Things to know

• Jerry Kelly opened with 10-under 62 to set the TPC Sugarloaf course record and holds a three-stroke lead over World Golf Hall of Fame member Ernie Els after the first round of the Mitsubishi Electric Classic presented by Vensure.
• Four of the top five on the leaderboard are members of the World Golf Hall of Fame: Els (second), Vijay Singh (third), Bernhard Langer (T4) and Retief Goosen (T4).

Jerry Kelly, 33-29 – 62 (-10)

• Set the TPC Sugarloaf competition course record (62).
  • Previous course record: 63 (four times; most recent: Phil Mickelson, 2006 BellSouth Classic, first round)
  • Previous 18-hole Mitsubishi Electric Classic scoring record: 64 (10 times; most recent: Stephen Ames, 2024, second round)
• This is his low 18-hole score on PGA TOUR Champions (558th round).
  • Previous low: 63 (2022 Sanford International, final round)
• This is the low 18-hole score by any player during the 2025 season on PGA TOUR Champions.
  • Previous low: 63 (four times; most recent: Tag Ridings, The Galleri Classic, second round)
  • Note: This is the eighth event of the 2025 season
• His back-nine 29 is the low nine-hole score of the 2025 season on PGA TOUR Champions.
  • Previous low: 30 (six times; most recent: Darren Clarke, The Galleri Classic, second round, back nine)
• This is the largest 18-hole lead of the 2025 season (three) by any player on PGA TOUR Champions.
  • Last 18-hole lead of three or more strokes on PGA TOUR Champions: three strokes (Stewart Cink, 2024 Charles Schwab Cup Championship)
• This is his 10th time leading/co-leading after the first round on PGA TOUR Champions (4-for-9).
  • Co-led at the 2017 Boeing Classic (won)
  • Co-led at the 2018 Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai (won)
  • Led at the 2018 U.S. Senior Open (finished T2)
  • Led at the 2019 American Family Insurance Championship (won)
  • Co-led at the 2020 Kaulig Companies Championship (won)
  • Led at the 2022 Invited Celebrity Classic (finished sixth)
  • Led at the 2022 Dominion Energy Charity Classic (finished T3)
  • Co-led at the 2023 PURE Insurance Championship (finished T7)
  • Co-led at the 2024 Invited Celebrity Classic (finished T36)
• The 58-year-old seeks his 13th win on PGA TOUR Champions (178th start).
  • Last win: 2024 SAS Championship
• Making his fifth start of the 2025 season, he has two top-10 finishes.
  • Best finish of 2025: T5 (Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai)
• Entered the week No. 30 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings.
• Making his sixth appearance at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic, he has three top-10 finishes.
  • Best finish: T2 (2019)

Other notes

• Charles Schwab No. 3 Ernie Els opened with bogey-free 7-under 65 and sits in second. The 55-year-old World Golf Hall of Fame member has four top-five finishes in six starts this season.
  • Best finish in 2025: won (Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai)
• World Golf Hall of Fame member Vijay Singh sits in third after shooting 6-under 66. The 62-year-old seeks his sixth win on PGA TOUR Champions (162nd start).
  • Last win: 2023 Ally Challenge
• World Golf Hall of Fame members Bernhard Langer and Retief Goosen are each T4 at 5-under.
  • The 67-year-old Langer shot his age or better for the 28th time on PGA TOUR Champions. He won the Mitsubishi Electric Classic in 2013.
  • Goosen won the 2002 BellSouth Classic played at TPC Sugarloaf.
• Tournament host Stewart Cink (T12) opened with 3-under 69.
• Making his debut on PGA TOUR Champions, 53-year-old open qualifier Sam Arnold (T12) opened with 3-under 69.
• Charles Schwab Cup leader and 2014 champion Miguel Angel Jiménez is T16 after carding 2-under 70.
• Seeking a third consecutive Mitsubishi Electric Classic victory, Stephen Ames (T37) posted even-par 72. Ames previously won this event in 2017, 2023 and 2024.
• Making his 2025 season debut, World Golf Hall of Fame member Davis Love III (T66) opened with 3-over 75.