Zach Johnson Leads Portugal Invitational After Opening 64

Turning 50 on February 24, 2026, Johnson birdied his first three holes and swept all five par-5s on the course to establish a narrow advantage over the rest of the field in the first senior tour event ever held on Portuguese soil. Sixty-four of the 78 golfers shot even par or better on Friday.

Zach Johnson Sets the Pace With an 8-Under 64

Johnson’s round featured nine birdies against a single blemish on the back nine. He birdied the par-4 18th hole to claim the outright clubhouse lead, marking his fourth round of 64 or better during the 2026 PGA Tour Champions season, having previously shot 63 three times.

Reflecting on his performance after the round, Johnson pointed to a brief lapse of concentration on the 13th hole as his only major misstep of the day. There were very few stressful situations, Johnson said, describing the remainder of his opening 18 holes as a very simple day. He added: I hit an errant tee shot on 13, just complete brain meltdown, just lack of focus on the tee shot, and it cost me a bogey. But other than that, it was a very simple day. Discussing his experience on the senior tour, Johnson noted, I would argue it’s the best tour in the world. I’m enjoying it. I would love to have my family out more, but I know my wife’s enjoying it as well. She likes to watch golf and take a nap, so that works out well.

Already a three-time winner on the senior circuit this season—with victories at the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational by four strokes, the Principal Charity Classic by four strokes, and the Kaulig Companies Championship by six strokes—Johnson enters the week sitting at No. 2 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings. A victory on Sunday would make him the first PGA Tour Champions player to capture four wins in his rookie season since Padraig Harrington accomplished the feat in 2022. He owns 10 top-10 finishes in as many starts, adding a T2 at the Hoag Classic and two third-place finishes, with his worst finish coming at the Senior PGA Championship where he placed T8.

Rory Sabbatini Chases From Solo Second After Bogey-Free 65

Slovakia’s Rory Sabbatini sits just one stroke back in solo second place after carding a bogey-free, 7-under 65 for his low round of the 2026 season. Starting his day on the back nine, Sabbatini matched Johnson’s success on the long holes by playing the par-5s in 5-under par.

“The par-5s are scoring opportunities but you still have to be very cautious because if you try and be overly aggressive on them, they tend to bite you pretty hard. So you’ve got to try and remain within yourself on those holes and give yourself opportunities, but be prepared that if you try and take off a little bit more than you should, it’s probably going to result in either a par if you’re lucky and sometimes some bogeys.”

Rory Sabbatini, PGA Tour Champions player

Sabbatini, making his 10th start since turning 50 on April 2, 2026, enters the week at No. 23 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings with a pair of top-10 finishes, including a T3 at the American Family Insurance Championship with partner Brian Gay and a third-place finish at the Kaulig Companies Championship. A win this weekend would snap a winless drought of 15 years, 4 months and 27 days dating back to his PGA Tour victory at the 2011 Cognizant Classic.

Crowded Leaderboard Features Major Champions and Hall of Famers

A cluster of seasoned competitors sits two strokes behind the leader at 6-under-par 66. World Golf Hall of Fame member Pádraig Harrington reached 6-under through his first 10 holes before playing his final eight holes in even par to post a first-round 66. Harrington is chasing his 13th career senior title and his second of 2026 following a win at the U.S. Senior Open, entering the week ranked No. 3 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings. He is tied for third place alongside Germany’s Alex Čejka—who birdied four of his final eight holes and enters at No. 14 in the Charles Schwab Cup with four top-10 finishes—South Korea’s Charlie Wi, and Sweden’s Mikael Lundberg.

Meanwhile, Charles Schwab Cup leader Stewart Cink opened with a 5-under 67, putting him in a tie for seventh place as the 53-year-old seeks his ninth win on PGA TOUR Champions in his 49th start and his fifth of the 2026 season in his 13th start. Tournament host, course designer and World Golf Hall of Fame member Ernie Els recovered from a double-bogey on the 18th hole to post a 4-under 68, leaving him tied for 13th place as he enters the week at No. 7 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings with a pair of runner-up finishes at the Hoag Classic and Insperity Invitational. The stellar field also includes fellow World Golf Hall of Famers Retief Goosen, Bernhard Langer, and Colin Montgomerie.