Stewart Cink extended his lead to three strokes on Saturday at the Regions Tradition, battling challenging wind conditions as he pursues back-to-back senior major championships.

Regions Tradition: Cink in Command

After opening the tournament with consecutive rounds of 7-under 65 at Greystone Golf & Country Club in Birmingham, Alabama, Cink carded a 71 to reach 15-under 201. This maintains his advantage in the event held in his home state.

Season of Success

Cink’s recent victory at the Senior PGA Championship in Florida marked his third win of the year on the PGA Tour Champions, the circuit for golfers aged 50 and over. He has accumulated seven senior titles throughout his career.

Navigating Difficult Conditions

Cink acknowledged the increased difficulty of scoring due to the wind. He noted the challenging wind direction, which made it difficult to accurately gauge gusts and impacted his approach shots on several holes.

Despite the challenges, Cink offset a double bogey on the par-5 15th with birdies on the par-3 14th and par-5 18th.

Ryder Cup Role & Past Achievements

The 52-year-old was also recently named an assistant captain for the U.S. Ryder Cup team during a television interview at the Kentucky Derby. Cink has eight wins on the PGA Tour, including a memorable playoff victory over Tom Watson at the 2009 British Open.

Montgomerie Praises Cink's Longevity

Fellow competitor Colin Montgomerie highlighted Cink’s longevity in the sport, stating that age is less of a factor in golf compared to other athletic pursuits.

Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk announced Cink and Justin Leonard as assistant captains for the 2025 matches, which will be held at Adare Manor in Ireland. The announcement was made live during the Kentucky Derby broadcast.