Zach Johnson Leads Simmons Bank Championship After Bogey-Free 64

• Zach Johnson leads the Simmons Bank Championship by one stroke.
• Henrik Stenson is second, with Steven Alker, Michael Block and Richard Green tied third.
• A seventh win of 2026 would equal the PGA Tour Champions record for victories by a rookie.

Zach Johnson opened the second event of the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs with a bogey-free 8-under 64 in Little Rock, Arkansas, to take a one-shot lead over Henrik Stenson after the first round.

The 50-year-old went out in 33 and came home in 31. Only Richard Green, tied third, and Jerry Kelly, tied eighth, also avoided a bogey on Friday.

Johnson is making his first appearance at the event.

“It was really solid all day,” said Johnson . “I guess I hit one errant tee shot on 9. Or 8, 9? That kind of got the best of me there. But my second shot there was legitimately the best shot I hit all day. Definitely a little bit of luck as to where it ended up, but pretty easy par on a really good hole. That one stands out.

“But it was really solid. I put myself in the fairway a lot and just gave myself ample and really good opportunities. I went through a ton of golf balls because I hit a lot of wedges, which is a really good problem. Really solid. Not a whole lot of — just not a whole lot of stress if I’m going to be — which I like, low stress, especially the first day. I love a low-stress day.”

Chasing the rookie record

Johnson’s six titles are the most on PGA Tour Champions this season, one more than Stewart Cink. The latest came at the PURE Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach in September.

A seventh, in his 18th start, would match the most wins by a rookie in the circuit’s history, a total reached by Bruce Crampton in 1986, Lee Trevino in 1990 and Bruce Fleisher in 1999. It would also move him into a tie for third on the single-season wins list. Only Peter Thomson, in 1985, and Hale Irwin, in 1997, won nine.

This is the third time Johnson has led or co-led after 18 holes on the over-50 circuit. He converted at the Portugal Invitational but finished third at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic, which was played under Modified Stableford scoring.

He began the week second in the Charles Schwab Cup standings and is projected to move to No. 1. Cink has led for all 26 weeks of the season. He opened in a tie for 16th and is projected to drop to second.

Have a day, Zach Johnson 👏 One shot lead after an 8-under first round @SBGolfChamp https://t.co/GIBXogBAyY

— PGA Tour Champions (@ChampionsTour) October 30, 2026

Stenson in the hunt again

Stenson, another rookie, shared the 36-hole lead at the Stifel Charity Classic last week before finishing tied third. His 65 here leaves him projected to climb from 41st to 20th in the standings.

The 2016 Open champion is making his ninth senior start and has a best finish of tied second, at the PURE Insurance Championship. He has not won a PGA Tour-sanctioned event since the 2017 Wyndham Championship, a gap of 3,360 days. Victory would make him the seventh first-time winner of the season and the second Swede to win on PGA Tour Champions, after Jesper Parnevik at the 2016 Insperity.

Alker starts his title defence

Steven Alker, the defending champion, opened with a 66. The New Zealander finished tied 12th in 2024, when the event moved to Little Rock from Boca Raton, before winning last year. He is seeking a fifth win of 2026 and a fourth in his last seven starts, after taking the Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic earlier this month.

Michael Block also shot 66 as he chases a first senior title in his 11th start.

The top 36 in the standings after Sunday’s final round qualify for the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix from November 12 to 15. After the first round, three players are projected to move inside the top 36 and three to drop out.

Luck or skill? 😂 Michael Block’s approach shot bounces off the rocks to set him up to make birdie at the last @SBGolfChamp https://t.co/hb5SG2exsk

— PGA Tour Champions (@ChampionsTour) October 30, 2026

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