Stewart Cink rolled in nine birdies, five coming on the back nine, to shoot a 9-under 62 and establish the first-round lead at the Cologuard Classic on Friday in Tucson, Ariz.
Cink kept a clean card and entered the weekend two strokes ahead of Cameron Beckman and Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez, who both shot 64. England’s Paul Broadhurst and Australia’s David Bransdon round out the top five with rounds of 5-under 66.
After years at Omni Tucson National, the Cologuard Classic is being held at La Paloma Country Club, a course that fits Cink’s eye in the 50-year-old’s tournament debut.
“This is the exact definition of a target golf course,” Cink said. “It’s not just you want to keep it left and right, from missing left and right, but you’ve got to hit the right distance off the tee on a lot of these holes. Me and my caddie, Chris Jones, have like a really good game plan I think off the tee and that just sets up the golf course.”
It is only Cink’s sixth event on the PGA Tour Champions since turning 50 last May, but his 62 marks his lowest round on the senior circuit so far.
As a bonus, he also became a first-time grandfather last month when his son and daughter-in-law welcomed a daughter.
“Three weeks old today,” Cink said. “It’s like walking on the clouds, it’s awesome.”
Beckman, like Cink, stayed bogey-free. His highlight was an eagle 3 at No. 3.
“Just played really well,” said Beckman, whose lone win on the Champions tour came in 2021. “Drove it nice, didn’t have any troubles off the tee, putted nice, hit a lot of greens. It was just a really nice day of golf for me and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
Jimenez was at 8 under through 14 holes before picking up a bogey at the par-5 16th.
Jerry Kelly, David Toms, South Africa’s Retief Goosen and South Korea’s K.J. Choi are among the notable players five back at 4-under 67.
–Field Level Media