It was a showdown in the final round of the PGA Tour Champions Ally Challenge, as Stewart Cink would complete a comeback to tie Ernie Els and force a playoff, where Cink would win the tournament for a second consecutive year.
It was an exciting day here at Warick Hills Golf and Country Club in Graham Blank as the final round of the Alli Challenge was between two golfers and it came down to the very end. Coming into Sunday, Ernie L’s had a one-stroke lead over defending champion Steuart Sink as they played in the same group to wrap up the tournament. We’ll start on hole eight. Sink down two shots but looking to sink the long birdie putt. The ball would take a curve and find its mark. What a shot by Sink to cut into the lead on 10. L’s looking for a birdie of his own as he keeps this putt straight and it drops in. Now to 17. Sink would drive this ball and somehow just hit the edge of the rough, bouncing and rolling back for a close putt. Sink would have a chance to tie the tournament with a birdie here. And it slowly makes its way in as both golfers head to the final hole on 18. L’s looking to win the tournament with this putt here, but it would stop before reaching the hole and he would tap it in for par. Sink had to make this putt to force a playoff. It would begin to cut, but it would find its way in and this tournament would go to a playoff. Back on 18. This time, Sink would put the pressure on El’s as he taps in his putt for par. L’s would need to hit this shot to force a second playoff hole. It had the speed, but was just left, crowning Stewart sink as the 2025 Alli Challenge champion and becoming the first back-to-back winner in the event’s history. I gutted it out, you I mean, I did a lot of everything. Um, including making some putts at the key moments. 16, 17, and 18 were uh just some of the best putts that I’ve ever made in my career. And I will never forget those. You know, those are the kind of things you really build on and um, you know, makes me really happy. I had a great time. And good news golf fans. The Alli Challenge will be back here at Warick Hills in 2026 from August 24th through the 30th. Reporting in Grand Blank, I’m Cole Mars with WNEM TV5 Sports.
