Stewart Cink finished his round birdie-birdie to take the lead at the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship on Thursday at Phoenix Country Club.
A victory in the 72-hole event would be enough for Cink, 52, to capture the season-long Charles Schwab Cup for the first time. He entered the finale in third place behind New Zealand’s Steven Alker and Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez.
Cink posted a bogey-free, 7-under-par 64 and claimed the outright lead when his birdie putt fell at the par-5 18th hole. Jerry Kelly sits one shot back.
“I hope to be consistent the rest of the way because consistency is a major weapon in pro golf,” Cink said. “Today was a great day for consistency for me. I wasn’t really ever in a whole lot of trouble. My short game was really sharp today and I made a few birdie putts, too.
“It was eerily similar to last year’s opening round where I shot minus-7, I had the solo lead. I don’t want to be eerily similar to the next three rounds for last year.”
What happened to Cink last year? After going 12 under par through two rounds, a 4-over 75 on Saturday knocked him down a peg and he couldn’t catch up to eventual tournament winner Bernhard Langer of Germany.
Alker tied for second in this tournament last year and it was enough for him to win the Charles Schwab Cup points race. Now he’s angling for an impressive third Cup in four years (2022, 2024).
Alker opened with a 5-under 66 and shares third with Steve Flesch, Jason Caron and Tommy Gainey. He declared himself happy with his position after one day.
“Yeah, yeah, for sure. If I shoot par or 1 over or something, you start thinking about being more aggressive and have to kind of play catch-up,” Alker said. “I kind of feel like I don’t have to do that. Game feels good, I’m hitting the ball well. Just roll in a couple of putts, that’s all it is. But we have a long way to go.”
Jimenez settled for a 2-under 69 to begin the tournament tied for eighth.
Given his lead in the points race, Alker has a chance to win the Charles Schwab Cup no matter what he does this week. Jimenez must finish at least 14th and have other things go his way. Cink’s minimum tournament finish for a chance to win the Cup would be a two-way tie for fourth, but getting more than a million points for the victory would also work nicely.
“Chris and I, my caddie, have a good game plan and it all comes down to execution,” Cink said. “I know over the next three days, at least I hope that I’m going to be in position to feel very nervous and get uncomfortable and have some opportunities to really test myself and trust it and I look forward to it.”
