Rookie Henrik Stenson among trio sharing 36-hole lead at PURE Insurance Championship

At 8-under 136, Henrik Stenson, Ryan Armour and Y.E. Yang share the 36-hole lead by one stroke over Zach Johnson and Steven Alker at the 2026 PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee. It matches the most tied for the lead after two rounds on PGA Tour Champions this season (Portugal Invitational, Principal Charity Classic). The professional field was cut to the top 50 players and ties (51 players at 2 over or better) for Sunday’s final round at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Henrik Stenson, 69-67—136 (SH-PB)

• Matched the low round of the day at 5-under 67, highlighted by five birdies on his last 13 holes
• Marks his first time leading/co-leading after any round on PGA Tour Champions
  • Previous best position after any round: T3 after the second round of the 2026 ISPS HANDA Senior Open (finished T14) – 72-hole event
  • Previous best 36-hole position: T3/2026 ISPS HANDA Senior Open
• Making his first start at the PURE Insurance Championship
• Matches his low 36-hole score on PGA Tour Champions with 136 (other: 2026 ISPS HANDA Senior Open)
• Best finish in five starts this season: T11/U.S. Senior Open Championship; entered the week ranked No. 77 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings; projected No. 38
• Seeks his first PGA Tour Champions victory in his sixth start
• Looks to become the fifth first-time winner of the 2026 season
  • Zach Johnson (James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational)
  • Boo Weekley (Insperity Invitational)
  • Scott Hend (Trophy Hassan II)
  • Ben Crane (American Family Insurance Championship) – team event with partner Darren Clarke
• Won six times on the PGA Tour, including the 2016 The Open Championship and 2009 The Players Championship

Ryan Armour, 67-69—136 (PB-SH)

• The 50-year-old rookie carded four birdies against one bogey en route to 3-under 69
• Marks his second time leading/co-leading after 36 holes on PGA Tour Champions (0-for-1 in converting into a win)
  • Led at 2026 Rogers Charity Classic (finished T5)
• Making his first start at the PURE Insurance Championship
• Best finish in 12 starts this season: T3/Sanford International; entered the week ranked No. 44 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings; projected No. 24
• Seeks his first PGA Tour Champions victory in his 13th start
• Looks to become the fifth first-time winner of the 2026 season
  • Zach Johnson (James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational)
  • Boo Weekley (Insperity Invitational)
  • Scott Hend (Trophy Hassan II)
  • Ben Crane (American Family Insurance Championship) – team event with partner Darren Clarke
• Won one time on the PGA Tour at the 2017 Sanderson Farms Championship

Y.E. Yang, 64-72—136 (PB-SH)

• Posted even-par 72 despite opening the second round bogey-bogey
• Marks his sixth time leading/co-leading after 36 holes on PGA Tour Champions (1-for-5 in converting into win)
  • Co-led at the 2025 Senior PGA Championship (finished T11) – 72-hole event
  • Co-led at the 2024 Stifel Charity Classic (won)
  • Co-led at the 2024 Trophy Hassan II (finished T3)
  • Co-led at the 2023 Stifel Charity Classic (finished T3)
  • Co-led at the 2022 SAS Championship (finished T13)
• Making his fifth start at the PURE Insurance Championship (T5/2025, T26/2024, T5/2023, T12/2022).
• Best finish in 20 starts this season was P2 at the Rogers Charity Classic where he closed with a bogey-free 63 and fell to Steven Alker on the first playoff hole
• Entered the week ranked No. 17 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings; projected No. 9
• Seeks his second PGA Tour Champions victory in his 128th start
  • His lone title came at the 2024 Stifel Charity Classic (defeated Bernhard Langer in a playoff)

Miscellaneous notes

• No. 2 Zach Johnson (T4) seeks his sixth win on PGA Tour Champions this season (15th start); with a win, the 50-year-old rookie would surpass Stewart Cink for the most wins on PGA Tour Champions this season.
• Steven Alker (T4), winner of his last two consecutive starts in August (Rogers Charity Classic, The Ally Challenge), carded a 4-under 68 at Pebble Beach and enters the final round one shot back. Alker is projected to move to No. 3 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings and is seeking his 14th career PGA Tour Champions win in his 114th start.

First Tee participants

• The PURE Insurance Championship features a unique format and a field with 80 PGA Tour Champions players, 80 First Tee junior players and 160 amateurs. Consideration for a spot in the event for First Tee kids is based on the quality and integrity of life skills, as well as golfing ability.
• The top 24 First Tee juniors (12 male and 12 female) after 36 holes advanced to Sunday’s final round at Pebble Beach; the top junior male and female will be crowned after Sunday’s final round.
• In the First Tee junior portion of the competition, Ryan Joseph Lopez (Y.E. Yang) and Nakul Shrivastava (Henrik Stenson) share a lead of the boys' division at 13-under 131, while Khloe Chao (Ryan Armour) and Sadie Goodman (Tommy Gainey) are atop the girls’ leaderboard at 12-under 132.
• Junior Angelina Booan made a hole-in-one in the second round on No. 12 at Spyglass Hill Golf Course from 117 yards with a pitching wedge.