Stewart Cink leads Charles Schwab Cup after going to Phoenix Suns game

PHOENIX — Stewart Cink has a factor for the Phoenix Suns. He would possibly begin having a factor for Phoenix Nation Membership.

Cink opened the 2024 Charles Schwab Cup Championship with a 7-under 65 and walked off the course with a three-shot lead within the 35-man discipline on the PGA Tour Champions season finale. His scorecard featured eight birdies and one bogey.

He did catch a little bit of luck on the par-5 18th gap, when his third shot from a bunker hit the flagstick head on. Had it not performed so, he may need ended up within the water however as an alternative the ball dropped straight down, stopping about two toes from the cup. Cink took benefit of this stroke of luck to make birdie on the final.

“It was most likely a adequate break that made up for about six dangerous breaks on the market,” he stated. “However I’m simply glad that it was straight as a result of proper within the heart of the outlet and it stored me from undoubtedly taking a penalty shot.”

Earlier than golf, an NBA sport

On Wednesday evening, Cink took within the Phoenix Suns sport and through a break within the motion, acquired known as him right down to the court docket to assist the Suns mascot, the Gorilla, who bounced off a trampoline, grabbed the ball out of Cink’s outstretched hand and flew by means of the air for a dunk.

When in Phoenix 🔥@StewartCink had some enjoyable final evening forward of @SchwabCupFinale.

🎥 @Suns pic.twitter.com/9wPr4TJOKq

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) November 7, 2024

To prime it off, the Gorilla then did the stand-on-his-head celebration that was made well-known by Incarnate Phrase receiver Jalen Walthall.

“It was cool, I acquired on the court docket with the Gorilla. I’ve by no means had a gorilla run in the direction of me that quick on that trampoline,” he stated. How did he not flinch?, he was requested. “A part of me wished to flinch, the opposite a part of me wished to be holding my digital camera proper right here to video that as a result of he was like sprinting.

“It was fairly enjoyable. Like I stated, I really like the NBA. The vitality on the video games all throughout the entire league is superior, however the Suns is correct up there on the prime.”

Through the 2023 WM Phoenix Open, Cink donned a Kevin Durant jersey on the sixteenth gap at TPC Scottsdale. What was spectacular then was Durant had simply been traded to the Suns the day earlier than, and Cink pulled some strings to get a jersey made.

Format, TV, prize cash | Winners in 2024 | Cash in 2024

Cink went to Georgia Tech, lives in Atlanta and is a self-described die-hard Hawks fan. He says he seemed round for a No. 2 Suns jersey of Josh Okogie, a fellow Yellow Jacket, however he struck on the market.

So far as his play on Thursday went, Cink sounded happy.

“The issues I’ve been engaged on this yr are swing associated. They’re coming collectively. I nonetheless don’t really feel 100% there, however adequate to battle with,” he stated. “After which my coronary heart is the largest piece. If I get my coronary heart in the fitting place, I may be fairly harmful out right here.”

Cink earned his first PGA Tour Champions win earlier this season however he entered the finale twelfth within the factors, falling simply shy of the group of 10 who’ve a shot to seize the season-long factors title.

Nonetheless, he’s off to a stable begin in hopes of successful once more in 2024.