BRADENTON, Fla. — Stewart Cink delivered a masterclass on Sunday at The Concession Golf Club, closing with a bogey-free 9-under-par 63 to win the 86th Senior PGA Championship by six shots and claim his first senior major title.
The 52-year-old Alabama native entered the final round just one shot off the lead but turned the tournament into a runaway with an astonishing stretch around the turn. He began his charge with an eagle on the par-5 7th hole, followed by back-to-back birdies on Nos. 8 and 9 to seize control heading into the back nine.
Cink kept the momentum rolling with a 35-foot birdie putt on the par-3 11th, an up-and-down birdie on the par-5 13th, an 18-footer on the 14th, and another birdie on the par-5 17th. He finished with a par on the 18th for a final-round 63 that set a new competitive course record at The Concession.
Cink’s four-round total of 269 (69-67-70-63) finished at 19-under par, one shot shy of the all-time Senior PGA scoring record to par set by Sam Snead in 1973. He earned $540,000 for the victory — his seventh title on the PGA Tour Champions and third win of the 2026 season.
“It’s really satisfying to win my first major on the PGA Tour Champions,” said Cink during the champions’ press conference. “It’s a grueling golf course to compete over four days. It’s hot. The golf course is in incredible shape, but it really is testing out there. You don’t have to veer very far off to find trouble.
“It’s tiring, but in the end, rewarding. I did a good job staying in the present, and that’s probably one of the things I look back on and being the most proud of is that I was patient, patient and present, really this week.
“A lot of good shots. Not all great shots, but managed myself really well.”
The reigning Charles Schwab Cup champion has now firmly established himself as the player to beat on the senior circuit.
Ben Crane finished alone in second at 13-under par, while Scott Hend and Steve Allan tied for third at 11-under. Cink went bogey-free over his final 28 holes of the week and described the round as “one of the best I’ve played as a professional golfer.”
The win marks a significant milestone for Cink, who captured his lone PGA Tour major at the 2009 British Open. It also grants him a lifetime exemption into the Senior PGA Championship and a spot in the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club.
The Concession Golf Club, a Jack Nicklaus design, known for its demanding layout, hosted a competitive week that tested the field, with Cink’s final-round brilliance proving the difference. The venue is scheduled to host the Senior PGA again in both 2027 and 2028.
Cink’s dominant performance caps a strong start to the 2026 PGA Tour Champions season for the veteran, who continues to excel in his senior tour career.
Final Top 10: Senior PGA Championship
Pos-Player-Score (Final Rd)
1. Stewart Cink -19 (-9)
2. Ben Crane -13 (-4)
3. Steve Allan -11 (-1)
3. Scott Hend -11 (-1)
5. Steve Alker -8 (-4)
5. Pat Perez -8 (-3)
5. Keith Horne -8 (+3)
8. Zach Johnson -7 (-2)
8. Padraig Harrington -7 (-1)
8. Miguel Angel Jimemez -7 (+1)
8. Greg Owen -7 (+1)
