Retief Goosen birdies final hole to take one-stroke lead at Dominion Energy Charity Classic

Things to Know

• In the first of three Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs events, World Golf Hall of Fame member Retief Goosen birdied his final hole of the day at the Dominion Energy Charity Classic to break a six-way tie for the lead and sign for a 6-under 66 in his bid for a second victory this season and third top 10 at the Country Club of Richmond.

Retief Goosen (first/6-under)

• He started his fifth Dominion Energy Charity Classic with three consecutive birdies before signing for a 6-under 66 after a final birdie at the par-5 18th hole.
• The 55-year-old South African hit 11-of-14 fairways off the tee and 15-of-18 greens in regulation; he required 27 putts to complete his round.
• His two previous top-10 finishes in the event came in first two starts of 2019 (T10) and 2020 (T6); finished T53 in 2022 and 2023.
• He is 1-for-3 when trying to convert an 18-hole lead/co-lead into victory on PGA TOUR Champions (2024 Galleri Classic).
• In addition to the Galleri Classic win in March, he has four top-10 finishes this season, including a T4 at the Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS in his most recent start before this week.
• Since joining PGA TOUR Champions in 2019, he has amassed three titles: 2019 Kaulig Companies Championship, 2022 Hoag Classic, 2024 Galleri Classic.
• Included among his seven PGA TOUR titles were the 2001 and 2004 U.S. Open.

Other Notes

• Highlighted by four consecutive birdies on Nos. 17-2, Steve Flesch (T2/5-under) opened his sixth Dominion Energy Charity Classic with a 5-under 67, 10 strokes better than his last two opening rounds in the event of 2022 (T58) and 2023 (T62); in five previous Dominion Energy Charity Classic starts, a T8 in 2019 stands as his best.; lone top-10 finish this season, a T7, came at the Sanford International, while he finished just outside the top-10 at last week’s SAS Championship (T11).
• Beginning his round on No. 10, PGA TOUR Champions rookie Heath Slocum (T2/5-under) followed three straight pars with four consecutive birdies on Nos. 13-16 en route to a 5-under 67; prior to this week, his best 18-hole position on PGA TOUR Champions (24 starts) was T5/Principal Charity Classic (finished T6); that T6 serves as his lone top-10 finish this season.
• Paul Goydos (T2/5-under) hit all 18 greens in regulation en route to a bogey-free 5-nder 67 in his eighth Dominion Energy Charity Classic start; his most recent of two top-10 finishes in the event, solo-third, came in 2020; seeks a sixth career win on PGA TOUR Champions and first since 2017.
• With birdies on four of his first five holes (Nos. 2-5) and three of his last four (Nos. 15-17), Greg Chalmers (T2/5-under) opened his first Dominion Energy Charity Classic with a 5-under 67; best of five top-10 showings this season are solo-thirds at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship and Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS; remains in search of his first PGA TOUR Champions title in his 18th start this week.
• Making his first start in the Dominion Energy Charity Classic, Stewart Cink (T2/5-under) made five birdies against two bogeys to open in 5-under 67; came into the week with six top 10s in just eight starts, highlighted by a win at The Ally Challenge; with his 67, moves to 24-of-27 with regard to rounds under par this season on PGA TOUR Champions.
• Coming off a third-place finish in last week’s SAS Championship in North Carolina, Shane Bertsch (T8/3-under) opened his fourth Dominion Energy Charity Classic with a 3-under 69, good for T8; is vying for his second career win on PGA TOUR Champions and first his rookie year of 2020.

Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs

• This week’s Dominion Energy Charity Classic is the first of the three Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs events and features the top-72 available in the standings. The top-54 after this week advance to next week’s Simmons Bank Championship in Little Rock, Arkansas. Only the top 36 from the Simmons Bank Championship advance to the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix, Arizona (Nov. 7-10).