Stewart Cink and Zach Johnson are on the verge of making PGA Tour Champions history, each closing in on the $4 million single-season earnings mark that Steve Stricker famously missed three years ago. This isn’t just about a tournament win, it’s about breaking into territory no one on the circuit has ever touched.
Stricker’s Near Miss and What It Means Now
Back in 2023, Steve Stricker was so close he could taste it, set to become the first PGA Tour Champions golfer to clear $4 million in a single season. He hit a staggering $3,986,063, falling short by a mere $13,937. Can you believe it? Just a few grand away from making history. The kicker? Stricker opted out of all three Charles Schwab Cup playoff events that year because his dad was battling an illness. Talk about a tough choice, putting family first, even with history staring him down. Despite missing out on that $4 million threshold, he still clinched the Cup title before the season finale, winning six times that year. That’s serious business.
The 2026 Chase: Cink and Johnson Eye the Record
Fast forward to 2026, and we’ve got two absolute studs making a run at that elusive $4 million mark. Zach Johnson leads the circuit with six wins this season, while Stewart Cink isn’t far behind with five. With just one event left, both Johnson and Cink are in the top five for most single-season money on the PGA Tour Champions. Cink currently sits at $3,871,265, placing him second all time, and Johnson is at $3,536,098, good for fifth. This isn’t just about a record for one guy, it’s about potentially giving the tour not one, but *two* golfers to shatter that previously unchartered territory.
So, what’s it going to take for these guys to hit that $4 million? For Zach Johnson, it’s simple: he has to win the final event. He’s starting the final round tied for second, three shots back of Cink. Cink, on the other hand, needs to finish in a two-way tie for sixth or better to rake in the remaining $128,735 he needs to reach $4 million. The stakes are sky-high, and it’s going to be wild to see if one, or maybe even both, can make history where Stricker just barely missed.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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