Stewart Cink Takes Charles Schwab Cup Lead As Zach Johnson Stumbles

Stewart Cink couldn't have scripted a much better opening to the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. With the PGA Tour Champions season title hanging in the balance, Cink fired an 8-under 63 Thursday at Phoenix Country Club, grabbing the first-round lead while his biggest rival, Zach Johnson, struggled to keep pace.

Cink finished one stroke ahead of Ernie Els, who posted a 7-under 64, while Johnson settled for a 2-under 69 and a share of 20th place.

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That six-shot separation could prove significant in a tournament where only Cink and Johnson entered with a mathematical chance to claim the season-long Charles Schwab Cup.

Cink wasted little time establishing himself as the man to beat.

The defending tournament champion opened with an eagle on the first hole and raced to 6 under through seven holes. His momentum slowed with eight consecutive pars, but he found another birdie at No. 16 before delivering a final blow on the par-5 18th.

After his second shot narrowly avoided the water and settled in greenside rough, Cink converted an up-and-down birdie to secure the outright lead.

"Got bailed out by some rough there," Cink acknowledged afterward, recognizing that a fortunate break helped complete his impressive round.

Johnson briefly appeared ready to match Cink's early fireworks.

The six-time winner on the PGA Tour Champions this season reached 5 under through seven holes, putting himself firmly in contention. But bogeys on two of his next four holes derailed that momentum, and he couldn't manufacture another birdie.

Johnson closed with seven consecutive pars, leaving himself considerable ground to recover over the tournament's remaining 54 holes.

Cink, meanwhile, isn't treating the championship as a two-man showdown.

"It's not match play," Cink explained Wednesday. "It's stroke play, and there's a lot going on out there on the golf course to keep us very busy and alert."

That approach makes sense considering the leaderboard.

Els sits just one stroke behind Cink, while Steve Allan opened with a 6-under 65. Richard Green, Jerry Kelly and Søren Kjeldsen are another shot back at 5 under.

The season-long points race also remains intriguing beyond the championship contenders.

Steven Alker holds third in the projected Charles Schwab Cup standings, while Els has climbed from eighth to fourth. Padraig Harrington rounds out the projected top five after opening with an even-par 71.

Cink entered the finale with five victories this season compared with Johnson's six, making their battle one of the year's defining PGA Tour Champions storylines.

Now Cink has the tournament lead, the advantage in the points race and three rounds separating him from a potentially memorable finish.

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Johnson isn't eliminated, but his comeback needs to start Friday.

For now, the defending champion has made his intentions unmistakable.