Stewart Cink takes lead Saturday at The Ally Challenge with 66

Things to know

• Twenty years removed from his best finish (5th) at Warwick Hills on the PGA TOUR, Stewart Cink positions himself for his first career win on PGA TOUR Champions in his first start at The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren.
• Three strokes off the lead, David Branshaw looks to become the 15th player on PGA TOUR Champions – and first in three years – to emerge victorious after playing his way into the field via open qualifying.

Stewart Cink, leader (-11)

• Followed an eagle-3 at No. 1 with four inward-nine birdies en route to a bogey-free 6-under 66 in his first Ally Challenge.
• His 66 equaled the low round of the day (Steve Allan/T2; Mark Hensby/T9).
• His three-stroke lead is the largest lead entering the final round this season.
• Is 0-for-1 when holding a 36-hole lead/co-lead on PGA TOUR Champions: 2024 Cologuard Classic/T7.
• After hitting 15-of-18 greens in regulation in round one, was a perfect 18-for-18 in round two; improved from 5-of-14 fairways off the tee in round one to 10-of-14 in round two.
• The 51-year-old seeks a fifth top-10 finish in his sixth start of the season on PGA TOUR Champions.
• Best of nine total starts on PGA TOUR Champions: 3rd/2023 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.
• Entered the week No. 39 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings; in order to qualify for the first of three Playoffs events, the Dominion Energy Charity Classic, he needs to remain inside the top 72.
• Best five appearances at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club for the PGA TOUR’s Buick Open was fifth in 2004.
• With a win, he would become the 22nd player to win on Korn Ferry Tour (3), PGA TOUR (8) and PGA TOUR Champions; most recent PGA TOUR title: 2021 RBC Heritage.
• With a win Sunday, he would become this season’s third first-time winner on PGA TOUR Champions, joining Ricardo Gonzalez (Trophy Hassan II) and Richard Bland (KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship).
• Best of 14 starts on the PGA TOUR this season: T24/Sony Open in Hawaii; most recently missed the cut at the Wyndham Championship two weeks ago.

Other notes

• Making his first start in the Ally Challenge, PGA TOUR Champions rookie Steve Allan (T2/-8) followed an opening-round 2-under 70 with a 66 in round two in his bid for a third top-10 finish this season: Invited Celebrity Classic/5th and DICK’S Open/T6; at 9-under 201, comes off a T16 finish from last week’s Rogers Charity Classic; finished T3 in the Final Stage of the 2023 PGA TOUR Champions Qualifying Tournament.
• After earning a spot in this week’s field via Tuesday’s open qualifier, Branshaw (T2/-8) followed an opening-round 5-under 67 with a 69 in round two, highlighted by birdies on four of his first five holes; with a win Sunday, he would become the 15th player to emerge victorious after open qualifying for the event; the feat was most recently achieved by Dicky Pride at the 2021 Mitsubishi Electric Classic.
• Citing this week’s Ally Challenge to be his final start on PGA TOUR Champions before retiring, Pontiac, Michigan native Tom Gillis is T14 at 4-under 140 after opening in 71-69; as part of competing worldwide for more than three decades, the 1993 Buick Open at Warwick Hills marked his first of 188 PGA TOUR starts; Sunday’s final putt will drop 31 years, 15 days after his first tee shot at Warwick Hills in 1993.
• After earning his way into this week’s field by virtue of his top-10 finish at last week’s Rogers Charity Classic (T3), New England club professional Jason Caron is T26 at 3-under 141; this week marks his fifth career start on PGA TOUR Champions.