Ernie Els leads after Round 1 at Principal Charity Classic

Things to Know

• World Golf Hall of Fame member Ernie Els carded his lowest round on PGA TOUR Champions and matched the low 18-hole score in Principal Charity Classic history.
• Defending champion Stephen Ames, World Golf Hall of Fame member Vijay Singh and 2024 Trophy Hassan II winner Ricardo Gonzalez are T2 at 8-under.
• Birthday boys Rob Labritz (53rd birthday) and Chad Campbell (50th birthday) sit T5 and T9, respectively.
• Today’s 69.37 field scoring average was the lowest first-round scoring average of the 2024 season on PGA TOUR Champions. Thirteen players had bogey-free rounds.

Ernie Els, 30-32 – 62 (-10)

• This is his low 18-hole score on PGA TOUR Champions (280th round)
  • Previous low: 63 (two times)
• Matched the low 18-hole score in the 23-year history of the Principal Charity Classic
  • This is the third time a player has shot 62 at this event
  • Previous instances: Kirk Triplett, 2012 Final Round; Kevin Sutherland, 2019 Final Round
  • This is his sixth time leading/co-leading after the first round on PGA TOUR Champions
  • Is 0-for-5 converting those into victories
• Has led or co-led after four of his last nine rounds on PGA TOUR Champions
• The 54-year-old seeks his fourth win on PGA TOUR Champions (90th start)
  • Last win: 2023 Hoag Classic
• Making his ninth start of the 2024 season, he has three top-10 finishes
  • Best finish: T3 (twice)
• Making his fourth appearance at the Principal Charity Classic, his best finish is T9 (2023)

Other Notes

• Two-time champion (2021, 2023) Ames opened with bogey-free 64 and sits T2. The Charles Schwab No. 2 seeks his third win of the 2024 season (11th start).
  • Previous wins in 2024: Chubb Classic (Feb. 16-18), Mitsubishi Electric Classic (April 26-28)
• Charles Schwab No. 8 Gonzalez sits T2 after shooting 8-under 64. The reigning Trophy Hassan II champion seeks his second victory of the 2024 season (10th start).
• World Golf Hall of Fame member Singh sits T2 after carding 64. The 61-year-old seeks his sixth win on PGA TOUR Champions (144th start).
  • Last win: 2023 Ally Challenge
• On his 53rd birthday, Labritz posted 7-under 65 and sits T5 along with Rod Pampling, Billy Mayfair and Heath Slocum.
• On his 50th birthday, Chad Campbell shot 6-under 66 in his debut on PGA TOUR Champions and sits T9. The other players T9 are Ken Tanigawa, 2019 champion Kevin Sutherland and reigning Q-School medalist
• Cameron Percy. Percy is making his second start on PGA TOUR Champions after turning 50 on May 5.
• Charles Schwab Cup leader Steven Alker birdied four of his first five holes en route to 67 and sits T13.