Stewart Cink Chases Fifth Win at Insperity Invitational

Stewart Cink returns to the insperity invitational near Houston this week as the defending champion, fresh off a win at the Regions Tradition. He has already won four times in eight Champions Tour events and opens the week atop the Charles Schwab Cup standings.

Cink and Goosen at The Woodlands

Cink won last year’s Insperity Invitational in a playoff over Retief Goosen, settling it with a birdie on the first extra hole after the pair finished tied after 54 holes. That result gives him a quick return to The Woodlands Country Club with a title defense in hand and another strong run already on his season line.

The field is 78 players deep and includes Bernhard Langer, Padraig Harrington, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Colin Montgomerie and Goosen. Langer has won this event four times and owns the scoring record at 191, set in 2007.

Bernhard Langer’s Record

The Woodlands Country Club plays as a par-72 layout stretching 7,002 yards, and firm conditions are expected this week. That setup puts more weight on control and scoring over four rounds, which is why the event’s veteran-heavy field matters from the first tee shot.

Montgomerie arrives after finishing third at the Regions Tradition, another sign that the top of the senior circuit is carrying form from one event to the next. For Cink, the immediate task is simpler: protect the title he won in playoff fashion and try to add a fifth victory to a season that already leads the standings.

The Charles Schwab Cup Race

Four wins in eight starts is the number that frames Cink’s week. He has turned a strong start into a lead in the Charles Schwab Cup race, and another win at The Woodlands would tighten his hold on the season’s top spot while forcing the rest of the field to chase him instead of the other way around.