Stewart Cink storms to title at Senior PGA Championship with course record

It was a demonstration of strength that reduced the rest of the field to extras on the final Sunday of the 2026 Senior PGA Championship. With a spectacular round of 63, Stewart Cink not only secured the title at "The Concession Golf Club", but also cemented his status as the currently all-conquering player of the PGA Tour Champions.

Anyone hoping for a dramatic neck-and-neck race on Sunday morning was quickly proved wrong by Stewart Cink. The 52-year-old, who as the reigning Charles Schwab Cup champion had already traveled to Florida with plenty of tailwind, turned the final of the first senior major of the year into a personal lap of honour.

Here you can find the final result of the Senior PGA Championship 2026.

Course record and major title for Stewart Cink

After a slow start, Cink ignited the turbo on the seventh hole. He took control with a precise Eagle on the Par 5 hole and followed it up with Birdies on 8 and 9. But that was not all: when he sank a 10-meter Putt on the 11th for another Birdie, the preliminary decision had been made. Five under par over a span of just five holes took all the tension out of the tournament.

In the end, a flawless round of 63 was on the scorecard - a new course record. With an overall score of 19 under par (269 strokes), Cink won by six strokes ahead of second-placed Ben Crane. The fact that he missed Sam Snead's historic all-time record from 1973 by just a single stroke was ultimately just a side note in an otherwise flawless week.

"A more complete player than in 2009"

It is Cink's seventh title on the senior Tour and his first major in this age group. The victory brings back memories of his triumph at the 2009 Open Championship in Turnberry, but the US American sees himself on a different level today. He made an interesting comparison with the PGA of America: "It's hard to compare the two wins, but the level of satisfaction and validation feels the same. I feel like I probably have more control now than I did then. I feel like a more complete player today."

The numbers prove that Cink has this control: In his 16 rounds on the PGA Tour Champions so far this season, he hasn't stayed over par once. In Bradenton, he played the last 28 holes of the tournament without a single Bogey.

Patience as the key to success

Despite his dominance, the victory was hard-earned. The course "The Concession" is considered one of the most challenging venues and punishes the slightest inaccuracy immediately. Cink revealed after the round that a text message from his son Reagan the evening before gave him the peace of mind he needed: "Stick to what you're doing and the course will give way."

This advice worked. While competitors such as South African Keith Horne, who had started the day in the lead, succumbed to the pressure and the course, Cink remained patient. Ben Crane, who celebrated a strong major debut, also had to acknowledge his friend's superiority: "I've played great golf, so I don't mind being beaten when it's such good golf," said Crane after his final round of 68.

Looking ahead: The next major awaits

In addition to the cheque for 540,000 US dollars and lifetime eligibility for this tournament, Cink's victory also secured him a ticket for the "regular" PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in May.

This is not an encouraging prospect for the competition on the senior tour. With four wins from his last six starts, Stewart Cink seems to be playing in a league of his own at the moment - a champion who, as he says himself, "almost didn't want the day to end."