Defending champ Stewart Cink fires 63 for third straight first-round lead at Charles Schwab Cup Championship

Defending champion Stewart Cink, who entered the week atop the season-long standings, played his first seven holes in 6 under, en route to an opening-round 63. He holds a one-stroke lead over World Golf Hall of Fame member Ernie Els after the first round of the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

Recent Round 1 leaders at Charles Schwab Cup Championship

Stewart Cink, 30-33 – 63 (-8)

Charles Schwab Cup standings – Start: first Projected: first

• The 53-year-old seeks his 10th win on PGA Tour Champions (57th start)
• Seeks his sixth win of the 2026 season (21st start)
  • Previous wins in 2026 (chronologically): Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai, Hoag Classic, Senior PGA Championship, Regions Tradition, Boeing Classic
  • Would match Zach Johnson (six) for the most wins by a player this season on PGA Tour Champions
• This is his ninth time leading/co-leading after the first round on PGA Tour Champions
  • Is 3-for-8 converting those into victories (2-for-4 in 72-hole events)
• Holds the solo lead after the first round of the Charles Schwab Cup Championship for the third consecutive year
  • Position by round (chronologically) at this event: first-first-sixth-T6-first-second-second-won-first
• Entered the week atop the 2026 Charles Schwab Cup standings, controlling his own destiny in the race for the Charles Schwab Cup
  • Cink won the Charles Schwab Cup in 2025
• Looks to become the eighth multi-time winner of the Charles Schwab Cup
  • Would join Bernhard Langer (six), Steven Alker (two), Tom Lehman (two), Loren Roberts (two), Jay Haas (two), Tom Watson (two), Hale Irwin (two)
• Looks to complete the fourth successful defense of the Charles Schwab Cup
  • Would join Tom Lehman (2012), Bernhard Langer (2015), Bernhard Langer (2016)
• Looks to become the first player to lead the Charles Schwab Cup standings for every week of the season
  • Has led for all 27 weeks of the 2026 season, and a streak of 28 consecutive weeks at No. 1, dating back to the 2025 Charles Schwab Cup Championship
  • Fewest weeks trailing in the standings in a season by the winner of the Charles Schwab Cup:
    • 2011: Tom Lehman trailed for one week (led 23 of 24 weeks)
    • 2014: Bernhard Langer trailed for one week (led 25 of 26 weeks)
• Seeks his second win at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship (third start)
  • Previous finishes: T6 (2024), won (2025)
• Looks to become the seventh multi-time winner of the Charles Schwab Cup Championship
  • Would join Jim Thorpe (three), Tom Watson (three), John Cook (two), Raymond Floyd (two), Mike Hill (two), Kevin Sutherland (two)
• Looks to become the fourth player to go back-to-back at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship
  • Would join Jim Thorpe (2006, 2007), John Cook (2009, 2010), Mike Hill (1990, 1991)
• Looks to achieve the fourth successful title defense of the 2026 season on PGA Tour Champions
  • Previous instances: Steven Alker (Cologuard Classic), Darren Clarke (American Family Insurance Championship – team event with partner Ben Crane), Padraig Harrington (U.S. Senior Open)

Ernie Els, 32-32 – 64 (-7)

Charles Schwab Cup standings – Start: eighth Projected: fourth

• The 57-year-old World Golf Hall of Fame member seeks his eighth win on PGA Tour Champions (151st start)
  • Last win: 2025 Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai
• Matched his low 18-hole score of the 2026 season (69th round)
  • Previous instance: 2026 Boeing Classic (Final Round)
• Seeks his first win of the 2026 season (22nd start)
  • Best finish: second/T2 (three times)
    • second (The Insperity)
    • second (SAS Championship)
    • T2 (Hoag Classic)
  • Entered the week ranked No. 8 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings
• Seeks his first win at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship (sixth start)
  • Best finish: T2 (2023)

Other notes

• Scottsdale resident Steve Allan (third) opened with a 65 to match his lowest 18-hole score of the 2026 season (75th round). The 53-year-old seeks his fourth win on PGA Tour Champions (72nd start).
  • Each of his previous three wins came in 2025 (most recent: Boeing Classic)
  • Best finish of 2026: T3 (Senior PGA Championship)
  • Previous instance of shooting 65: 2026 Rogers Charity Classic (Final Round)
• Charles Schwab Cup No. 2 Zach Johnson (T20) carded 2-under 69. After playing his first seven holes in 4 under, Johnson played his final 11 holes in 2 over.
  • Johnson needs a minimum eighth-place finish (and help from Cink) to have a chance to win the Charles Schwab Cup. They are the only two players with a mathematical chance to win the Cup

Race for the Charles Schwab Cup

The Charles Schwab Cup offers $2.1 million in prize money to the top-five finishers at season’s end. The winner of the season-long Charles Schwab Cup will be awarded $1 million and the second-through-fifth-place finishers will receive prize money of $500,000, $300,000, $200,000 and $100,000, respectively.

Projected Charles Schwab Cup standings after Round 1