Zach Johnson Takes a Big Lead at the Kaulig Companies Championship

Published: Jul 11, 2026, 07:46 PM ET
Location: Akron, Ohio

What Happened on Saturday?

On Saturday, a golfer named Zach Johnson played a really great round of golf at the Firestone Club, a course made soft by recent rain. He shot a 7‑under 63 (we’ll explain what that means later) and moved into first place with a lead of four strokes in the Kaulig Companies Championship.

Important: This tournament is the fourth of five “major” tournaments on the PGA Tour Champions. The PGA Tour Champions is a special golf league for older professional golfers (usually age 50 and up).

Johnson said about the conditions: “It was for the taking today. It was wet. It was pretty much point and shoot and stop.” (Because the ground was wet, the ball didn’t roll much after landing—it stopped quickly, making it easier to aim close to the hole.)

How the Tournament Works (Simple Steps)

If you’re new to golf, here’s how this event is set up:

1. The championship is played over four days (rounds).
2. Each day, players try to complete 18 holes (a hole is the path from the start to the flag cup).
3. After Saturday, the players have completed three rounds (54 holes).
4. Sunday is the final round (18 more holes); the person with the lowest total number of hits wins.

Who Is Zach Johnson?

• He is 50 years old.
• This season on the senior tour (PGA Tour Champions), he has two wins in eight starts (he’s played eight events and won two).
• Last week, he skipped the U.S. Senior Open (another senior event) to play in a regular PGA Tour event called the John Deere Classic, where he tied for ninth.
• He won his first senior start (the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational) and his most recent senior start (the Principal Charity Classic in his home state of Iowa).
• Before the senior tour, he won 12 times on the regular PGA Tour, including two huge majors: the 2007 Masters and the 2015 British Open.

Breaking Down Zach’s Saturday Round (ELI5 Style)

In golf, each course has a “par”—the number of hits a skilled player is expected to need. If you use fewer hits, you are “under par.”

• The weather was cloudy with a high of 83 degrees.
• Johnson played the first 9 holes (the front nine) in 5‑under 30 (five hits better than expected for those holes).
• On the second 9 holes (the back nine), he made two more birdies (a birdie means one hit under par on a hole).
• His total for the day was 63, which is 7 under par for the full 18 holes.
• Over the first three days, his scores were 67, 67, and 63. That adds up to 13‑under 197.
• He said: “The front nine was as solid of nine holes as I’ve played in I couldn’t tell you how long.”

Where the Other Players Stand

Here are the other notable golfers after Saturday’s round:

• Miguel Angel Jiménez (the defending champion from last year) came in second. The 62‑year‑old from Spain shot a 62—that’s the first time he “shot his age” (score equals age). He said, “Every time you can shoot your age is great.”
• Cameron Percy, who was the third‑round leader, dropped to third place at 7 under overall after shooting a 70.
• Darren Clarke (68) and Tag Ridings (68) are tied at 6 under.
• Stewart Cink, who leads the season‑long Charles Schwab Cup points race, is tied for sixth at 5 under after a 68. He has four wins in 11 senior starts this season.
• Bernhard Langer, a three‑time winner of this event, is 68 years old. He shot a 67, which is “his age or better” for the 45th time in his career. He is tied for 14th at 3 under.

What Johnson Says About Sunday

Johnson knows he still has work to do. He said: “I played 54 good ones, I’ve got 18 more to go and I’ve got to play good. You never know what could happen tomorrow depending on the conditions, wind or lack thereof.”

Important Points to Remember:

• Zach Johnson leads by 4 strokes with one round left.
• This is the final year the tournament is held at Firestone Country Club. The relationship with the PGA Tour dates back to the Rubber City Open in 1954.

Summary

Zach Johnson, a 50‑year‑old golfer with a strong past, played excellently on a rain‑softened course to grab a four‑stroke lead in the Kaulig Companies Championship, a major senior golf event. He shot 7‑under 63, bringing his three‑round total to 13‑under 197. Other stars include Miguel Angel Jiménez (who shot his age of 62), Cameron Percy, Stewart Cink, and Bernhard Langer (who again shot his age or better). The tournament ends its long run at Firestone this year. Johnson needs one more solid round to win.

FAQ

1. What does “7‑under 63” mean in golf?
Courses have a “par” (expected number of hits). If par is 70 and a player scores 63, they used 7 fewer hits than par—that’s “7‑under.” It’s a very good score!

2. What is the PGA Tour Champions?
It’s a golf league for professional players aged 50 and older. It has its own tournaments, including “majors,” similar to the regular PGA Tour but for senior golfers.

3. What does “shooting your age” mean?
When an older golfer’s score matches their age (like a 62‑year‑old shooting 62), it’s called shooting your age. It’s a special achievement because it shows great skill later in life.

4. Why does rain make the course “soft” and easier?
Rain soaks the ground so the ball doesn’t bounce or roll far after landing. Players can hit toward the hole and it stops quickly—like Johnson said, “point and shoot and stop.”

5. What is the Charles Schwab Cup?
It’s a season‑long competition on the PGA Tour Champions where players earn points; the year‑end leader gets a big trophy. Stewart Cink was the points leader at this event.