Zach Johnson & Jay Jurecic Take Sanford International Lead With Low Rounds

Zach Johnson and open qualifier Jay Jurecic moved into a share of the Sanford International lead at seven under par with low rounds on Saturday.

Johnson matched the best score of the day with a 6-under 64, while Jurecic returned a 65. Both players completed 36 holes in 133 and will enter Sunday’s final round one stroke clear of the chasing group.

The tournament reached the halfway point after high winds and lightning disrupted Friday’s opening round, leaving every player to return on Saturday morning.

Johnson Targets Fifth Victory

Johnson followed his opening 69 with a 64 as he continued his strong first season on PGA Tour Champions. The 50-year-old has recorded 12 top-10 finishes in 13 starts and began the week second in the Charles Schwab Cup standings.

His four victories have come at the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational, Principal Charity Classic, Kaulig Companies Championship and Portugal Invitational.

A fifth title would draw Johnson level with Stewart Cink for the most wins on the circuit this season. Cink reached that mark with his Boeing Classic playoff victory in August.

Johnson has converted three of his previous four final-round leads or co-leads into victories. The 12-time PGA Tour winner, whose record includes the 2007 Masters and 2015 Open Championship, is making his Sanford International debut.

Jurecic Chases Qualifier Breakthrough

Jurecic’s second-round 65 was his lowest score in 10 PGA Tour Champions rounds. It also reduced his previous best 36-hole total by 12 strokes and gave him his first lead after any round on the circuit.

The 56-year-old earned his place by shooting a 5-under 66 in Monday’s open qualifier at Bakker Crossing Golf Club. He also qualified there with a 61 before finishing tied for 79th at the 2021 Sanford International.

Jurecic is making only his fourth PGA Tour Champions start and his first of 2026. His best previous finish was a tie for 54th at the 2025 DICK’S Open.

Victory would make him the 16th open qualifier to win on the circuit. Tommy Gainey was the most recent to do so at the 2025 Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS.

THAT deserves a fist pump 👊

Jay Jurecic makes the 521-yard par 5 look easy and moves into a tie for the lead @SanfordIntl.

📺 Golf Channel pic.twitter.com/pwgApyxcqo

— PGA Tour Champions (@ChampionsTour) September 12, 2026

Goosen Leads Chasing Group

Defending champion Retief Goosen shares third place at 6-under as he pursues his second victory of the season. Rookie Ben Crane joined him after matching Johnson’s 64.

Sponsor exemption Jamie Donaldson is also one stroke behind following a 66 that included birdies on his final three holes. He is seeking his first PGA Tour Champions victory in his seventh start.

Greg Chalmers made a hole-in-one at the 192-yard 17th with an 8-iron. He enters the final round tied for eighth.

The Sanford International is the first of six events in the Sprint to St. Louis. The competition will culminate at the Stifel Charity Classic, where the best finisher among three qualifiers will collect the $200,000 prize.

Related: Shane Lowry Takes Four-Shot Irish Open Lead Into Final Round

The 2009 champion pulled clear of Jacob Skov Olesen with a composed back nine at Doonbeg.

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