Ernie Els leads by two after Round 1 at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship
3 Min Read
Written by Staff
Things to Know
• World Golf Hall of Fame member Ernie Els opened with bogey-free 63 to take a two-stroke lead over 2023 winners Thongchai Jaidee, Harrison Frazar and Stephen Ames.
Ernie Els, 32-31 – 63 (-8)
Charles Schwab Cup standings – Start: 5th / Projected: 2nd
• Matched his low 18-hole score on PGA TOUR Champions (252nd round)
- Previous instance: 2021 Dominion Energy Charity Classic (Final Round)
• This is his fourth time leading/co-leading after the first round on PGA TOUR Champions
- Is 0-for-3 converting those into victories
• The 54-year-old seeks his fourth win on PGA TOUR Champions (81st start)
• Seeks his second win of the 2023 season (23rd start)
- Previous win: Hoag Classic (March 17-19)
- Enters the week with four consecutive top-10 finishes (T4-T3-T7-T4)
• Looks to become the sixth multi-time winner this season on PGA TOUR Champions, joining Steve Stricker (6), Stephen Ames (4), David Toms (2), Bernhard Langer (2) and Padraig Harrington (2)
• Making his third appearance at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, his best finish is T5 (2020)

Ernie Els digs it out of the rough to set up birdie at Charles Schwab
Thongchai Jaidee – 31-34 – 65 (-6)
Charles Schwab Cup standings – Start: 19th / Projected: 13th
• Matched his second-lowest 18-hole score on PGA TOUR Champions (176th round)
• Turned 54 years old on Wednesday and seeks his third win on PGA TOUR Champions (58th start)
• Seeks his second win of the 2023 season (25th start)
- Previous win: PURE Insurance Championship (Sept. 22-24)
• Looks to become the sixth multi-time winner this season on PGA TOUR Champions, joining Steve Stricker (6), Stephen Ames (4), David Toms (2), Bernhard Langer (2) and Padraig Harrington (2)
• Making his second appearance at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, he finished T12 in 2022
Harrison Frazar, 34-31 – 65 (-6)
Charles Schwab Cup standings – Start: 12th / Projected: 9th
• The 52-year-old seeks his second win on PGA TOUR Champions (43rd start)
• Seeks his second win of the 2023 season (24th start)
- Previous win: Dominion Energy Charity Classic (Oct. 20-22)
• Looks to become the sixth multi-time winner this season on PGA TOUR Champions, joining Steve Stricker (6), Stephen Ames (4), David Toms (2), Bernhard Langer (2) and Padraig Harrington (2)
• Is making his debut at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship
- Previous finishes in the Charles Schwab Cup standings: 52nd (2022), 97th (2020-21)
Stephen Ames, 32-33 – 65 (-6)
Charles Schwab Cup standings – Start: 7th / Projected: 4th
• The 59-year-old seeks his seventh win on PGA TOUR Champions (197th start)
• Seeks his fifth win of the 2023 season (23rd start)
- Previous wins: Trophy Hassan II (Feb. 9-11), Mitsubishi Electric Classic (May 5-7), Principal Charity Classic (June 2-4), Boeing Classic (Aug. 11-13)
• Looks to become the second five-time winner this season on PGA TOUR Champions, joining Steve Stricker (6)
• Making his seventh appearance at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, he has four top-10 finishes
- Best finish: T4 (2022)
Other Notes
• Miguel Angel Jimenez and World Golf Hall of Fame member Retief Goosen sit T5 after each opening with 5-under 66.
• Reigning Charles Schwab Cup winner Steven Alker (T7) birdied five of his first six holes but played his final 12 holes in 1-over en route to 4-under 67.
• Charles Schwab No. 2 Bernhard Langer, a six-time winner of the Charles Schwab Cup, sits T11 after shooting 3-under 69.
• Defending champion Padraig Harrington and 2015 champion Billy Andrade are among the players T16 after each opening with 2-under 69.
• Playing as a single in the first tee time of the day, No. 36 Rob Labritz (T16) played in 2 hours and 47 minutes.