Defending champion Stewart Cink opened with bogey-free 10-under 62 to take the first-round lead at The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren as Darren Clarke and Pádraig Harrington struggled.
Cink hit all eighteen greens in regulation in about bogey-free round to open a two shot lead as he chases his third Champions Tour victory and second of the season.
Charles Schwab No. 3 Steven Alker is second after he posted a bogey-free 8-under 64. In his last four starts of the season, his first-round position has been (chronologically) first-T4-T1-second. Alker, who has one win this season (Cologuard Classic) and has finished in the top 10 in 12 of his 15 starts in 2025.
World Golf Hall of Fame member Ernie Els is third after he carded a 7-under 65. The Charles Schwab No. 6 entered the week off back-to-back top-five finishes (T5 at the ISPS HANDA Senior Open; T3 at the Boeing Classic).
Clarke is best of the Irish on two-under after a round of 70 which leaves him in a share of 24th place while Harrington’s hopes of chasing down Miguel Angel Jimenez at the top of the Schwab Cup standings took a hit after a one-over 73.
Scoring HERE
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