(Photo credit score: Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK by way of Imagn Images)
Stephen Ames of Canada made essentially the most of his first spherical of the 2026 PGA Tour Champions season, handing over an 8-under-par 64 for a one-stroke lead on the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai on Thursday in Ka’upulehu-Kona, Hawaii.
Ames amassed 5 birdies in a six-hole stretch at Nos. 2-7 on his option to a bogey-free spherical at Hualalai Golf Course.
‘The climate was a bit benign, no wind, so it is type of there for the taking. I noticed the scores have been going up rapidly. (72-year-old Jay Haas) began off the identical. Wasn’t he like 5 below after seven or one thing, too?
‘I believed, ‘Jesus, if an previous man like that may do it, so can I, proper?’
Indeed, Haas rolled in 5 birdies over his first six holes on his option to capturing a 6-under 66 — a exceptional six pictures decrease than his age.
‘Yeah, that was fairly sudden,’ Haas stated. ‘You have the potential to go low early on at this golf course, however I simply hit a variety of good pictures, drove the ball rather well all day. Had good alternatives early on, managed to profit from these.’
Fred Couples and Sweden’s Freddie Jacobson are one behind Ames at 7-under 65, whereas Haas is in a big tie for fourth with David Duval, Stewart Cink, Canadian Mike Weir, Australia’s Richard Green, Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez and South Africa’s Ernie Els.
Couples recovered from a bogey at No. 2 by birdieing and eagling Nos. 3-4.
‘Here we’re beginning 2026 on a course that I completely love over par,’ Couples stated. ‘But I birdied 3 and eagled 4, which type of gave me a pleasant ‘let’s get going.’ I drove it nicely, I hit some good irons and once I did get it shut sufficient, I appeared to make the putts.’
The three-round match concludes Saturday.
–Field Level Media