Bass Pro Legends champs take home $460K

PGA Champions Tour golfers Woody Austin and Michael Allen narrowly won the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf at Big Cedar tournament, earning $230,000 apiece.

The duo yesterday beat David Frost and Roger Chapman by one stroke after Allen sunk an 18-foot birdie on the final hole, according to a PGA Tour news release.

The win at Johnny Morris’ Top of the Rock course in Ridgedale marked Austin’s third victory out of the last four PGA Champions events - the tour’s 50-and-older circuit. During the past four tournaments, he’s earned $758,680, or average of $189,670 per start. Allen’s win was his first since 2014.

The Legends circuit for players 65 years and older also took place at Top of the Rock during the April 20-24 tournament.

Larry Nelson and Bruce Fleisher picked up the win, earning $60,000 apiece. They defeated John Bland and Graham Marsh by two strokes.

“It has been a terrific week here for Branson and this area,” Nelson said in the release. “Johnny Morris has just done a great job with this. It's just a tremendous event.”  

Bass Pro spokesman Jack Wlezien referred questions to the PGA release, which did not include attendance numbers. In its first two years, the tournament attracted over 25,000 visitors, with 14,000 in the first year. The tournament generates an estimated economic impact of around $16 million.