Ernie Els wins season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship for seventh PGA TOUR Champions title

KA’UPULEHU-KONA, Hawaii (AP) — Ernie Els won the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship on Saturday for his seventh PGA TOUR Champions victory, closing with a 6-under 66 to beat Bernard Langer, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Alex Cejka by two strokes.

The 67-year-old Langer missed a chance to win for the 19th straight season on the 50-and-over tour. The German star won the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship last year for his record-extending 47th senior title.

Els finished at 18-under 198 at Hualalai Golf Course. Playing alongside Els and Cejka in the final group, Langer parred the final four holes in a 66. Jimenez closed with a 64, and Cejka shot 68. Langer and Jimenez have each won the event three times.

“I’ve been trying to get my hands on that trophy for five years now,” Els said.” Came close my very first time and finally got it through the line. But what a battle it was. I can’t imagine a more beautiful place to play golf in and have basically a week’s holiday with a golf tournament. Wonderful week.”

Els and Langer broke out of a six-way tie for the lead with matching birdies on the par-5 14th, and Els moved ahead of Langer with a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-4 15th.

Els saved par on par-4 16th with a 10-footer, then left a 25-foot birdie try an inch short on the par-3 17th. On the par-4 18th, after Langer's long birdie try slid past, Els holed a 10-footer for the two-shot margin.

Els won three times last season. The 55-year-old South African is a four-time major champion, winning the U.S. Open and The Open Championship twice each.

“Getting it done under the gun, very tight race all day, all week really,” Els said. “I had to make some clutch putts. Even if you don’t believe in yourself as much, days like this when you make those putts like you used to, it gives you hope again.”

Defending champion Steven Alker and Jerry Kelly each shot 65 to tie for fifth at 15 under.

Steve Stricker tied for 19th at 10 under after a 69 in his first official PGA TOUR Champions event since September.

Things to know

• World Golf Hall of Fame member Ernie Els emerged from a crowded leaderboard, fending off three-time Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai winners Bernhard Langer and Miguel Angel Jiménez along with three-time senior major champion Alex Cejka to win the first event of the 2025 PGA TOUR Champions season.

Ernie Els, 67-65-66 – 198 (-18)

• The 55-year-old captured his seventh win on PGA TOUR Champions (105 starts).
  • This is his third consecutive season with at least one win on the Champions Tour.
  • This is his fourth win since the start of the 2024 season (finished No. 2 in the 2024 Charles Schwab Cup standings).
• This is his first win at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai (six starts)
  • Previous best finish: T2 (2020)
  • Note: has finished inside the top 12 in all six appearances at Hualalai
• This is his fourth win in Hawaii in an official PGA TOUR-sanctioned event.
  • Previous wins: 2003 Sentry, 2003 Sony Open in Hawaii, 2004 Sony Open in Hawaii
  • Note: He won the 1997 PGA Grand Slam of Golf, held at Poipu Bay Resort in Kauai, Hawaii (unofficial event)
• Improved to 4-for-11 when leading/co-leading entering the final round on PGA TOUR Champions

Other notes

• Three-time champion Bernhard Langer (2009, 2014, 2017) finished T2 at 16-under while seeking wins in back-to-back starts on PGA TOUR Champions (last start: won the 2024 Charles Schwab Cup Championship)
  • This is his 90th top-two finish on PGA TOUR Champions (357 starts).
  • The 67-year-old closed with 6-under 66 to shoot his age or better for the 25th time on PGA TOUR Champions.
• Thirty-six-hole co-leader Alex Cejka finished T2 at 16-under after carding 4-under 68. This is his 10th top-two finish on PGA TOUR Champions (93 starts).
• Three-time champion Miguel Angel Jiménez (2015, 2020, 2022) matched the low round of the day with 64 to finish T2 at 16-under.
• Making his 20th appearance at Hualalai, 71-year-old Jay Haas (T27) closed with 71 to shoot his age or better for the third consecutive round and 26th time overall on PGA TOUR Champions.
  • With his finish, he becomes the fourth player to reach $20 million in PGA TOUR Champions career earnings (joining Bernhard Langer, Hale Irwin and Gil Morgan)
• Defending champion and reigning PGA TOUR Champions Player of the Year Steven Alker finished T5 at 15-under after shooting bogey-free 65. In four appearances at Hualalai, Alker has finished (chronologically) Second-T2-Won-T5.