Senior Open champion Paul Broadhurst wins at Pebble Beach

Senior Open champion Paul Broadhurst has backed up his Carnoustie triumph by landing a first over-50s triumph on US soil.

Paul Broadhurst lines up a putt in the First Tee Open in California. Picture: Getty Images

The 51-year-old Englishman birdied the par-5 18th at Pebble Beach to secure a one-shot win over Bernhard Langer and Kevin Sutherland in the Nature Valley First Tee Open on the Champions Tour.

“Obviously, the scoreboards are all around the last four holes, so I was well aware of what was going on and knew I needed to birdie the last to avoid a play-off,” said Broadhurst after holing from six feet for a closing 68 and an 11-under-par total.

“I probably hit two of the best shots I’ve ever hit up 18 - a perfect tee shot and a really good utility into the green just on the front edge - then managed to two-putt from 30 feet, so I’m absolutely delighted.”

Broadhurst, who won six times on the European Tour and played in the Ryder Cup in 1991, is now up to 23rd on the Charles Schwab Cup money-list on the Champions Tour.

“I felt more relaxed today,” added the Midlander, who got his overp-50s career off to a winning start by claiming the Prostate Cancer UK Scottish Senior Open at Archerfield Links last August.

“I don’t know if it’s because you’re older or whether it’s experience or just getting in the frame at the British recently helped an awful lot, but I felt fairly comfortable.

“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, but I felt fairly comfortable out there apart from 14, which I made a bit of a mess of.”