Stewart Cink successfully defends at The Ally, beating Ernie Els in a playoff

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GRAND BLANC, Mich. (AP) — Stewart Cink successfully defended his title in The Ally Challenge for his second PGA Tour Champions victory of the year, beating Ernie Els with a par on the first hole of a playoff Sunday.

Cink closed with a 4-under 68, birdieing two of the last three holes, to match Els at 15-under 201 at Warwick Hills. Els parred the final five holes in a 69.

“I’m not sure if it adds or subtracts years off your life because it’s pretty stressful,” Cink said. “But if you’re the one that wins, if you’re on that side of the stick on this thing, then it feels great. It was a lot of fun. I putted great down the stretch. Ernie wasn’t doing anything wrong and he was just in the wrong place today.”

The 52-year-old Cink won the Insperity Invitational in May in Texas, beating Retief Goosen in a playoff. He won eight times on the PGA Tour, topped by the 2009 British Open.

Cink opened with a 62 and shot a 71 on Friday to enter the final round a stroke behind Els.

Steven Alker (65), Cameron Percy (70) and Soren Kjeldsen (70) tied for third at 12 under. Goosen (71) and Thongchai Jaidee (69) were 11 under.

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