Stewart Cink shot a 6-under 66 to take the lead in the Arai Challenge and claim his first PGA Tour Champions victory on Sunday at Grand Blanc, Michigan.
Highlights of Cink’s bogey-free round were a long downhill birdie putt on the fifth hole and three short birdie putts on the back nine (Nos. 11, 13 and 16) at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club. Cink played the final 36 holes of the tournament without a bogey.
Cink started the day three strokes behind and finished at 17-under 199, four ahead of South Korea’s KJ Choi (final round 67).
Cink, 51, made his PGA Tour Champions debut in May 2023 after turning 50. He won his first title in his 10th start on the 50-and-over circuit.
“It’s nice to be one of the younger guys every once in a while and be able to use the power,” Cink said on the Golf Channel broadcast. “I can still hit it pretty far and the golf course has been letting it roll.”
Cink led after the first two rounds at the Cologuard Classic in Tucson, Arizona, in March but shot a final-round 73 to drop to a tie for seventh.
“To be honest with you, there were definitely some memories from Tucson earlier this year, I think any guy would,” Cink said, “but I’m really proud of myself for how I got through. I stuck to my game plan. This course is a place where you can win, but you have to be focused on your play. That’s the key on this golf course, and I did a really good job of that.”
Cink just won on the PGA Tour in April 2021, but said he will now be focusing more on the Champions Tour.
“I love playing on the PGA Tour. It’s been a great career and I have no plans to completely quit, but going forward I feel at home and comfortable playing primarily PGA Tour Champions golf,” Cink said.
Canadian Mike Weir recorded the day’s best score with an 8-under 64 that included an opening eagle and six birdies to move into third place at 12-under.
“I had a nice putt from about 25 feet on the 17th hole, and then a couple of 12-foot putts and a couple of tap-ins,” Weir said. “I had a lot of chances. A lot of chances. I enjoyed this round. You don’t get these opportunities very often.”
Darren Clarke (67) of Northern Ireland is in fourth place at 10 under. David Duval and Bernhard Langer of Germany each posted rounds of 65 to tie for fifth at nine under with Bob Estes (70), David Brancheau (71) and Steve Allan of Australia (71).
–Field Level Media
