Zach Johnson fires first-round 64, grabs one-shot lead at Portugal Invitational

Things to know

PGA TOUR Champions rookie Zach Johnson, who turned 50 on February 24, 2026, posts an 8-under 64 to take the opening-round lead in the inaugural Portugal Invitational at The Els Club Vilamoura. The two-time major champion looks to secure his fourth victory of the 2026 season.

Zach Johnson, 31-33 – 64 (-8)

• Fifty-year-old rookie birdied his first three holes en route to an 8-under 64 to grab the first-round lead in the Portugal Invitational
• Records his fourth round of 64 or better in the 2026 PGA TOUR Champions season (63, three times)
• Enters the week at No. 2 in the Charles Schwab Cup with three wins this season on PGA TOUR Champions
  • Wins and margin of victory: James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational (four strokes), Principal Charity Classic (four strokes), Kaulig Companies Championship (six strokes)
• Looks to become the first PGA TOUR Champions player with four wins in his rookie season since Padraig Harrington in 2022
• Owns 10 top-10 finishes in as many starts, adding a T2 (Hoag Classic) and two third-place finishes; worst finish in 2026 thus far came at the Senior PGA Championship (T8)
• Marks the second 18-hole lead/co-lead of his PGA TOUR Champions career (0-for-1 in converting)
  • Previous instance: 2026 Mitsubishi Electric Classic (finished third)
• Competed in the only PGA TOUR-sanctioned event to be held in Portugal at the 2005 World Golf Championships-World Cup, staged at Victoria Clube de Golfe; finished T17 with partner Stewart Cink
• Won 12 times during his PGA TOUR career, including major championship titles at the 2007 Masters and 2015 The Open
• Represented the United States nine times between the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup, serving as Captain at the 2023 Ryder Cup

Rory Sabbatini, 31-34 – 65 (-7)

• PGA TOUR Champions rookie shot a bogey-free, 7-under 65 for his low round of the 2026 season
• Making his 10th start since turning 50 on April 2, 2026, enters the week at No. 23 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings with a pair of top-10 finishes: T3, American Family Insurance Championship (w/partner Brian Gay) third, Kaulig Companies Championship
• Seeks to become the fourth first-time winner on PGA TOUR Champions this season
  • Zach Johnson (James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational), Boo Weekley (Insperity Invitational) and Ben Crane (American Family Insurance Championship w/partner Darren Clarke)
• Won six times during his PGA TOUR career, with his last victory coming at the 2011 Cognizant Classic; a victory on Sunday would end a winless drought of 15 years, 4 months and 27 days
• Finished T2 at the 2007 Masters Tournament, two strokes behind Johnson
• Won the 2003 WGC-World Cup with partner Trevor Immelman
• Represented the International Team in the 2007 Presidents Cup
• Won the silver medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo representing Slovakia

Other notes

• Pádraig Harrington (T3) reached 6-under through 10 holes before playing his final eight holes in even par for a first-round 66;54-year-old World Golf Hall of Fame member seeks his 13th win on PGA TOUR Champions and his second of the 2026 season (U.S. Senior Open); victory would give him five straight seasons on PGA TOUR Champions with at least two wins; entered the week ranked No. 3 in the 2026 Charles Schwab Cup standings.
• Alex Čejka (T3) birdied four of his final eight holes for a 6-under 66; enters the week at No. 14 in the Charles Schwab Cup with four top-10 finishes, including a pair of T4 finishes at the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational and Trophy Hassan II; seeks his fifth PGA TOUR Champions title in his 135th career start.
• Charles Schwab Cup leader Stewart Cink (T7) posted a 5-under 67; 53-year-old seeks his ninth win on PGA TOUR Champions (49th start) and his fifth of the 2026 season (13th start); with a win, would become the first player to win five times in a season on PGA TOUR Champions since 2023 when Steve Stricker won six times.
• Tournament host, course designer and World Golf Hall of Fame member Ernie Els (T13) double-bogeyed the 18th hole to post a 4-under 68; enters the week at No. 7 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings with a pair of runner-up finishes at the Hoag Classic and Insperity Invitational; last PGA TOUR Champions title came at the 2025 Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.