11H AGO
Jerry Kelly takes first-round lead at Kaulig Companies Championship
1 Min Read
Jerry Kelly makes birdie on No. 8 at Kaulig Companies Championship
Players in Article
Players in This Article
Favorite players to keep them at the top of your leaderboard and get the latest updates. or Sign Up to save favorites across devices.
Written by Staff
Two-time Kaulig Companies Championship winner (2020, 2022) Jerry Kelly opened with 5-under 65 and leads by one stroke over major champions Darren Clarke and Mike Weir after the first round at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.
Jerry Kelly, 34-31 – 65 (5 under)
- The 59-year-old seeks his 14th win on PGA TOUR Champions (206th start).
- Last win: 2025 Mitsubishi Electric Classic
- Seeks his first win of the 2026 season (11th start).
- Best finish: 14th (Mitsubishi Electric Classic) – Modified Stableford
- Entered the week ranked No. 53 in the 2026 Charles Schwab Cup standings.
- This would be his eighth different season with a win on PGA TOUR Champions since joining in 2017.
- Seeks his third senior major title (43rd start).
- Previous wins: 2020 Kaulig Companies Championship, 2022 Kaulig Companies Championship
- Seeks his third win at the Kaulig Companies Championship (10th start).
- Previous wins: 2020 (Firestone), 2022 (Firestone)
- Owns five top-four finishes in nine starts at this event; in addition to his victories: second (2021), third (2024), T4 (2018)
- Looks to match Bernhard Langer for the most wins in Kaulig Companies Championship history (three).
- This is his 12th time leading/co-leading after the first round on PGA TOUR Champions.
- Is 5-for-11 converting those into victories (1-for-2 in 72-hole events)
- With a victory on Sunday, he would become the oldest winner of the 2026 season (59 years, 7 months, 19 days).
- Oldest winner of 2026: David Toms (Chubb Classic): 59 years, 1 month, 11 days
- This is his low 18-hole score of the 2026 season in an individual stroke play event (25th individual stroke play round).
- Previous low: 67 (two times) at Chubb Classic (Round 2), U.S. Senior Open (Round 3)
Other notes
- Charles Schwab No. 9 Darren Clarke (T2) opened with 4-under 66. The 57-year-old seeks his seventh win on PGA TOUR Champions (164th start), second win of the 2026 season (14th start) and second senior major title (34th start).
- Last win on PGA TOUR Champions: 2026 American Family Insurance Championship (team event with partner Ben Crane)
- Previous senior major win: 2022 ISPS HANDA Senior Open
- Best finish at Kaulig Companies Championship: T12 (2021)
- Note: Won the 2003 World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational, played at Firestone Country Club.
- Mike Weir (T2) carded 4-under 66. The 56-year-old seeks his second win on PGA TOUR Champions (110th start) and first senior major title (26th start).
- Last win: 2021 Insperity Invitational
- Best finish in a senior major: T2 (2021 U.S. Senior Open)
- Best finish at the Kaulig Companies Championship: T7 (2024)
- Charles Schwab No. 3 Zach Johnson is one of five players sitting T4 at 3-under along with 2024 champion and World Golf Hall of Fame member Ernie Els, 2009 PGA Champion Y.E. Yang, Cameron Percy and Søren Kjeldsen.
- Akron, Ohio, native Ryan Armour, who turned 50 years old on Feb. 27, sits T9 after shooting 2-under 68.
- Charles Schwab Cup leader Stewart Cink (T15) posted 1-under 69. The 53-year-old, who leads PGA TOUR Champions with four wins in 2026 (11th start), won the 2004 World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational, played at Firestone Country Club.
- Before the start of the first round, Lee Janzen and World Golf Hall of Fame member Colin Montgomerie each withdrew and were replaced by Mario Tiziani (T47) and Harrison Frazar (T62).
- No players carded a bogey-free round, and no eagles were recorded on Thursday.
