Stewart Cink opened the 2026 PGA Tour Champions season with a win at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai, shooting a bogey-free 64 in the final round to finish at 23 under par. The reigning Player of the Year edged out Angel Cabrera by three strokes, marking his fifth career victory on the tour. Cink's triumph follows his 2025 Charles Schwab Cup win and underscores his strong form entering the new year.
Stewart Cink, fresh off being named the 2025 PGA Tour Champions Player of the Year, dominated the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai Golf Course in Hawaii. Entering the final round tied for the lead, the 52-year-old carded a flawless 64—matching the day's low score—to finish at 193, or 23 under par, for his fifth win in 37 starts on the tour.
This victory marks Cink's first at Hualalai, where he had previously finished T5 in 2024 and T8 in 2025. His rounds of 66-63-64 surpassed his prior low 54-hole score of 197 from the 2025 Charles Schwab Cup Championship, a 72-hole event. Cink led the field with 24 birdies and tied for first in driving distance at 312.2 yards. He becomes the first player to win back-to-back tournaments since Angel Cabrera in 2025 and the first Charles Schwab Cup winner to claim the subsequent season opener.
Angel Cabrera, a first-time participant at Hualalai, finished runner-up at 20 under after a 66 in the final round, tying Cink in driving distance. Retief Goosen placed third at 18 under with a matching 64. Three players tied for fourth at 17 under: defending champion Ernie Els, 36-hole co-leader Freddie Jacobson, and Thomas Bjorn, all first-timers at the event.
Bernhard Langer, a three-time winner at Hualalai (2009, 2014, 2017), finished T9 with a 68, shooting his age or better for the 37th time on the tour. Jay Haas ended T24 with a 72, achieving the feat for the 41st time over three consecutive days.
Reflecting on the win, Cink said, "I wanted to come out here this year and start hot and not work my way into the season." He added, "It's the champions of the Champions Tour... to win makes it even that much more special." The limited-field event, reserved for prior-year winners, netted Cink $340,000.
