Stewart Cink’s ‘ace’ of a debut spoiled by Padraig Harrington at Senior PGA Championship
The 51-year-old Irishman leads by one shot, but Cink and a slew of others trail not too far behind.
No, it’s not the late 2000’s anymore.
But the leaderboard at the 2023 Senior PGA Championship sure looks like it could be.
Padraig Harrington, the three-time major winner, leads the Senior PGA by one shot over Steve Stricker heading into the final round.
Harrington is 16-under par.
Stewart Cink lurks not too far behind, trailing by three strokes.
Harrington, who won the 2008 PGA Championship, fired an opening round 64, setting a new course record at Fields Ranch East, one of the two courses at PGA Frisco.
The Irishman followed that up with a 4-under 68 in his second round. He then shot a 3-under 69 on Saturday.
Stricker, who never won a major on the PGA Tour, but has won five “senior” majors, vaulted up the leaderboard Saturday with a 64 of his own, tying the record Harrington set two days before.
The 2021 Ryder Cup captain made eight birdies during his third round, including three consecutive on his back nine.
His birdie on the finishing hole briefly tied the lead, but Harrington also finished with a four on the par-5 18th.
Despite his terrific score, Stricker did not have the shot of the day.
That belonged to Cink, who made a hole-in-one at the 13th hole with a 6-iron.
Stewart Cink makes a HOLE-IN-ONE on the 13th to reach T-2 and 12-under!
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) May 27, 2023
: #SrPGAChamp on @NBC and @peacock pic.twitter.com/DFMFTpSYUT
Cink, who defeated Tom Watson in a playoff to win The Claret Jug in 2009, makes his Champions Tour debut this week in Texas.
With his wife Lisa caddying for him, Cink made two eagles during his round and carded a 5-under par 67 Saturday, putting himself into contention heading into the final day.
Robert Karlsson, Darren Clarke, and Y.E. Yang sit farther down the leaderboard at 9-under par as all three players shot in the 60’s.
Of course, Clarke won the 2011 Open Championship, and Yang famously defeated Tiger Woods in the 2009 PGA Championship at Hazeltine.
Coverage of the final round begins at 3 p.m. ET on Golf Channel before flipping to NBC at 4 p.m. ET.