Stewart Cink


Stewart Ernest Cink is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. 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 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. 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, Connor and Reagan. Cink is a Christian.

Professional wins (21)

PGA Tour wins (8)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner-up
1Jul 27, 1997Canon Greater Hartford Open−13 1 stroke

Nike Tour wins (3)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner-up
1Jun 23, 1996Nike Ozarks Open−16 Playoff

Hooters Tour wins (1)

Latin American wins (2)

  • 1996 Mexican Open
  • 1999 Mexican Open

    Other wins (2)

Other playoff record
No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult
12002CVS Charity Classic
(with

PGA Tour Champions wins (5)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner-up
1Aug 25, 2024The Ally Challenge−17 4 strokes

Major championships

Wins (1)

1Defeated Watson in a four-hole aggregate playoff; Cink, Watson.

Results timeline

Results not in chronological order in 2020.
Tournament1996199719981999
Masters TournamentCUTT23T27
U.S. OpenT16T13T10T32
The Open ChampionshipT66CUT
PGA ChampionshipCUTCUTT3

Tournament201020112012201320142015201620172018
Masters TournamentCUTCUTT50T25T14
U.S. OpenT40CUTCUTCUTT54T46
The Open ChampionshipT48T30CUTT26T47T20CUTT24
PGA ChampionshipT18CUTCUTCUTCUTT4

CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
NT = no tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic

Summary

Tournament2010201120122013201420152016201720182019
The Players ChampionshipCUTT19T64CUTT38CUTCUTCUT

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)

Results timeline

Results not in chronological order before 2015.
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.

U.S. national team appearances

Professional
  • Presidents Cup: 2000, 2005, 2007, 2009
  • Ryder Cup: 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010
  • WGC-World Cup: 2005, 2006
  • Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge : 2006, 2008, 2009