Five years after brutal diagnosis, Sauers wins U.S. Senior Open by one

You might have been hard-pressed to convince Gene Sauers five years ago that he was still going to be playing professional golf in 2016. On Monday, he became a first-time major champion.

Sauers won the U.S. Senior Open by a shot over Billy Mayfair and Miguel Angel Jimenez at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio.

The 53-year-old winner finished at 3-under 277, shooting 1-under 69 in the final round. The three-time PGA Tour winner locked up his first senior major when he made a 5-foot par putt after Jimenez, the 54-hole leader, missed a 10-footer for par.

“It’s been a long time for me,” said Sauers. “I didn’t know if I would ever be playing again. It’s pretty amazing to come out here and win a major.”

Back in 2011, Sauers was hospitalized for seven weeks, diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a milder form of toxic epidermal necrolysis. It’s an incredibly painful conditions which blisters and erodes the skin. Doctors gave Sauers a 25 percent chance to survive. Despite the diagnosis and prognosis, Sauers battled back to health and was released from the hospital later that summer. He joined PGA Tour Champions in 2012.

On top of overcoming Stevens-Johnson syndrome, Sauers overcame a big letdown in this tournament two years ago. Sauers had a three-shot lead going into the final round of the 2014 U.S. Senior Open at Oak Tree National in Oklahoma, only to lose out to Colin Montgomerie.

This is Sauers’ first pro win of any kind since the 2002 Air Canada Championship on the PGA Tour. He lost his PGA Tour card after the exemption ended and left the PGA Tour and competitive golf. He then had to deal with debilitating arthritis.

“It went from one shoulder to the other shoulder, and then it started attacking all my joints,” he said. “I couldn’t even get off the couch.”

For all Sauers has overcome, you might think the man would have a big celebration planned. Not so.

“I’m all by myself,” he said. “I guess I’ll just go maybe eat at Burger King or something.”