Former Murrieta resident Tom Pernice Jr. finishes at No. 41
PALM SPRINGS — Steve Allan ended a 23-year title drought in triumphant fashion on Sunday by capturing his first PGA Tour Champions victory at the Galleri Classic at Mission Hills Country Club. With a steady performance that included clutch putting and years of learned composure, the 51-year-old Australian held off a surging Tag Ridings to clinch the win.
Allan, who hadn’t won a professional tournament since the 2002 Holden Australian Open, started the final round with a one-shot lead. He stormed through the front nine with a blistering 5-under 31, fueled by birdies on the second, eighth, and ninth holes. With a commanding five-stroke lead heading into the back nine, it seemed Allan’s first PGA Tour Champions title was in the bag.
But golf, as it often does, had other plans.
Ridings, playing in just his second PGA Tour Champions event, staged a fierce back-nine push, carding five birdies, including three in a row from the 14th to the 16th holes. By the time Ridings sank a birdie putt on the 16th, the lead had shrunk to just one stroke, leaving Allan little room for error.
With Ridings setting up a near tap-in on 16, Allan faced a delicate 20-foot downhill birdie putt to maintain his lead. The pressure-filled moment was met with focus and calm as Allan drained the putt, keeping his one-stroke edge. Holding on to that slim margin, Allan parred the 17th and coasted on the 18th after Ridings pulled his tee shot into the water, clinching the win with a par.
“There was no breathing room out there, especially late,” Allan admitted afterward. “I was lucky my putter stayed warm when I needed it most, particularly on that 16th hole. I’ve been in enough of these to know how quickly things can flip, so I’m fortunate everything held together.”
Allan’s closing round of 5-under 67 brought him to a tournament total of 15-under 201, just one shot shy of breaking the Galleri Classic scoring record. Beyond the obvious emotional relief of breaking his two-decade winless streak, Allan pocketed a winner’s check worth $330,000—a payday nearly equal to half his earnings from 27 prior starts on the PGA Tour Champions.
The victory was a family affair for Allan, with his son Liam serving as his caddie. His wife Bridget and their other two sons were also greenside to witness the breakthrough moment. Allan, who gained entry into the Galleri Classic after Steve Stricker withdrew last weekend with an injury, called the victory a mix of joy, surrealism, and redemption.
“It felt a little like déjà vu,” Allan said. “When I won the Australian Open in 2002, I had my parents and my friends around to celebrate. This time, I had my entire family, which made this even sweeter. Having my son Liam on the bag, walking through this entire experience together—it’s unforgettable.”
Ridings finished one shot back in second place with a 14-under 202 total, earning $193,000 for his runner-up performance. He entered the tournament through a Tuesday qualifier and made an impressive run despite falling just short.
The final leaderboard saw Steven Alker, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, and Steve Flesch tied for third at 13-under 203. Jiménez and Flesch delivered standout final rounds of 65 and 64, respectively, taking advantage of calm weather conditions on Sunday.
The defending champion, Retief Goosen, ended his week tied for 10th at 10 under, while 2023 winner David Toms settled for a tie at 51st. Also down the leaderboard, Tom Pernice Jr., a former long-time Murrieta resident, quietly enjoyed a return to familiar grounds. Pernice finished tied for 41st, earning $9,240.
For Allan, this win solidifies his position among PGA Tour Champions winners and offers a fresh start to a career defined largely by near-misses and perseverance. “It feels indescribable to finally get a win out here,” Allan said. “It took longer than I wanted, but it’s a reminder that if you keep grinding, great things can still happen.”
The full leaderboard, with prize winnings, can be found by clicking here.
JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia.com.
