Stewart Ernest Cink (born May 21, 1973) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour Champions. He won the 2009 Open Championship, defeating Tom Watson in a four-hole aggregate playoff. He spent over 40 weeks in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking from 2004 to 2009, reaching a career best ranking of 5th in 2008.
Early years and education Cink was born in Huntsville, Alabama, and grew up in nearby Florence, where he attended Bradshaw High School. After completing high school in 1991, he graduated from Georgia Tech in Atlanta in 1995 with a degree in Management, where he played golf for the Yellow Jackets; he turned professional in 1995.
Professional career
After winning the Mexican Open and three events on the Nike Tour (now the Korn Ferry Tour) in 1996, Cink joined the PGA Tour in 1997 and won the Canon Greater Hartford Open in his rookie season. Cink performed consistently on the Tour over the next few years, picking up another win at the 2000 MCI Classic. Cink contended in the 2001 U.S. Open, missing the playoff by a single stroke after making a double-bogey on the 72nd hole. In 2004, Cink finished in fifth-place on the money list and had wins at the MCI Heritage and at the WGC-NEC Invitational, which is one of the World Golf Championships events.
On February 24, 2008, Cink was the runner-up in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship played in Marana, Arizona, falling 8 & 7 in the 36-hole final to top-ranked Tiger Woods. In June 2008, he reached his highest ever ranking, sixth, in the Official World Golf Rankings with his victory at the Travelers Championship in suburban Hartford.
On July 19, 2009, Cink won his first major title at the 138th Open Championship at Turnberry, Scotland, defeating 59-year-old, five-time champion Tom Watson by six strokes in a four-hole playoff. Cink had birdied the 72nd hole while Watson bogeyed, which forced the playoff.
On September 13, 2020, Cink won the Safeway Open for his first win since the 2009 Open Championship.
On April 18, 2021, Cink won the RBC Heritage for the third time. He became the fourth player to win twice in the same PGA Tour season after turning 47, the others being Sam Snead, Julius Boros and Kenny Perry (who did it two times). Cink broke the lowest 36-hole score and 54-hole score record for the tournament.
Personal life Cink and his wife, Lisa, have two sons. Cink is a Christian.
Professional wins (25) PGA Tour wins (8) Legend Major championships (1) World Golf Championships (1) Other PGA Tour (6) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Jul 27, 1997Canon Greater Hartford Open−13 (69-67-65-66=267)1 stroke Tom Byrum, Brandel Chamblee, Jeff Maggert2Apr 16, 2000MCI Classic−14 (71-68-66-65=270)2 strokes Tom Lehman3Apr 18, 2004MCI Heritage (2)−10 (72-69-69-64=274)Playoff Ted Purdy4Aug 22, 2004WGC-NEC Invitational−11 (63-68-68-70=269)4 strokes Rory Sabbatini, Tiger Woods5Jun 22, 2008Travelers Championship (2)−18 (66-64-65-67=262)1 stroke Tommy Armour III, Hunter Mahan6Jul 19, 2009The Open Championship−2 (66-72-71-69=278)Playoff Tom Watson7Sep 13, 2020Safeway Open−21 (67-70-65-65=267)2 strokes Harry Higgs8Apr 18, 2021RBC Heritage (3)−19 (63-63-69-70=265)4 strokes Emiliano Grillo, Harold Varner III
PGA Tour playoff record (2–2) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11998Canon Greater Hartford Open Olin Browne, Larry MizeBrowne won with birdie on first extra hole22004MCI Heritage Ted PurdyWon with birdie on fifth extra hole32006WGC-Bridgestone Invitational Tiger WoodsLost to birdie on fourth extra hole42009The Open Championship Tom WatsonWon four-hole aggregate playoff;Cink: −2 (4-3-4-3=14),Watson: +4 (5-3-7-5=20)
Nike Tour wins (3) Legend Tour Championships (1) Other Nike Tour (2) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Jun 23, 1996Nike Ozarks Open−16 (68-67-69-68=272)Playoff R. W. Eaks2Sep 8, 1996Nike Colorado Classic−16 (67-68-67-66=268)1 stroke David Berganio Jr., Michael Christie3Oct 20, 1996Nike Tour Championship−7 (66-71-71-73=281)4 strokes David Berganio Jr.
Nike Tour playoff record (1–1) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11996Nike San Jose Open Bobby Elliott, Larry SilveiraSilveira won with birdie on first extra hole21996Nike Ozarks Open R. W. EaksWon with birdie on third extra hole
Hooters Tour wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunners-up1Oct 29, 1995Naturally Fresh Cup−13 (69-68-68-70=275)6 strokes Deane Pappas, Mike Swartz
Latin American wins (2) 1996 Mexican Open 1999 Mexican Open
Other wins (2) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunners-up1Jun 19, 2007CVS Caremark Charity Classic(with J. J. Henry)−20 (60-62=122)1 stroke Brad Faxon and Zach Johnson2Dec 15, 2013PNC Father-Son Challenge(with son Connor Cink)−22 (61-61=122)3 strokes Steve Elkington and son Sam Elkington, Vijay Singh and son Qass Singh
Other playoff record (0–1) No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult12002CVS Charity Classic(with David Toms) Chris DiMarco and Dudley HartLost to birdie on third extra hole
PGA Tour Champions wins (9) Legend PGA Tour Champions major championships (2) Charles Schwab Cup playoff events (1) Other PGA Tour Champions (6) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Aug 25, 2024The Ally Challenge−17 (67-66-66=199)4 strokes K. J. Choi2May 4, 2025Insperity Invitational−11 (71-66-68=205)Playoff Retief Goosen3Aug 24, 2025The Ally Challenge (2)−15 (62-71-68=201)Playoff Ernie Els4Nov 16, 2025Charles Schwab Cup Championship−20 (64-68-65-67=264)2 strokes Steven Alker5Jan 24, 2026Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai−23 (66-63-64=193)3 strokes Ángel Cabrera6Mar 29, 2026Hoag Classic−19 (66-62-66=194)4 strokes Ernie Els, Zach Johnson7Apr 19, 2026Senior PGA Championship−19 (69-67-70-63=269)6 strokes Ben Crane8May 3, 2026Regions Tradition−18 (65-65-71-69=270)3 strokes Scott Hend9Aug 16, 2026Boeing Classic−12 (68-71-65=204)Playoff Miguel Ángel Jiménez
PGA Tour Champions playoff record (3–0) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult12025Insperity Invitational Retief GoosenWon with birdie on first extra hole22025The Ally Challenge Ernie ElsWon with par on first extra hole32026Boeing Classic Miguel Ángel JiménezWon with birdie on first extra hole
Major championships Wins (1) YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner-up 2009 The Open Championship 3 shot deficit −2 (66-72-71-69=278) Playoff1 Tom Watson 1Defeated Watson in a four-hole aggregate playoff; Cink (4-3-4-3=14), Watson (5-3-7-5=20).
Results timeline Results not in chronological order in 2020. Tournament1996199719981999Masters TournamentCUTT23T27U.S. OpenT16T13T10T32The Open ChampionshipT66CUTPGA ChampionshipCUTCUTT3 Tournament2000200120022003200420052006200720082009Masters TournamentT28CUTT24T17T2010T17T3CUTU.S. OpenT83CUTT28CUTT15T37CUTT14T27The Open ChampionshipT41T30T59T34T14CUTCUTT6CUT1PGA ChampionshipT15T59T10CUTT17T28T24T32CUTT67 Tournament 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018Masters TournamentCUTCUTT50T25T14U.S. OpenT40CUTCUTCUTT54T46The Open ChampionshipT48T30CUTT26T47T20CUTT24PGA ChampionshipT18CUTCUTCUTCUTT4 Tournament20192020202120222023202420252026Masters TournamentCUTT12CUTPGA ChampionshipT30T23CUTU.S. OpenT57CUTCUTThe Open ChampionshipT20NTCUTCUTT23CUTCUTCUT
CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" = tied NT = no tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic
Summary Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts madeMasters Tournament 0 0 1 1 2 10 20 13PGA Championship 0 0 1 2 3 7 22 13U.S. Open 0 0 1 1 3 7 23 15The Open Championship 1 0 0 1 2 7 27 16Totals 1 0 3 5 10 31 92 57 Most consecutive cuts made – 7 (1999 Masters – 2000 PGA) Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (ten times)
Results in The Players Championship Tournament199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009The Players ChampionshipT42CUTT33CUTCUTT39T22T32CUTT3T21T76 Tournament2010201120122013201420152016201720182019The Players ChampionshipCUTT19T64CUTT38CUTCUTCUT Tournament2020202120222023The Players ChampionshipCCUTCUTCUT
CUT = missed the halfway cut "T" indicates a tie for a place C = Canceled after the first round due to the COVID-19 pandemic
World Golf Championships Wins (1) YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunners-up2004WGC-NEC Invitational5 shot lead−11 (63-68-68-70=269)4 strokes Rory Sabbatini, Tiger Woods
Results timeline Results not in chronological order before 2015. Tournament199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019ChampionshipT4NT1T23T46T13T45T20T59T37Match PlayR16R64R64R64R32QFR64R1623QFR32Invitational7T13T47T611T412T56T43T6T19T45ChampionsT51 Tournament20202021ChampionshipMatch PlayNT2InvitationalT43ChampionsNT2NT2 1Canceled due to 9/11 2Canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play "T" = tied NT = No Tournament Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.
Senior major championships Wins (2) YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner-up 2026 Senior PGA Championship 1 shot deficit −19 (69-67-70-63=269) 6 strokes Ben Crane 2026 Regions Tradition 3 shot lead −18 (65-65-71-69=270) 3 strokes Scott Hend
Results timeline Results not in chronological order Tournament2023202420252026Senior PGA Championship3T9T51The TraditionT3T121U.S. Senior Open22Senior Players ChampionshipT734Senior British Open ChampionshipT11
"T" indicates a tie for a place
U.S. national team appearances Professional Presidents Cup: 2000 (winners), 2005 (winners), 2007 (winners), 2009 (winners) Ryder Cup: 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 (winners), 2010 WGC-World Cup: 2005, 2006 Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge (representing PGA Tour): 2006 (winners), 2008, 2009
See also 1996 Nike Tour graduates List of male golfers
References
External links