PHOENIX — Stewart Cink fired a remarkable 5-under 66 on Friday, securing a three-stroke advantage at the conclusion of the PGA Tour Champions’ Charles Schwab Cup Championship. The 51-year-old golfer now holds a commanding lead at Phoenix Country Club.
At second place, legendary German golfer Bernhard Langer, who is 67 years old and boasts an impressive 46 career victories on the Champions Tour, shot a fantastic 64 during the round. Langer achieved a score equal to or better than his age for the 21st time in his Champions Tour career, highlighting his enduring talent. “Sometimes I look back at my career and think about how incredible it is what I’ve accomplished over the years,” Langer remarked. “To shoot 64 today—3 under my age—many people can’t do that.”
Cink’s performance has him sitting at a total of 12-under 130 after two rounds, following an equally impressive first-round score of 64. The Ally Challenge winner from August, which marked his first title on the senior circuit, Cink started the week ranked 12th in the season standings. “Today was probably even cleaner than yesterday in terms of my processes and overall shot quality,” Cink explained. “I just didn’t have as many long putts dropping, but it was still a solid performance. I aim to play like this every day.”
Langer made a strong charge early, scoring five birdies in his first seven holes, and finished his round with birdies on both 17 and 18, demonstrating his competitiveness as he aims for at least one victory every year for the 18th consecutive time. “Making putts is enjoyable—it’s what this game revolves around,” Langer said. “To achieve low scores, making putts is essential.”
In third place, Alex Cejka recorded a score of 7 under after a 66. Defending champion Steven Alker, who currently ranks second behind Ernie Els in the season standings, is tied for fourth place with a score of 4 under after shooting a 68. This situation places him in a position where he could surpass Els for the $1 million bonus.
Other notable performances include Vijay Singh, who shot a 65, Miguel Angel Jimenez with a 68, Jerry Kelly at 70, and Cameron Percy also at 68, all tied at 4 under. In the meantime, Els finished the day at 3 under after a 70, while Stephen Ames, who is third in points standings, ended up at 2 under after a score of 72.
The event has drawn the top 36 players based on the points list, with Steve Stricker notably absent from the field, marking his first absence from a postseason tournament on the PGA Tour Champions.