Southern California’s Paul Goydos opened with bogey-free 62 to take a one-stroke lead over Brian Gay and rookie Zach Johnson after the first round of the Hoag Classic.

Paul Goydos, 31-31 – 62 (-9)

• The 61-year-old seeks his sixth win on PGA TOUR Champions (259th start)
  • Last win: 2017 3M Championship
• With a win, he would snap a winless streak of 3,157 days (or eight years, seven months, 23 days).
• Matched his second-lowest 18-hole score on PGA TOUR Champions (799th round)
  • Previous instance of 62: 2016 Charles Schwab Cup Championship (first round)
  • Goydos’ low round on PGA TOUR Champions: 60 (2017 3M Championship, second round)
• Matched the low 18-hole score of the 2026 season by any player on PGA TOUR Champions
  • Previous instances: Ángel Cabrera (Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai/R2), Bo Van Pelt (Cologuard Classic/R1), Steven Alker (Cologuard Classic/R2)
• This is his 11th time leading/co-leading after the first round on PGA TOUR Champions (2-for-10)
• Making his fourth start of the 2026 season, his best finish is T11 (Chubb Classic)
• Making his 10th appearance at the Hoag Classic, the Long Beach, California, resident has three top-10 finishes at this event
  • Best finish: fourth (2015)

Other notes

• Seeking his second win in his first three starts on PGA TOUR Champions, Zach Johnson (T2) carded his lowest 18-hole score since turning 50 years old with 8-under 63.
  • Johnson’s first two starts (chronologically): won (James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational), T3 (Cologuard Classic)
• Seeking his first win on PGA TOUR Champions (77th start), 54-year-old Brian Gay (T2) matched his low 18-hole score on PGA TOUR Champions with 63 (230th round).
  • Gay’s previous 63: 2023 Rogers Charity Classic (second round)
  • Gay’s best finish on PGA TOUR Champions: fourth (2022 Chubb Classic)
• The winner of last week’s Cologuard Classic, Steven Alker (T4) opened with 7-under 64.
  • Looks to become the first player to win back-to-back tournaments on PGA TOUR Champions since Stewart Cink (2025 Charles Schwab Cup Championship, 2026 Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai)
  • Looks to become the first player to win in back-to-back weeks on PGA TOUR Champions since Ángel Cabrera (2025 Regions Tradition, 2025 Senior PGA Championship)
• Freddie Jacobson, whose best finish on PGA TOUR Champions in 27 starts is T2 at last year’s Hoag Classic, sits T4 after shooting 64.
  • Jacobson’s position by round (chronologically) at the Hoag Classic (second appearance): T2-third-T2-T4
• 2008 Hoag Classic champion and 68-year-old Bernhard Langer (T21) opened with 67 to shoot his age or better for the 40th time on PGA TOUR Champions.
• 69-year-old Fred Funk (T43) hit all 14 fairways en route to 69, shooting his age or better for the fourth time on PGA TOUR Champions.
• Thomas Bjørn withdrew before the start of the first round and was replaced by Scott Parel (T55).