Tag: Stewart Cink

Steve Stricker says some LIV golfers want to come back to PGA Tour; are player transfers an option?

The golf conversation continues to be dominated by the PGA Tour-LIV Golf rift.

TUCSON, Ariz. — While player movement at the top level of men’s professional golf usually involves LIV recruiting yet another PGA Tour player, Steve Stricker said he knows that some LIV golfers want to return to the PGA Tour.

“I know that for a fact,” he said Thursday after his pro-am round ahead of the 2024 Cologuard Classic at La Paloma Country Club. “And so it’s kind of a wait and see game.”

With much of the golf conversation dominated by the rift, there doesn’t see to be much oxygen left to talk about the other tours but players on the PGA Tour Champions are paying attention to the goings-on in the world of professional golf.

“Of course I’m very interested in what happens,” said Stewart Cink, who turned 50 last year but still plays on both PGA Tour circuits. “I hope that we can get back together as like one sport in golf, but it’s a complex situation.”

With the PGA Tour holding a big-money signature event at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and LIV Golf playing for a fourth time in 2024 in Hong Kong, the Champions circuit is about to stage the first of three straight West Coast events.

“Ultimately, I hope someday we all can play nice together again and have the best players in the world playing and competing against one another,” said Stricker. “I think that day will come and I think there will be some circumstances, you know, where those guys that left are going to have to do something, I don’t know, a penalty of some sort, I don’t know what that means. I hope some day it all comes back together and the guys are playing all together again.”

Whether the rival tours coexist, merge or simply allow some crossover, many feel that there should be no easy path back to the PGA Tour for those who left.

“I wouldn’t let the LIV guys come right back, I don’t think. I think there needs to be some way of, you know, just another way to say thanks for the guys that didn’t leave and just kind of abandon our standards and rules,” Cink said. “I think there needs to be some form of like delayed, I don’t know if it’s delaying some of their performance bonuses or if it’s some kind of a suspension that maintains itself, I don’t know exactly, but something.”

Big names on the PGA Tour leaving for LIV Golf is having a ripple effect on the Champions tour.

“It’s unfortunate, because when [Phil] Mickelson came out, it was a jolt for our tour and it was great,” David Toms, the defending champion of the Cologuard Classic, said during a media day Monday at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, for the upcoming Galleri Classic.

Mickelson won his first two – and four of his first six – starts on the PGA Tour Champions in 2021 but seven months after rolling in a birdie putt on the 18th hole at Phoenix Country Club to end that season, he was off to London for the first-ever LIV Golf event.

“And so then all of the sudden he’s not a part of us anymore. So that’s unfortunate,” Toms said.

The drain of veteran golfers with name recognition means the Champions circuit also lost out on Lee Westwood, who turned 50 in April of 2023 and it won’t be able to welcome Ian Poulter, who turned 48 in January 2024, nor Henrik Stenson, who turns 48 this April, in the coming years. The PGA Tour losing a bit of name recognition eventually means a weakened Champions tour.

As long as the PGA Tour and LIV exist, perhaps there’s some middle ground that can be found.

“I’m not against, you know, some sort of a transfer back and forth. I played (Mexico Open) there on the PGA Tour a couple weeks ago, and I’m sure they would have loved to have Abraham Ancer play. So I’m not against having a small amount of invites, and that cuts both ways,” said Padraig Harrington, who compared the situation to the rivalry the PGA Tour used to have with the European Tour. “When the European Tour is in Spain this year, we would love to have Jon Rahm play the Spanish Open. I’m not against a small amount of transfer of players playing events and maybe a couple of invites going each direction. Maybe an outside team playing every week in LIV, why not.

“But again, not too sure how they’re going to come together as one tour, so why not have an agreeable two tours where there’s a bit of rivalry.”

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Golfweek’s best 2023 interviews: Lucas Glover, Colin Montgomerie, Morgan Pressel, Stewart Cink, Harold Varner III and more

At Golfweek, we continue to send live bodies on the road at events throughout the year.

Between COVID, advances in technology and myriad other factors, golf beat reporting just isn’t what it once was. Media centers have fewer and fewer members, Zoom calls and transcripts make it easier to keep tabs on players and tournaments from afar and player availability has become increasingly more difficult to secure as many pros (and some college players) are being pulled in numerous directions by sponsors and other responsibilities.

At Golfweek, we continue to send live bodies on the road at events throughout the year — on the PGA Tour, LPGA, LIV, USGA championships, amateur and college events, as well as silly-season tournaments.

Through the hard work of reporters like Adam Schupak, Beth Ann Nichols, Adam Woodard and Cameron Jourdan, we secured a number of great Q&As in 2023 away from the media scrums and online pressers, getting a deeper look at some of the most fascinating personalities that make this game great.

Here’s a look at some of our favorites, in no particular order:

Stewart Cink says Tiger Woods is practicing — for what nobody seems to know

“He sounded upbeat. He said he started practicing. I don’t know what for.”

LOS CABOS, Mexico – Tiger Woods showed up at Diamante on Tuesday, where he built the course the pros are playing this week, has a restaurant named for him and is building a third 18-hole course, and his every move has been dissected.

A video showed him walking down a set of stairs and the internet exploded in arm-chair experts breaking down whether it meant he would be ready for the Hero World Challenge and PNC Championship or whether his fans will have to wait until the Genesis Invitational in February to see him start his latest comeback and the pursuit of major No. Sweet 16.

One player who chatted with Woods during his visit was Stewart Cink.

“He doesn’t always tell you a whole lot,” Cink said in the understatement of the year. “He sounded upbeat. He said he started practicing. I don’t know what for. I don’t even like to ever ask because he’s always afraid you’re going to go tell everybody so I just said I’m glad you’re practicing.”

But Cink did mention one topic that Woods showed particular interest in – PGA Tour Champions. Woods will turn 48 on Dec. 30, two years from eligibility.

“It sounds like he’s excited for it,” Cink said. “That would be great for me. I’ll have a place to play for a while. I may have my second go at the Tiger Woods rollercoaster. I got on at the same time he did and I’d like nothing more than to be part of the Champions tour experience.”

In a recent interview with Golfweek, Geoff Ogilvy said he expects Tiger to take advantage of being able to use a cart on the senior circuit and play frequently.

“I think the Champions tour is on the verge of a resurgence. I fully expect Tiger to play,” Ogilvy said. “Taking a cart changes everything for him. Interest both from fans and sponsors is going to be through the roof. I think there’s a good chance that Champions tour ratings can top the PGA Tour when he decides to play. And what else is he going to?”

But Brian Gay, who is 51 and splitting time between the two circuits, isn’t so sure that Woods is going to play in the 50-and-over-league.

“Everyone keeps saying that, I don’t believe it. Maybe some majors and a handful of stuff. He’s not going to play a full season,” Gay said. “I haven’t asked him but he’s been telling guys he’s looking forward to it. I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Added Gay: “I saw Stewart Cink at lunch yesterday and he saw Tiger and Tiger was asking Stewart about the Senior tour. At least he’s got interest.”

Tiger could make senior golf the hottest property in golf if he’s able to play. While his fans were breathlessly anticipating Tiger’s latest return, one source had a different take on Tiger descending a staircase. According to a source who witnessed Woods during his visit, Tiger was none too happy that he had to take the stairs at the clubhouse.

So it remains unclear whether Tiger is practicing to compete next month or for the next Masters in April. We’ve got two years until we know just how much interest he has in senior golf. Stay tuned.

Six past winners highlight early commits for 2023 PNC Championship field

Vijay and Qass Singh will be back to defend their title in Orlando.

Six past champions have confirmed their entry for the 2023 PNC Championship, including defending champions Vijay and Qass Singh.

Vijay will be joined by colleagues John Daly (winner in 2021), Justin Thomas (2020), David Duval (2016), Stewart Cink (2013) and Bernhard Langer (2005, 2006, 2014, 2019) for the annual parent-child event at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club Orlando, Grande Lakes on Dec. 14-17.

“I can’t tell you what it meant to win last year with Qass after 16 attempts. This tournament is so special to us, and it is such an important week for our family every year,” said Vijay. “We love everything about the tournament, from playing amongst so many legends of the game, to getting to know their kids, to just spending quality time with my son as we enjoy this unique inside-the-ropes experience together. I have played in so many tournaments all around the world over the years, but it genuinely is hard to think of a week that I look forward to and enjoy more than the PNC Championship.”

This year’s event, the 12th with PNC Bank as the title sponsor, will be broadcast live on NBC, Golf Channel and Peacock. Last year the PNC Championship boasted a field with 73 major titles. The tournament features 20 players and their relatives competing in a two-day, 36-hole scramble for the Willie Park Trophy. To qualify, players must have won a major championship or the Players Championship, and their partner must not hold any status on a professional tour.

Past champions

1995 – Raymond Floyd and Raymond Floyd Jr. 

1996 – Raymond Floyd and Raymond Floyd Jr. 

1997 – Raymond Floyd and Raymond Floyd Jr. 

1998 – Bob Charles and David Charles 

1999 – Jack Nicklaus and Gary Nicklaus 

2000 – Raymond Floyd and Robert Floyd 

2001 – Raymond Floyd and Robert Floyd 

2002 – Craig Stadler and Kevin Stadler 

2003 – Hale Irwin and Steve Irwin 

2004 – Larry Nelson and Drew Nelson 

2005 – Bernhard Langer and Stefan Langer 

2006 – Bernhard Langer and Stefan Langer 

2007 – Larry Nelson and Josh Nelson 

2008 – Larry Nelson and Drew Nelson 

2012 – Davis Love III and Davis “Dru” Love IV 

2013 – Stewart Cink and Connor Cink 

2014 – Bernhard Langer and Jason Langer 

2015 – Lanny Wadkins and Tucker Wadkins  

2016 – David Duval and Nick Karavites 

2017 – Angel Cabrera and Angel Cabrera, Jr.  

2018 – Davis Love III and Davis “Dru” Love IV 

2019 – Bernhard Langer and Jason Langer 

2020 – Justin Thomas and Mike Thomas

2021 – John Daly and John Daly II

2022 – Vijay Singh and Qass Singh

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Q&A: Stewart Cink on his tattoo (who knew!), being an airplane snob and whether he’s ever gone to a tanning salon for his bald head

Read our deep dive with Cink here.

This is the Stewart Cink Q&A you didn’t know you needed.

For starters, who knew Cink had a tattoo? But in all seriousness, as one fellow longtime golf writer recently told me, Cink is one of the most underrated thinkers and talkers on golf and life. I don’t disagree and you’ll find out why below.

Cink, the winner of the 2009 British Open, also talks about how he developed a game plan for the playoff with Tom Watson at Turnberry, knowing full well only his wife and family would be rooting for him.

Cink, who played on five Ryder Cup teams (2002, ‘04, ‘06, ‘08, ‘10), is making his first appearance as a U.S. Ryder Cup vice captain for his good friend Zach Johnson this week, and he recounts how Johnson asked him to be his final vice captain for the 44th Ryder Cup.

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Zach Johnson names final Team USA vice captain for 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy

Johnson’s staff also includes Steve Stricker, Davis Love III, Jim Furyk and Fred Couples.

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The Ryder Cup news keeps on rolling.

On the same day a second player punched his ticket to Italy to represent Team USA at the 2023 Ryder Cup, the PGA of America announced that U.S. captain Zach Johnson had named Stewart Cink as his fifth and final vice captain for the biennial matches against the Europeans, Sept. 29-Oct. 1, at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club near Rome.

Cink will join the backroom staff that includes Steve Stricker, Davis Love III, Jim Furyk and Fred Couples.

“Stewart is someone I can trust will give me honest and constructive feedback as we head into the final stages of preparing for the Ryder Cup,” said Johnson via a press release. “And as everyone saw at The Open Championship this year, he’s still competing at a high level on the golf course. He will play a critical role in our success as we head to Italy.”

This year will mark Cink’s first time as a vice captain. The 50-year-old played in five previous Ryder Cups (2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010), where he compiled a 5-7-7 record (1-3-1 in Sunday singles).

“Competing in the Ryder Cup has been one of the highlights of my entire career and I’m ready to do whatever it takes to help Zach and the U.S. Team retain the Ryder Cup,” said Cink. “I’m honored that Zach would entrust me to play a role in helping make that a reality in Italy.”

Scottie Scheffler and Wyndham Clark have already qualified for Team USA. Those still vying for a spot on the U.S. team can earn points through the 2022 BMW Championship, the second of three FedEx Cup Playoff tournaments. The top six eligible players on the points list at that time will make the U.S. team. The final six spots will be captain’s picks that will be announced after the Tour Championship.

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Photos: Stewart Cink through the years

View photos of Stewart Cink throughout his 25+ year professional career, including his win at the 2009 Open Championship.

Beloved by many of his peers, Stewart Cink continues to be a factor in some of golf’s biggest tournaments despite being in the back end of his career.

The 2009 British Open champion has had quite the career over the past quarter-century. With 15 worldwide wins since turning pro in 1995, the former Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket has earned more than $43 million on the PGA Tour since gaining membership in 1997.

Cink has always had a knack for golf’s biggest stages, tallying top-3 finishes in all four majors with his lone major victory coming against Tom Watson at Turnberry.

Now a member of the PGA Tour Champions, Cink has already made an impact, finishing third at the Senior PGA Championship. The event was his first as a member of the PGA Tour Champions, turning 50 the week before.

With plenty of high level golf left in him, Cink looks to continue to contend at majors, showing that age is just a number.

Harrison Frazar leads, Stewart Cink one back at Kaulig Companies Championship

Frazar is looking for his first win on the PGA Tour Champions.

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Harrison Frazar followed up his opening-round 65 with a 2-under 68 and leads the Kaulig Companies Championship at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.

The 51-year-old, who hasn’t finished inside the top 10 since February, is still searching for his first win on the PGA Tour Champions. In his last start, Frazar tied for 32nd at the U.S. Senior Open.

Frazar’s one-shot advantage is over Stewart Cink, who has used rounds of 66-68 to get to 6 under for the tournament.

This is Cink’s second start on the senior circuit this season. The first came at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship where he finished third.

Ernie Els is alone in third at 5 under, K.J. Choi is solo fourth at 4 under, while Steve Stricker and Scott Parel are tied for fifth at 2 under.

83rd KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship: Steve Stricker, Stewart Cink join the ‘Paddy Party’ at Fields Ranch

Harrington holds a one-shot lead over Stricker with 18 holes to play.

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FRISCO, Texas – Padraig Harrington was on cruise control through 45 holes of the 83rd KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. Until suddenly, he wasn’t.

Bogey-free through 51 holes, the golf gods finally got a hold of the Irishman’s game on the par-4 16th.

“The second shot was kind of innocuous because the pin was so tight,” Harrington told reporters following his third-round 68. “I was just playing 15 feet left of it and to be honest, yeah, I just, I wasn’t — I do that sometimes, I just wasn’t focused, I wasn’t into it and I hit a bad shot in the hazard.”

The double bogey, while untimely, was somewhat of a sigh of relief for Harrington.

“I’m glad I broke my par streak,” he said. “It’s not good not to have made a bogey. That’s not a good thing. I know that sounds strange.”

Standing over his tee shot on the par-3 17th, Harrington held the same club that caused his trouble on 16. Opting to be aggressive, Harrington nipped the flag stick resulting in an easy par.

On 18, the three-time major winner leaked his tee shot off to the right, playing it off of the lateral hazard line. Needing a par to remain tied with a surging Steve Stricker, Harrington got up and down out of a greenside bunker to birdie the par-5 last and takes a one-stroke lead into Sunday’s final round. The birdie not only gives him the overnight lead, but gives Harrington a boost of confidence despite slipping down the stretch.

“It’s always nice to hole a putt on the last,” he told Golfweek. “Yeah. So you’re dead right, it creates a bit of momentum, for sure.”

Heading into Saturday’s third round, it seemed like it was Harrington’s tournament to lose. But former Ryder Cup captain and 2023 co-captain, Steve Stricker, took it upon himself to close the gap and apply pressure.

Five shots back to begin the day and six back at one point during Saturday’s round, Stricker stormed out of the gates with a 4-under 32 on the front nine.

“I mean, all you can do is continue to keep trying to make birdies,” he told reporters. “I was in a position to try to be aggressive and try to hit good shots, make putts, try to make birdies. That was the mindset. Also not trying to make a bogey. I figured if I could go bogey-free today I needed a good round to get right back in there. We got one more round and a lot of golf left.”

Doubling down on a solid front nine, Stricker followed his gameplan to a tee, posting a bogey-free 64, tying the course record set by Harrington on Thursday and matching the best third-round score in Senior PGA Championship history.

Joining the pair in Sunday’s final-round pairing is PGA Tour Champions rookie Stewart Cink.

Well off the lead and stalling a bit on the front nine, Cink credits his wife, Lisa, with getting him into the mix.

“She (Lisa) told me at the turn, I kind of had a dry spell there where I bogeyed 8, bad decision on 8, made a bogey there,” Cink told reporters.

 “I kind of went one direction and Padraig went the other way. And all of a sudden I was like seven back… So Lisa said, ‘You know, you’re playing fine, but the big thing is that you [are] just seven back of Harrington now. He’s kind of like separated himself.’ She said, ‘Let’s just try to like kind of pick our way back into sort of like shouting distance here’… I wouldn’t really say it actually changed my attitude, but it kind of gave me confidence to just instead of getting it all back at once I could just kind of pick away at it. … So I got to give my illustrious caddie some credit for that one.”

The 2009 Open champion was rewarded for sticking to his revised gameplan with an ace on the par-3 13th, the third ace of the week at Fields Ranch.

Quickly cutting into Harrington’s lead, Cink closed out his third round with a 5-under 67, three back of the lead.

When it comes to chasing down his first PGA Tour Champions win, Cink is ready to put up a good fight.

“I’m three back, but it’s probably the two players (Sticker and Harrington) you don’t want to be behind in this tournament, to be honest,” Cink said post round. “The two guys who are going to probably — that fit this course the best and have the best experience and confidence over their last handful of seasons out here. I’m the new guy, so I’m, I’ve got the firepower to play with those guys or take over this thing, but it’s going to be a dog fight tomorrow. … So I look forward to it tomorrow. It will feel like a big tournament for sure tomorrow and it’s not every day you get to do that.”

With low scores certainly doable, the new home of the PGA of America should offer a dramatic finish as star power takes center stage Sunday.

Robert Karlsson, Darren Clarke and Y.E. Yang look to make a push tied at 9 under. Defending Senior PGA champion, Steven Alker, sits in solo seventh (8 under) with Katsumasa Miyamoto, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Asilson da Silva rounding out the top 10 at 7 under.

Three-way tie for lead, Max Homa’s blistering back nine and Justin Thomas’ new approach to putting highlight a busy Friday at the 2023 Wells Fargo Championship

Here’s what you missed from Friday’s second round at Quail Hollow.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Nobody has separated from the pack after two rounds of play at the 2023 Wells Fargo Championship. In fact, the leaderboard is rather bunched.

While the usual stars may not be in contention, 37 players are within five shots of the lead entering the weekend, setting up for what could be a thrilling finish at Quail Hollow Club.

Everyone’s favorite Angry Golfer Tyrrell Hatton fired a 6-under 65 to tie the low round of the day and claim a share of the lead at 8 under alongside Nate Lashley (66) and Wyndham Clark (67). Six players are all T-4 and just a shot back at 7 under, including Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas and Adam Scott.

Rain was in the forecast for Saturday’s third round, but it appears to have cleared up for the final stretch in the Queen City. Here’s what we learned from a busy Friday at Quail Hollow.

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