- Zach Johnson closed with a 7-under 65 to win the PURE Insurance Championship by two strokes.
- Johnson has collected six victories and 14 top-10 finishes from 15 starts in his rookie season.
- Stewart Cink remains first in the Charles Schwab Cup standings, with Johnson second.
Zach Johnson won the PURE Insurance Championship at a foggy Pebble Beach on Sunday, securing his second consecutive PGA Tour Champions title and sixth victory of 2026.
The 50-year-old entered the final round one stroke off the pace set by the three 36–hole leaders, then produced a 7-under 65 to finish at 14-under 202. Henrik Stenson, Steven Alker and Rory Sabbatini shared second place, two shots behind.
Victory moved Johnson ahead of Charles Schwab Cup leader Stewart Cink for the most wins on the circuit this season. Johnson has reached six titles in only 15 starts since turning 50 on February 24, while finishing outside the top-10 just once.
His six victories equal Gil Morgan’s 1997 total for the fourth-most by a rookie in a single PGA Tour Champions season. Johnson also passed $3 million in official earnings for the year, reaching $3,295,614.
Most Single-Season Wins by a Rookie on PGA Tour Champions |
||
| Player | Rookie Season | Wins |
| Bruce Fleisher | 1999 | 7 |
| Lee Trevino | 1990 | 7 |
| Bruce Crampton | 1986 | 7 |
| Gil Morgan | 1997 | 6 |
| Zach Johnson | 2026 | 6 |
Two weeks. Two trophies 🏆🏆
— PGA Tour Champions (@ChampionsTour) September 21, 2026
Zach Johnson makes it back-to-back PGA Tour Champions wins with a victory at @PUREFirstTee. pic.twitter.com/26ODYdaxmu
Johnson Pulls Clear on Pebble Beach Back Nine
Johnson eagled the par-5 2nd and reached the turn in 32. A birdie at the 11th moved him alongside Sabbatini at 12-under before another at the par-4 13th gave him the outright lead.
At the par-5 18th, Johnson chose an aggressive line from the tee and reached the green in two. He two-putted from 35 feet, converting a three-foot birdie putt to complete a round containing no bogeys.
The victory followed his one-stroke win at the Sanford International, where he birdied the final two holes. His other 2026 titles came at the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational, Principal Charity Classic, Kaulig Companies Championship and Portugal Invitational.
Zach Johnson takes the solo lead with five to play @PUREFirstTee 👀
— PGA Tour Champions (@ChampionsTour) September 20, 2026
📺 Golf Channel pic.twitter.com/gXm0meRaKj
Sabbatini Matches Tournament Record
Sabbatini set the clubhouse target with a bogey-free 9-under 63, matching the tournament’s 18-hole scoring record. He parred his final two holes and waited at 12-under while the final groups began Pebble Beach’s back nine.
Stenson closed with a 68 in Johnson’s group to record his best PGA Tour Champions finish on his tournament debut. Alker returned a bogey-free 67 and has now finished first or second in each of his past three starts on the circuit.
Cink shot 67 to tie for ninth and retain the Charles Schwab Cup lead he has held throughout the season. Johnson remains second despite taking the outright lead in victories.
In the First Tee junior competition, Charlie Haney of First Tee – Manhattan won the boys’ division at 22-under. Naomi Raymundo of First Tee – Monterey County claimed the girls’ title at 18-under after a tiebreaker.

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| Pos. | Player | To Par | R1 | R2 | R3 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zach Johnson(PB) | -14 | 69 | 68 | 65 | 202 |
| T2 | Rory Sabbatini(PB) | -12 | 70 | 71 | 63 | 204 |
| T2 | Steven Alker(PB) | -12 | 69 | 68 | 67 | 204 |
| T2 | Henrik Stenson(PB) | -12 | 69 | 67 | 68 | 204 |
| 5 | Ryan Armour(PB) | -10 | 67 | 69 | 70 | 206 |
| 6 | Y.E. Yang(PB) | -9 | 64 | 72 | 71 | 207 |
| T7 | Robert Karlsson(PB) | -8 | 70 | 70 | 68 | 208 |
| T7 | Paul Goydos(PB) | -8 | 71 | 67 | 70 | 208 |
| T9 | Stewart Cink(PB) | -7 | 71 | 71 | 67 | 209 |
| T9 | Vaughn Taylor(PB) | -7 | 73 | 67 | 69 | 209 |
| T9 | Michael Wright(PB) | -7 | 70 | 68 | 71 | 209 |
| 12 | K.J. Choi(PB) | -6 | 70 | 73 | 67 | 210 |
| T13 | Chad Campbell(PB) | -5 | 74 | 69 | 68 | 211 |
| T13 | Scott Hend(PB) | -5 | 71 | 70 | 70 | 211 |
| T13 | Tommy Gainey(PB) | -5 | 71 | 69 | 71 | 211 |
| T13 | Ernie Els(PB) | -5 | 68 | 72 | 71 | 211 |
| T17 | Paul Stankowski(PB) | -4 | 74 | 71 | 67 | 212 |
| T17 | Thongchai Jaidee(PB) | -4 | 73 | 70 | 69 | 212 |
| T17 | Alex Cejka(PB) | -4 | 73 | 69 | 70 | 212 |
| T17 | David Bransdon(PB) | -4 | 73 | 68 | 71 | 212 |
| T17 | Greg Chalmers(PB) | -4 | 72 | 70 | 70 | 212 |
| T17 | Søren Kjeldsen(PB) | -4 | 71 | 70 | 71 | 212 |
| T17 | Tim O'Neal(PB) | -4 | 68 | 72 | 72 | 212 |
| T24 | John Rollins(PB) | -3 | 75 | 70 | 68 | 213 |
| T24 | Ben Crane(PB) | -3 | 74 | 71 | 68 | 213 |
| T24 | Justin Leonard(PB) | -3 | 74 | 69 | 70 | 213 |
| T24 | Brandt Jobe(PB) | -3 | 73 | 70 | 70 | 213 |
| T24 | Jerry Kelly(PB) | -3 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 213 |
| T24 | Jason Caron(PB) | -3 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 213 |
| T24 | Vijay Singh(PB) | -3 | 71 | 69 | 73 | 213 |
| T31 | Stuart Appleby(PB) | -2 | 71 | 75 | 68 | 214 |
| T31 | Freddie Jacobson(PB) | -2 | 71 | 73 | 70 | 214 |
| T31 | Mario Tiziani(PB) | -2 | 74 | 70 | 70 | 214 |
| T31 | J.J. Henry(PB) | -2 | 74 | 70 | 70 | 214 |
| T31 | Tag Ridings(PB) | -2 | 73 | 68 | 73 | 214 |
| T31 | Kevin Sutherland(PB) | -2 | 71 | 69 | 74 | 214 |
| T31 | Ken Tanigawa(PB) | -2 | 71 | 69 | 74 | 214 |
| T31 | Kirk Triplett(PB) | -2 | 71 | 67 | 76 | 214 |
| T39 | Ken Duke(PB) | -1 | 76 | 70 | 69 | 215 |
| T39 | Rod Pampling(PB) | -1 | 72 | 71 | 72 | 215 |
| T39 | Charlie Wi(PB) | -1 | 70 | 69 | 76 | 215 |
| T42 | Fred Couples(PB) | Par | 75 | 69 | 72 | 216 |
| T42 | Gordon Burns(PB) | Par | 69 | 73 | 74 | 216 |
| 44 | Chris Devlin(PB) | +1 | 72 | 72 | 73 | 217 |
| T45 | Tim Petrovic(PB) | +3 | 72 | 74 | 73 | 219 |
| T45 | Harrison Frazar(PB) | +3 | 69 | 73 | 77 | 219 |
| T47 | Scott McCarron(PB) | +4 | 72 | 74 | 74 | 220 |
| T47 | Jason Bohn(PB) | +4 | 76 | 70 | 74 | 220 |
| T47 | Mark Wilson(PB) | +4 | 74 | 70 | 76 | 220 |
| T50 | Dicky Pride(PB) | +6 | 75 | 71 | 76 | 222 |
| T50 | Shane Bertsch(PB) | +6 | 75 | 70 | 77 | 222 |
| MDF | Steve Flesch | +3 | 75 | 72 | - | 147 |
| MDF | Joe Durant | +3 | 73 | 74 | - | 147 |
| MDF | Brian Gay | +3 | 72 | 75 | - | 147 |
| MDF | Glen Day | +3 | 75 | 72 | - | 147 |
| MDF | Rocco Mediate | +3 | 74 | 73 | - | 147 |
| MDF | Stephen Ames | +3 | 71 | 76 | - | 147 |
| MDF | Woody Austin | +4 | 73 | 75 | - | 148 |
| MDF | Scott Parel | +4 | 75 | 73 | - | 148 |
| MDF | Darren Fichardt | +4 | 75 | 73 | - | 148 |
| MDF | Jamie Donaldson | +4 | 74 | 74 | - | 148 |
| MDF | George McNeill | +4 | 73 | 75 | - | 148 |
| MDF | Rob Labritz | +4 | 72 | 76 | - | 148 |
| MDF | Esteban Toledo | +5 | 78 | 71 | - | 149 |
| MDF | Heath Slocum | +5 | 70 | 79 | - | 149 |
| MDF | Notah Begay III | +5 | 76 | 73 | - | 149 |
| MDF | Bo Van Pelt | +5 | 71 | 78 | - | 149 |
| MDF | Brett Quigley | +5 | 74 | 75 | - | 149 |
| MDF | Tom Pernice Jr. | +6 | 78 | 72 | - | 150 |
| MDF | Jay Haas | +6 | 75 | 75 | - | 150 |
| MDF | Gary Hallberg | +6 | 71 | 79 | - | 150 |
| MDF | Steve Allan | +6 | 75 | 75 | - | 150 |
| MDF | John Senden | +6 | 75 | 75 | - | 150 |
| MDF | Mike Weir | +8 | 77 | 75 | - | 152 |
| MDF | Tim Herron | +8 | 75 | 77 | - | 152 |
| MDF | Scott Verplank | +10 | 78 | 76 | - | 154 |
| MDF | David Frost | +11 | 75 | 80 | - | 155 |
| MDF | Olin Browne | +12 | 80 | 76 | - | 156 |
| MDF | Mike Hultberg | +15 | 79 | 80 | - | 159 |
| MDF | Chris DiMarco | +15 | 84 | 75 | - | 159 |

Simon Bale
Simon Bale is the publisher of Golf Today. A low single-figure handicap golfer, he was previously a major shareholder and course reviewer for Top100GolfCourses.com for over a decade, starting in 2010. Through this role, he developed extensive knowledge of golf course design and architecture while playing more than 300 courses worldwide.
