3-shot win is fourth victory of 2026 season
BIRMINGHAM – Call it a home win for Stewart Cink.
The Alabama native, who was born in Huntsville and grew up in Florence, continued his dominant ways on the PGA Tour Champions Sunday, taking a three-shot win at the Regions Tradition.
It’s his fourth win this season, including three in his last four starts. To put the achievement into context, the tour has only played eight of its 28 scheduled events.
Cink shot 69 in the final round to complete a victory that saw him lead or tie for the lead in all four rounds of the tour’s second major championship this season. Cink also won the Senior PGA Championship two weeks ago.
The 52-year-old Cink admitted this win was special.
“This is my roots, you know, Alabama,” he said. “I played I think every golf course in Birmingham except for Greystone as a junior golfer because it didn’t exist, and there was a lot of courses I played in Birmingham as a junior golfer that don’t exist anymore. This is where I cut my teeth in golf.”
When Cink finished his high school career, he signed to play at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, just four hours from Florence and two hours from Birmingham. He’s made his home there ever since, but remains a fan favorite in his home state.
“The fans out here were awesome,” he said. “I saw a lot of familiar faces. Everybody’s put on the years, but some people from junior golf that I played with and against and their families. A lot of my friends and family have been out here all week anyway that I knew they were coming. It’s just been great.”
A hot, sticky day at Greystone
Cink led Colin Montgomerie by three shots to start the final round and his lead never dipped below two shots on what he called a tricky day with light winds swirling around the Greystone course. He finished at 18-under 270, three shots ahead of Scott Hend, who closed with a 65. Montgomerie was third, shooting 71 in the final round to finish at 275.
“It wasn’t easy,” he said. “Sometimes a light breeze that’s variable is harder to play in than like a 20-mile an hour steady wind. Today was one of those days, the wind was all over the place. Down here in these trees, the golf course cuts through a neighborhood, it was very, very tough to figure out how far the ball’s going to go and which way the wind was coming from.”
Cink said the breeze “threw me for a loop a couple times early.”
“But I was pretty resilient and I trusted what I had and our game plan was good,” he said. “You know, I wasn’t perfect by any stretch, but I played good golf and under the circumstances I kind of did what I needed to do to kind of keep everybody from being too close. But still, it never feels easy. I wish it felt easier, it never does.”
He made 26 birdies across the four rounds, his highest total in a Champions Tour event. He pocketed another $390,000 for the win. He’s now banked $1.9 million this season and is the only multi-winner – $1 million more than anyone else on the senior circuit.
A magical 2026?
Cink stopped short of saying that 2026 is turning into a magical year, though. He knows things can turn quickly in golf.
“One of the things I’m doing a pretty good job of is just kind of staying in the moment,” he said. “I’m enjoying Regions Tradition right now. I played well enough to win here. It wasn’t too long ago that I didn’t play well enough to win, that was (last week) in the Mitsubishi Electric Classic in Atlanta. It feels good to get back in the winner’s circle again, of course. I hope there’s a lot more times coming. This is a fun window to be involved in on the Champions Tour, so I feel like I kind of found a little bit of a footing in it and it’s hopefully going to last a long time, but it’s been fun.”
Now, it’s off to Texas for Cink, who will defend his championship at the Insperity Championship. The week after, he’ll tee it up at Aronimink at the PGA Championship. It’s only then will he give the other players on tour a chance to win, as Cink will take an extended five-week break.
Before turning his attention to the Insperity, Cink and his wife Lisa have an appointment at the MD Anderson Cancer Clinic in Houston. A breast cancer survivor, Lisa Cink is having a 10-year checkup since her diagnosis.
“It’s just a meaningful appointment for us tomorrow because there’s a chance her treatment might change significantly in a good way,” Cink said. “We don’t know, but we’re hopeful and we’re grateful for what’s already happened. So, life throws a lot of things your way. For the next two days we’re not going to be thinking too much about golf. I don’t think she’s going to be thinking a lot about golf this week no matter what comes up. But it will be fun to get back down to Houston once we finish at MD Anderson and hopefully have a lot to be thankful for.”
After what the couple hope is good news, it’ll be back to the golf grind for Cink.
“I look forward to playing every week,” he said. “I really love playing golf. Playing PGA Tour Champions golf is a lot of fun and I’m having a blast doing it.”
Featured image: PGSA Tour Champions
Gregg Dewalt is the editor of Alabama Golf News
Have a story idea or a news item to report to Alabama Golf News? Email gregg@alabamagolfnews.com
