nos. 3, 5 and 8 and a triple-bogey 8 at the 15th hole, allowed the others to tie him. He earned $144,000.
Toledo, seven strokes behind Sauers entering the round, earned $270,000. The three players parred the first extra hole on the par-4 18th. Sauers dropped out on the second playoff hole — also on the 18th — after hitting his second shot into the water behind the green.
Toledo and Goodes went to the par-4 17th, and Toledo won with a tap-in par after Goodes missed a 5-footer.
Sauers had a triple bogey on the par-5 15th, the easiest hole in the tournament and one that he birdied in the first two rounds. He rebounded with a birdie on the par-3 16th to regain a share of the lead.
Toledo had a chance to pull ahead on the final hole, but his 20-foot birdie putt curved away at the last instant.
Mark Calcavecchia and Loren Roberts tied for fourth at 3 under. Calcavecchia shot 69, and Roberts had a 72.
Bernhard Langer kept the top spot in the Charles Schwab Cup points race. He closed with a 72 to tie for 25th at 5 over. Fred Funk, the 2012 winner, also finished 5 over after a 70.