Darren Clarke, Michael Wright Share Lead at Chubb Classic

Veteran golfers post 7-under 65s in opening round in Naples, Florida

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland and Michael Wright of Australia both shot 7-under 65 to share the first-round lead at the Chubb Classic golf tournament in Naples, Florida. Clarke made two eagles over his final four holes, while Wright, who is newer to the Champions Tour, had nine birdies to offset a double bogey.

Why it matters

The Chubb Classic is an important stop on the PGA Tour Champions, with past champions like Justin Leonard in the field. Clarke and Wright's strong opening rounds set them up for a chance at the title, which would be a significant accomplishment for their careers.

The details

Clarke made two eagles on the par-5 15th and 18th holes, sinking long putts after reaching the greens in two shots. Wright, playing in just his third Champions Tour event, had nine birdies to offset a double bogey on the 13th hole. Defending champion Justin Leonard, Scott Parel, Rob Labritz, and Ricardo Gonzalez are one shot back at 6-under.

  • The first round of the Chubb Classic was played on Friday, February 14, 2026.

The players

Darren Clarke

A 57-year-old professional golfer from Northern Ireland who has won multiple times on the PGA Tour and European Tour, including the 2011 Open Championship.

Michael Wright

A 51-year-old Australian golfer who is newer to the PGA Tour Champions, having just started playing on the tour within the last few months.

Justin Leonard

A veteran American golfer who is the defending champion of the Chubb Classic, having won the tournament in 2025.

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What they’re saying

“The one on 15, I hit driver, 3-iron from 237 (yards) to 12 feet and holed it for eagle. Then the last one I hit driver, 3-wood. The 3-wood was from 241 or something straight into the wind. Hit it to 15 feet behind the hole. So they were both pretty good. Take those any day.”

— Darren Clarke (Yardbarker)

“This is his first Champions event and his first event ever was three weeks ago in Australia. He's doing a great job. I love having him on the bag.”

— Michael Wright (Yardbarker)

“I hit a lot of greens today. I think I may have only missed one or two greens. Did make a couple bogeys, but I played well on the par-5s and got off to a good start. I kind of did all the things you need to do around here.”

— Justin Leonard (Yardbarker)

What’s next

The Chubb Classic will continue with the second round on Saturday, February 15, 2026, followed by the final round on Sunday, February 16, 2026.

The takeaway

The strong opening rounds by veteran golfers Darren Clarke and Michael Wright, along with the presence of past champions like Justin Leonard, set the stage for an exciting weekend of competition at the Chubb Classic in Naples, Florida.