Yang, Green & Karlsson Share Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic Lead

• Y.E. Yang, Richard Green and Robert Karlsson share the first-round lead at 6-under.
• Thongchai Jaidee, Tim O’Neal and Steven Alker are tied fourth, one stroke behind.
• Richard Green hit 17 of 18 greens in a bogey-free opening round.

Y.E. Yang, Richard Green and Robert Karlsson opened with 6-under 64s to share the first-round lead at the inaugural Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic presented by Sodexo at Lehigh Country Club.

Yang makes another fast start

Yang made seven birdies against a solitary bogey at the 3rd, with consecutive gains at the 8th and 9th followed by another pair at the 11th and 12th. The 54-year-old also hit 12 of 14 fairways, sharing the best driving-accuracy return in the field.

The 2009 PGA champion has now led or shared the lead after the opening round in each of his last two starts. He opened with a 64 at the PURE Insurance Championship two weeks ago before finishing sixth.

Yang’s best result in 21 starts this season came at the Rogers Charity Classic, where a bogey-free closing 63 took him into a playoff before Steven Alker won on the first extra hole. He is seeking his second PGA Tour Champions victory in his 129th start and would climb from 16th to seventh in the Charles Schwab Cup standings with a win.

Green and Karlsson join the lead

Green birdied the 3d, 5th, 6th, 8th and 11th before adding his sixth birdie at the last. His 17 greens in regulation led the field, continuing a season in which he ranks fourth on the circuit in that category.

The 55-year-old returned from four weeks off and is seeking a second PGA Tour Champions title, having won the 2025 Rogers Charity Classic. This is his second opening-round lead of the season, following the 63 he shared with Rob Labritz at this year’s Rogers event.

“What I’ve worked on over the last couple weeks at home seems to click a little bit,” Green said. “I’d say everything’s really where I want it to be.”

Karlsson’s 64 was his lowest round of 2026. The 57-year-old made seven birdies, including four in his first six holes, before his only bogey came at the 15th.

“This course is a little bit quirky, old school, very difficult greens, so when you put yourself out of position, which you will do a few times out here, my putter saved myself nicely,” Karlsson said.

Karlsson is pursuing his first PGA Tour Champions win in his 131st start, having finished runner-up six times. The 11-time DP World Tour winner and 2008 Order of Merit champion arrived after a tie for seventh at the PURE Insurance Championship, his second top-10 finish of the season.

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Alker finishes strongly

Alker birdied the 17th and 18th to reach 5-under and remain within a shot of the leaders. Third in the Charles Schwab Cup standings, he has finished first or second in each of his last three starts and has been inside the top-5 after six consecutive rounds.

Tim O’Neal was bogey-free through 16 holes before dropping a shot at the par-four 17th. Thongchai Jaidee made seven birdies and two bogeys to complete the group tied fourth.

Michael Block holed out for eagle at the 346-yard, par-4 5th on his way to a 66 and a share of seventh place. The Arroyo Trabuco head professional is playing on a sponsor exemption and has three top-10 finishes in six starts this season, including a tie for third at The Ally Challenge.

Tommy Gainey also reached 4-under after following an outward 36 with a 5-under 30, the lowest nine-hole score of the day. Dicky Pride, this year’s DICK’S Open champion, and Ricardo Gonzales joined him and Block with bogey-free 66s.

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