Leonard wins Dominion Energy Charity Classic as playoffs begin

Justin Leonard holed an eagle on the 18th hole Sunday to capture the Dominion Energy Charity Classic, the opening event of the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, at the Country Club of Virginia in Richmond. Leonard closed with a 4-under 68 on a windy final day for a 12-under 204 total, one stroke ahead of Ernie Els and Thomas Bjorn, who finished at 11-under 205.

Leonard surged late after birdying the par-5 16th and then hitting a hybrid 4-iron to about 20 feet on the closing hole and holing the downhill eagle putt. Els, who had moved into position with birdies on the 15th and 16th, bogeyed the 17th and missed a 10-foot birdie attempt on 18 that would have forced a playoff. Bjorn shot 68 to join Els in second. Bernhard Langer, who has been a consistent winner on the PGA Tour Champions, closed with a 72 and finished three shots back.

Leonard credited recent changes to his setup and approach for his strong finish. "It's the Callaway Jailbird Mini," he said of his new putter, adding that a stretch of time off allowed him to experiment. He also emphasized steady improvement rather than any quick fix. "Just continue to work, try and get a little better each day. I don't think there's any...