Two-time major champion Zach Johnson secured his first PGA Tour Champions victory in his debut at the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational. He finished at 11-under par, four shots ahead of Stewart Cink and George McNeill, on the Old Course at Broken Sound Club in Boca Raton, Florida. Johnson, who turned 50 last month, became the 22nd player to win on his Champions Tour debut.
Zach Johnson, a 12-time PGA Tour winner and two-time major champion with victories at the 2007 Masters and 2015 British Open, made an immediate impact on the senior circuit. Just weeks after turning 50 on February 24, 2026, he claimed the 2026 James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational on March 8, finishing with a final-round 3-under 69 for a total of 11-under 205. This marked his first professional win in over 10 years, since the 2015 Open Championship at St. Andrews.
Johnson entered the final round with a one-shot lead after a bogey-free 66 in the second round. He made an early bogey but responded with four birdies, including a 30-foot putt on the fourth and birdies on the seventh, 12th, and 16th holes, to pull away. Stewart Cink and George McNeill finished tied for second at 7-under, with Cink shooting 70 and McNeill 72.
"It's humbling just to get to this point," Johnson said after the win. "If you had told me I'd be here at 50 years old, I would have said you're crazy. I'm extremely excited. This tour is so welcoming." He added, "Staying in modest shape to play with these guys... because it's still really good golf, highly competitive on a phenomenal track, I am humbled."
Padraig Harrington posted the low round of the day with a 7-under 65, tying for fourth at 6-under after an opening 79. "As I get older, I have learned those days just happen," Harrington said of his strong finish.
Johnson earned $330,000 and moved to third in the Charles Schwab Cup standings, behind leader Cink. He plans a full Champions Tour schedule in 2026, plus about three PGA Tour events, including a return to the Masters. Recently, he served as U.S. Ryder Cup captain in 2023, where his team lost to Europe.
