Stewart Cink recorded a bogey-free 64 to take the first-round lead in the Charles Schwab Cup Championship for the second consecutive year. He leads Jerry Kelly by one shot entering Friday’s second round of play. Charles Schwab Cup leader Steven Alker opened with a 5-under 66 to sit T3 through one round.

Stewart Cink, 33-31—64 (7 under)

Charles Schwab Cup standings – Start: 3rd / Projected: 1st

• Records a 7-under 64 to secure the opening-round lead for the second straight year at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. Finished T6 in his tournament debut in 2024
• The 52-year-old seeks his fourth win on PGA TOUR Champions (36th start)
  • Last win: 2025 Ally Challenge
• Seeks his third win of the 2025 season (21st start)
  • Previous wins: Insperity Invitational, The Ally Challenge
• Would become the fourth three-time winner of the 2025 season on PGA TOUR Champions, joining Miguel Angel Jiménez (4), Ángel Cabrera (3) and Steve Allan (3)
• Marks his fifth career 18-hole lead/co-lead on PGA TOUR Champions (1-for-4) and third this season (The Ally Challenge/Won, Stifel Charity Classic/Eighth)
• Minimum tournament finish required for Cink to have a chance to win the Charles Schwab Cup: two-way T4
  • Would need Steven Alker to finish in a three-way T24 or worse AND
  • Would need Miguel Angel Jiménez to finish in a three-way T10 or worse AND
  • Would need Ernie Els to finish solo second or worse AND
  • Would need Thomas Bjørn to finish solo second or worse.

Other Notes

• Jerry Kelly(2nd) recorded seven birdies en route to a 6-under 65.
  • Entered the week at No. 18 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings thanks to a win at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic and four additional top-10s
  • Has notched two top-10 finishes in eight career starts at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, highlighted by a T8 in 2023
• Steven Alker (T3) posted a bogey-free 66 for his ninth round of 66 or better at Phoenix Country Club in 17 career rounds.
  • The 52-year-old seeks his 11th win on PGA TOUR Champions (98th start)
    • Last win: 2025 Simmons Bank Championship
  • Seeks his third win of the 2025 season (23rd start)
    • Previous wins: Cologuard Classic, Simmons Bank Championship
  • Has 17 top-10 finishes, most among all players this season on PGA TOUR Champions
• Making his tournament debut, Tommy Gainey (T3) recorded seven birdies for a 5-under 66.
  • Won the Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS after successfully open qualifying, becoming the youngest winner of the 2025 season at the age of 50 years, 1 month, 23 days.
  • Entered the week at No. 36 in the Charles Schwab Cup.
• Jason Caron (T3) posted a 5-under 66 in his second career start at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.
  • Notched two runner-up finishes in the 2025 season, including a playoff loss at the Cologuard Classic and a solo-second at the DICK’S Open, where he fell four shots shy of winner Steve Allan.
  • Seeks to become the seventh first-time winner in 2025, joining Tommy Gainey (Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS), Richard Green (Rogers Charity Classic), Thomas Bjørn (American Family Insurance Championship – team event with partner Darren Clarke), Ángel Cabrera (James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational), Steve Allan (The Galleri Classic) and Justin Leonard (Chubb Classic).
• Steve Flesch (T3) birdied his final two holes for a first-round 66.
  • Owns one top-10 in five prior appearances at the event (T7/2021).
  • Seeks his first Champions Tour win since claiming the 2023 Stifel Charity Classic.
• Past champions in the field include Alker (T3), Bernhard Langer (T15), Vijay Singh (T15) and Pádraig Harrington (T31).
  • Langer, who owns a record 47 titles on PGA TOUR Champions, is looking for his first win of the 2025 season. The 68-year-old has recorded at least one victory every year on Tour, dating back to 2007.

Race for the Charles Schwab Cup

The Charles Schwab Cup offers $2.1 million in prize money to the top-5 finishers at season’s end. The prize money will be distributed in lump sum deposits into a Schwab brokerage account to be invested into a Schwab Managed Portfolio (SMP), if eligible. The winner of the season-long Charles Schwab Cup will be awarded $1 million, and the second to fifth place finishers will receive prize money of $500,000, $300,000, $200,000, and $100,000, respectively.