Retief Goosen grabs first-round lead at SAS Championship, seeks second win of 2026

World Golf Hall of Fame member Retief Goosen opened with a 7-under 65 Friday to take a one-stroke lead over Richard Green after the first round of the SAS Championship in Cary, North Carolina.

Retief Goosen, 32-33 – 65 (-7)

• The 57-year-old World Golf Hall of Fame member seeks his sixth career win on PGA Tour Champions (165th start)
• Seeks his second win of the 2026 season (21st start)
  • Previous win in 2026: Mitsubishi Electric Classic (Modified Stableford scoring)
  • Entered the week ranked No. 5 in the 2026 Charles Schwab Cup standings.
• Would be his first multi-win season on PGA Tour Champions since joining in 2019
• Looks to become the fourth multi-time winner of the 2026 season
  • Would join Zach Johnson (six), Stewart Cink (five) and Steven Alker (four)
• Seeks his first win at the SAS Championship (sixth appearance)
  • Best finish: T5 (2023)
• This is his seventh time leading/co-leading after the first round on PGA Tour Champions (1-for-6 converting into victory)
  • Lone victory: Was T1 at the 2024 Galleri Classic

Other notes

• Richard Green (second) carded a bogey-free, 6-under 66. The 55-year-old seeks his second career win on PGA Tour Champions (98th start).
  • Previous win: 2025 Rogers Charity Classic
• The 52-year-old Tag Ridings (third) posted a 5-under 67. He seeks his first win on PGA Tour Champions (40th start).
  • Best finish: second (three times); second/2026 Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic, second/2025 Galleri Classic, T2/2025 Simmons Bank Championship
• Five players sit T4 at 4 under: Søren Kjeldsen, David Duval, Paul Goydos, Chad Campbell and Freddie Jacobson.
  • Goydos has five wins on PGA Tour Champions in 277 starts. The other four players have a combined zero wins on PGA Tour Champions in 238 collective starts.
• The 69-year-old World Golf Hall of Fame member Bernhard Langer (T9) opened with 69 to shoot his age or better for the 51st time on PGA Tour Champions.
• Fred Funk withdrew after the first round.

Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs bubble watch

Sprint to St. Louis presented by Compliance Solutions

• The SAS Championship is the fifth and final points-based event in the Sprint to St. Louis presented by Compliance Solutions before the three finalists head to St. Louis.
• The three highest Charles Schwab Cup Points earners among the final five regular-season events will be deemed finalists following the conclusion of the SAS Championship.
• The three finalists will head to next week’s Stifel Charity Classic, with the best finisher among them claiming the $200,000 winner-take-all prize.

Sprint to St. Louis Standings (entering SAS Championship)