Zach Johnson wins Champions debut at James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational

The two-time major winner closed with a 3-under 69 on Sunday to win the event by four shots in his debut on the 50-and-older circuit.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Zach Johnson, who turned 50 just two weeks ago, won the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational in his debut on the PGA Tour Champions. Johnson finished at 11-under 205 on The Old Course at Broken Sound, becoming the 22nd player to win his first start on the tour.

Why it matters

Johnson's victory in his Champions Tour debut is a significant accomplishment, as the 50-and-older circuit features many seasoned and accomplished golfers. His performance highlights his continued competitiveness and ability to adapt to the new tour.

The details

Johnson's final round included an early bogey on the par-3 third hole, but he then recorded four birdies to create separation from the rest of the leaderboard. Stewart Cink and George McNeill finished tied for second at 7-under 209, while Padraig Harrington, Jamie Donaldson, Alex Cejka, Steve Allan, and Steve Flesch tied for fourth at 6-under.

  • Zach Johnson turned 50 just two weeks ago.
  • The tournament was held on March 9, 2026.

The players

Zach Johnson

A two-time major winner who made his debut on the PGA Tour Champions by winning the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational.

Stewart Cink

One of the early-season pace-setters on the Champions Tour, he finished four shots back of Johnson in a tie for second place.

George McNeill

Briefly held a share of the lead with a birdie on the opening hole, but could not keep pace with Johnson's birdies through the middle of the round, finishing tied for second.

Padraig Harrington

The Irish golfer capped a sharp rebound from an opening-round 79 by finishing tied for fourth at 6-under.

Jamie Donaldson

The Welsh golfer tied for fourth at 6-under.

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What they’re saying

“It's humbling, it's humbling just to get to this point. ... I mean if you would have told me I'd be here at 50 years old, you know, the hypothetical part of that is so incredible that I would have said you're crazy.”

— Zach Johnson

“Made too many bogeys throughout the week. Just, you can't do that. And today was, I just didn't make any putts. I hit the ball fine, just nothing. And it wasn't that I was hitting bad putts, I just couldn't read 'em all that well. But overall it was great.”

— George McNeill

What’s next

The next Champions Tour event is the Insperity Invitational on April 13-15, 2026 in The Woodlands, Texas.

The takeaway

Zach Johnson's victory in his Champions Tour debut at age 50 demonstrates his continued competitiveness and ability to adapt to new challenges. His performance highlights the depth of talent on the 50-and-older circuit, where seasoned veterans like Johnson can still compete at the highest level.