Steve Stricker wins second Sanford International title by edging Robert Karlsson in playoff

Steve Stricker is the first two-time champion of the Sanford International, courtesy of his impressive come-from-behind victory in the fifth edition of the PGA Tour Champions event, which concluded Sunday at Minnehaha Country Club.

For the second year in a row, a sudden-death playoff was needed to determine a winner, after Stricker and Robert Karlsson both finished the weekend at 14-under.

The pair replayed the 18th hole, and after both landed on the green with their second shot, Karlsson nearly sank a 40-foot putt for a birdie. Stricker’s birdie putt was more manageable but by no means a gimme. The Wisconsin native got the 15-footer to drop, much to the delight of a gallery that has treated Stricker as one its favorites ever since he won the inaugural event in 2018.

“I was nervous all the way around today,” Stricker said when asked if he was nervous lining up his final putt. “I knew I couldn’t afford to give any shots away. Not make mistakes but yet make some birdies. I didn’t want to mess up, basically. To get that opportunity (in the playoff) is exciting, but it’s nerve-wracking all at the same time.”

Karlsson and Stricker were six strokes apart after Friday’s first round when Karlsson tied the course record with an eight-under 62. Stricker shot a two-under 68 on a day when soft greens from Thursday’s rains gave most players a chance to card better-than-usual scores.

But Stricker recovered to shoot a six-under 64 on Saturday, then made his run at Karlsson, who shot a 68 on Saturday, by shooting another 64 on Sunday.

“I just felt like I didn’t take advantage of day one,” said Stricker, who takes home $300,000 for winning the tournament. “The conditions were perfect, the greens were nice and soft, no wind, and I knew I was behind the eight ball after the first day. I needed a little wind on Saturday to make conditions tougher (for others), and then go put up a good round to get back in the tournament. (Saturday) was the key day for me for sure, and then I just came out today and played really solid.”

Karlsson and Jeff Maggert opened the day tied at 10-under, one stroke better than Rocco Mediate and two up on Stricker, Paul Stankowski, Thongchai Jaidee, Steve Flesch and Ernie Els. Els made a push and briefly held the lead when he moved to 12 under with six holes to go, but the hall-of-famer faltered late and finished 12-under, two strokes back.

Karlsson and Stricker each had a chance to win in regulation with a birdie on 18, and while they both failed to do it, Stricker’s birdie putt on 18 in regulation was similar to the one he’d try moments later in the playoff, and he said that helped him make good on his second try.

“I was a little bit more behind the ball in the playoff, but I did have a good look at it in regulation,” Stricker said. “It didn’t break as much, it just kind of rode high, so I had a good feel for the speed in the playoff. It’s a tough putt to make, but fortunately it went in and it was a cool feeling. To make a putt on the last hole in a playoff feels pretty cool.”

Sanford International scores

Yardage: 6,729; Par: 70

Final Round

(x-won on first playoff hole)

x-Steve Stricker, $300,000 68-64-64—196

Robert Karlsson, $176,000 62-68-66—196

Ernie Els, $144,000 64-68-66—198

Brandt Jobe, $98,667 66-69-64—199

Jeff Maggert, $98,667 64-66-69—199

Paul Stankowski, $98,667 67-65-67—199

Steve Flesch, $61,000 64-68-68—200

Thongchai Jaidee, $61,000 67-65-68—200

Miguel Angel Jimenez, $61,000 66-68-66—200

Y.E. Yang, $61,000 67-67-66—200

Darren Clarke, $41,200 63-70-68—201

Ken Duke, $41,200 69-65-67—201

Padraig Harrington, $41,200 66-67-68—201

Kevin Sutherland, $41,200 63-71-67—201

David Toms, $41,200 67-68-66—201

Stuart Appleby, $30,120 71-66-65—202

Alex Cejka, $30,120 66-69-67—202

Jerry Kelly, $30,120 70-69-63—202

Scott McCarron, $30,120 68-68-66—202

Dicky Pride, $30,120 66-67-69—202

Olin Browne, $21,667 67-69-67—203

Harrison Frazar, $21,667 70-67-66—203

Rob Labritz, $21,667 67-68-68—203

Bernhard Langer, $21,667 64-70-69—203

Rocco Mediate, $21,667 64-67-72—203

Tom Pernice, $21,667 67-66-70—203

Stephen Ames, $18,200 67-66-71—204

Shane Bertsch, $14,220 66-68-71—205

K.J. Choi, $14,220 69-70-66—205

Brian Gay, $14,220 68-71-66—205

Tom Gillis, $14,220 68-67-70—205

Ricardo Gonzalez, $14,220 72-67-66—205

Paul Goydos, $14,220 68-68-69—205

Billy Mayfair, $14,220 70-68-67—205

Scott Parel, $14,220 67-71-67—205

Kirk Triplett, $14,220 65-70-70—205

Mike Weir, $14,220 67-68-70—205

Fred Couples, $10,200 69-65-72—206

Clark Dennis, $10,200 64-70-72—206

Scott Dunlap, $10,200 65-71-70—206

Lee Janzen, $10,200 70-67-69—206

Mario Tiziani, $10,200 69-66-71—206

Paul Broadhurst, $8,400 71-67-69—207

Bob Estes, $8,400 70-66-71—207

Davis Love III, $8,400 67-75-65—207

Gene Sauers, $8,400 67-71-69—207

Billy Andrade, $6,600 70-69-69—208

David Branshaw, $6,600 66-73-69—208

Marco Dawson, $6,600 71-67-70—208

Joe Durant, $6,600 70-70-68—208

David McKenzie, $6,600 70-70-68—208

Woody Austin, $4,733 69-69-71—209

Cameron Beckman, $4,733 70-70-69—209

Stephen Dodd, $4,733 67-68-74—209

Jay Haas, $4,733 70-71-68—209

Tim Herron, $4,733 70-72-67—209

Tim Petrovic, $4,733 65-70-74—209

Steven Alker, $3,800 68-66-76—210

Matt Gogel, $3,800 69-71-70—210

Brett Quigley, $3,800 68-69-73—210

David Frost, $3,100 66-74-71—211

John Senden, $3,100 70-70-71—211

Wes Short, $3,100 70-72-69—211

Ken Tanigawa, $3,100 66-74-71—211

Corey Pavin, $2,500 72-69-71—212

Roger Rowland, $2,500 72-69-71—212

Michael Allen, $1,960 72-71-70—213

Doug Barron, $1,960 73-67-73—213

Jose Maria Olazabal, $1,960 67-75-71—213

Rod Pampling, $1,960 71-71-71—213

Fred Funk, $1,640 69-72-73—214

Glen Day, $1,520 69-75-71—215

Chris DiMarco, $1,360 70-75-72—217

Joe Summerhays, $1,360 72-73-72—217

Tom Byrum, $1,240 71-76-75—222

David Duval 70-74-WD

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Steve Stricker wins second Sanford International title by edging Robert Karlsson in playoff