Haas returns after layoff and wins

Bill Haas pulled ahead with a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-4 16th and parred the final two holes for a one-stroke victory Sunday in the Humana Challenge in La Quinta, California.

Haas closed with a 5-under 67 for his sixth PGA Tour title and first since the 2013 AT&T National. He won the 2010 event at PGA West for his first tour victory.

Haas was making his first start since November. He took the long break to rest his left wrist, fractured in April when he fell down stairs at Hilton Head.

Part of a six-man tie for the lead after a par save on the par-3 15th, Haas got to 22 under with the birdie putt on 16 on the Arnold Palmer Private Course.

Haas two-putted for par from 20 feet on the par-5 18th after pulling off an awkward layup with his ball perched on the front lip of a right-side fairway bunker.

His father, Jay, won the 1998 tournament. Haas’ great uncle, 85-year-old Bob Goalby, watched the final holes. Goalby won the 1968 Masters.

Matt Kuchar, Charley Hoffman, Brendan Steele, Steve Wheatcroft and Sung Joon Park tied for second. Hoffman and Steele shot 64, Park had a 65, and Kuchar and Wheatcroft shot 67.

Kuchar had a two-stroke lead with four holes to play Saturday, but bogeyed three of the last four holes in the third round to fall a stroke back.

Haas broke out of the tie on 16, and then missed a 10-foot birdie try on the par-3 17th.

On the par-5 18th, with water running the length of the hole on the left, his drive stopped on the top edge off the right-side bunker. Standing in the bunker with the ball in the dormant grass at nearly waist level, he choked up on an 8-iron and slashed 80 yards down the fairway. That left him 170 yards to the green and he hit safely to the middle.

Spokane’s Alex Prugh finished at 9-under 279 after a final round of 72.

Champions Tour

Miguel Angel Jimenez rallied to win the Champions Tour’s season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship, birdieing six of the final nine holes for a one-stroke victory over Mark O’Meara in Kaupulehu-Kona, Hawaii.

The Spaniard closed with a 6-under 66 for his second victory in three career starts on the 50-and-over tour. He won the Greater Gwinnett Championship last year, a week after finishing fourth in the Masters. In May, he won the Spanish Open at 50 years, 133 days to break his own record as the oldest European Tour champion.

Jimenez finished at 17-under 199 at Hualalai Golf Club.

O’Meara shot 64.

Fred Couples was third at 14 under.

Former Pullman resident Kirk Triplett finished at 9-under 207 after a final-round 69.