Sunday 8 November 2015 10:47, UK
Michael Allen retained the lead in the Champions Tour's season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship, with playing partner Bernhard Langer just one stroke behind.
Allen shot a one-under 69, making six birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey in breezy conditions on Desert Mountain's Cochise Course. He had a 12-under 198 total.
The 56-year-old birdied the par-3 11th to open a six-stroke lead, before playing the next four holes in 4 over. He rebounded with a birdie on the par-3 17th and parred the par-5 18th.
"I didn't really know what my lead was," Allen said. "It probably would have been a good idea to look at a board at that point, but I was just trying to do what I've been doing all week, which is just try and hit good shots, make birdies and pars. I don't think my strategy would have changed any."
Langer birdied the final two holes for a 68. The German is competing with Colin Montgomerie and Jeff Maggert for the Charles Schwab Cup points title and a $1m annuity.
The 58-year-old began the week third in the standings, 66 points behind Montgomerie and 27 behind Maggert, in a bid to win the title for the second straight year and record third time overall.
"Obviously, I'm in a unique situation this week where I'm sort of keeping one eye on what's happening there with Monty and Maggert and I'm trying to win the tournament at the same time," Langer said.
With players receiving a point for every $500 earned in the $2.5m tournament, Langer started $33,000 behind Montgomerie and $13,500 behind Maggert.
Allen made a double bogey on the par-4 12th after driving into the desert. He bogeyed the par-3 13th, then topped a long-iron approach into the water on the par-4 15th and holed a 10-footer to escape with bogey.
"I was a little out of sorts and probably just didn't go through the routine quite properly," Allen said. "I don't know because it was a perfect number. I guess it happens once in a while in golf."
Allen made an 18-foot birdie putt on 17, and missed a birdie chance on 18 when he pulled his 8-footer to the right.
Mark O'Meara, Stephen Ames and Billy Andrade were tied for third at 8 under. O'Meara shot 66, Ames 67, and Andrade 70. Ames was the last player to get into the field, jumping from 31st to 30th on the money list with a ninth-place tie last week at Newport Beach.
