David Toms overcomes dramatic ending to hold off Robert Karlsson, win 2023 Cologuard Classic at Tucson National

After ascending the leaderboard following an impressive second round, Toms powered through the third round on Sunday to hold off Robert Karlsson and capture the 2023 Cologuard Classic by Exact Sciences at Omni Tucson National Resort. Toms was previously 0-3 in tournaments on the Champions tour when leading going into the last day. 

Toms concluded the tournament shooting a 15-under-par 68 on Sunday to win his third event on the Champions tour; Karlsson shot 14 under, while fellow group opponent Steve Stricker finished the tournament tied for eighth (9 under). 

This is Toms’ first tournament since the Ascension Charity Classic in 2021. 

“I was playing well,” Toms said of his final round. “I kept the ball in the fairway, still made some putts. I stuck with my game plan. … That was kind of the game plan all day long is just one step at a time and I was able to do that.” 

Toms was paired with Karlsson and 2018 Cologuard Classic champion Steve Stricker, who is tops in the Charles Schwab Cup standings, on Sunday. 

Similar to his second round Saturday, Toms benefitted from a productive front-nine performance with four birdies and no bogeys. He nearly began his round with four straight birdies, but he just missed a roughly 30-foot putt and saved par on the first hole. 

“That was the difference, that’s how I separated myself from the rest of the guys,” Toms said. “I knew somebody was going to play well today. Only had a two-shot lead and then a lot of guys that were close. … I looked at the leaderboard, I saw a couple guys played really well. … So I had to shoot a low round, at least a good round and I was able to do it.”

On the second hole, a 535-yard par 5, Toms opted for an aggressive approach and used a hybrid for the second shot, landing less than five feet from the hole, but then lipped the eagle putt; he birdied the hole. On the edge of the green, Karlsson drained a 10-12-foot eagle putt and pulled within a shot of Toms at 11 under. Karlsson also eagled the 17th hole Saturday. 

“That felt like a bonus,” Karlsson said. “Getting closer, a couple good shots, two good shots on (Hole) 1, two good shots on (Hole) 2, good tee shot on (Hole) 3 and it’s like, ‘Yeah, let’s keep going.’” 

Karlsson birdied the following par-4 hole, then again on the seventh hole, a 208-yard par 3, but he still trailed Toms by two shots. In a six-hole stretch from Hole 8 to Hole 13, Toms moved ahead by as many as four shots, but then bogeyed for the first time on the 13th hole. Still, Toms consistently maintained at least a two-shot lead on the back nine. 

But could he outlast Karlsson on the par-four 18th hole at Omni Tucson National, a hole that is renowned for troubling players due to its narrow fairway near water? On Saturday, just three players birdied on the 18th hole, meanwhile there were a combined 37 bogeys and double-bogeys; on Sunday, there were 36. Toms bogeyed the 18th hole during his previous two rounds. When Karlsson was asked about the difficulty of the 18th hole this week, he responded, “This week?” 

“The last 25 years you mean,” Karlsson said with a laugh. “It’s just the fairway sits across on the right side.” 

Toms’ tee shot dribbled into the water hazzard on the right side for the third straight round. 

“I mean, I said, ‘Good shot,’ to David Toms when he hit his drive. I was sure it was up,” Karlsson said. “Then we came out of the fairway, there were only two there. … So that’s how small the margins are on that hole. It’s just a very, very tough driving hole.” 

Toms’ next shot was the most important of the tournament: get in position for a routine putt and stave off Karlsson, who nearly birdied on the last hole to potentially force a playoff. 

“My caddie, Scott, said, ‘Hey, man, we’re all right, let’s hit a good shot here and we’re fine,’” Toms said.  

Toms’ second shot landed to the right of the green just in front of the 18th hole grandstand, setting up for an up-and-down bogey.

“My putter was good all week. It had to be good again today, Robert played really well. He got off to a good start and I was able to just hang in there, hang in there and keep a little distance,” Toms said. “It got pretty tight there on that last hole, but for me I guess it’s sweet that I was able to make that putt. … But to have a putt to win no matter what it was for, even though it was for bogey, that’s all you can really ask for.”

This year marks the last time Omni Tucson National Resort will host the Cologuard Classic, after the Champions tour event announced Sunday that it will move to La Paloma Country Club starting in 2024. Omni Tucson National hosted the event every year since 2015. 

Designed by legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus, La Paloma Country Club has three nine-hole courses: Canyon, Hill and Ridge. 

“On the behalf of the Tucson Conquistadores and all tournament partners, we thank Omni Tucson National for their gracious hospitality and partnership over the last nine years,” said Cologuard Classic executive director Geoff Hill.

La Paloma general manager Chris Robinson said he’s “thrilled and honored” for the country club to host the Cologuard Classic. 

“Being a part of such a great community event, while helping benefit local youth sports organizations and raising awareness about colon cancer are very important to us,” Robinson said. 

“We are looking forward to a long and collaborative relationship with the PGA Tour Champions, Exact Sciences and the Conquistadores.”  

• The 18th hole — or the “drive to know” hole — raised money for every tee shot that landed in the fairway, and donated the proceeds to colon cancer screening. This year, $50,000 was raised.

• Bernhard Langer, who is tied for most wins (45) on the PGA Tour Champions, played his 1,000th round on the Champions tour on Sunday and shot 6 under, finishing tied for 19th on the leaderboard.

• Toms became the ninth winner of Tucson’s Champions tour event, joining Miguel Angel Jimenez, Kevin Sutherland, Langer, Mark O’Meara, Stricker, Tom Lehman, Woody Austin and Marco Dawson.