Defending champ Stewart Cink grabs lead at PGA Tour Champions finale

Stewart Cink, aiming for his second consecutive PGA Tour Champions season title, leads by one stroke after the first round of the year-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship on Thursday in Phoenix.

Cink, who leads the season standings, eagled his first hole and was 6 under par through seven holes en route to an 8-under 63 at Phoenix Country Club.

South Africa’s Ernie Els is second at 64, and Australia’s Steve Allan is third at 65. Jerry Kelly, Australia’s Richard Green and Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen are tied for fourth at 66.

Zach Johnson, the only golfer with a mathematical chance of overtaking Cink for the season crown, is tied for 20th at 69.

Cink won the Charles Schwab Cup Championship last year, and he has five victories this season, including two majors. He is closing in on becoming the first back-to-back season champion since Germany’s Bernhard Langer claimed three in a row from 2014-16.

Johnson, a six-time winner in 2026, is aiming to be the first rookie to win the season crown.

The season points champion will pocket a US$1 million bonus.

Cink admitted his sizzling start was a surprise.

“We always talk about how you have to be prepared at the start of every day to be way under par early and way over par early,” he said. “You have to be ready for it all. Still, even though you prepare for that, when a round like that gets started and you’re like, ‘Whoa, I’m minus 6 through seven,’ it does kind of feel a little strange.”

Regarding the early run, Cink added, “I was just executing shots really, really well. Sticking to the game plan, which is always good anyway, but the executing was exceptionally good there early on. Also, I got a little bit lucky. The first fairway I missed. … I just had like the most beautiful easy setup. I got a free drop … in a nice piece of grass, so took advantage of that.”

Els carded eight birdies and one bogey, and he ended the day with back-to-back birdies.

“I needed every shot that I’ve ever played in my life because I didn’t play a perfect round of golf,” he said. “I’m trying a new driver again this week, so it’s not quite there yet.

“I was lucky enough, fortunate enough to be hitting balls out of the trees, out of the rough and keep my score together, and when I did hit the fairways, I took advantage. So it was a full array. Enjoyable round at the end.”

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