PHOENIX – Defending champion Paul Goydos took a one-stroke lead Saturday in the PGA Tour Champions’ season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

Goydos shot a 5-under 66 to reach 12-under 130 at Phoenix Country Club, the tree-lined course hosting its first tour event since the Phoenix Open left for TPC Scottsdale in 1988.

“This golf course doesn’t hide where it wants you to hit the ball,” Goydos said. “You kind of follow the line of the trees and you’ll be OK. I mean, you need to drive it good.”

Lee Janzen was second after a 67. The two-time U.S. Open champion birdied the par-5 18th playing alongside Goydos in the final group.

“Even on good shots today sometimes it was a challenge,” Janzen said. “I expect a challenge. I think even if I was in complete control of my golf game in all regards I should expect a challenge because that’s just the way golf is. But right now, I’m expecting a little bit more of a challenge because I’m not super confident with how I’m swinging.

“I hit some wild shots, but I just keep hoping I have a swing and some sort of opening and I’ll figure out a way to get it near the green and make a par.”

Goydos made a 7-footer for birdie on the par-4 16th, then missed a 6-foot try on 18.

“I get in there, I want to hit a fast one, I looked at the hole and all I saw was the sun,” Goydos said. “I should have backed away and I didn’t. … You talk about the difference between a Langer or a Watson or a Woods or a Spieth and a Goydos is that I was too quick there. I should have stopped.”

Bernhard Langer, trying to sweep the three playoff events and win the Charles Schwab Cup season points title for the fourth straight year and fifth overall, was tied for 22nd at 3 under after a 68.

Kevin Sutherland and former Arizona State player Billy Mayfair were 10 under. Sutherland eagled the 18th for a 63, the best round of the week. Mayfair shot 65.

Goydos won last year at Desert Mountain in Scottdale, about 35 miles northeast of the new venue just north of downtown Phoenix. He’s trying to join Mike Hill (1990-91), Jim Thorpe (2006-07) and John Cook (2009-10) as the only players to win the season finale in consecutive years.

The two-time PGA Tour winner took the 3M Championship in Minnesota in August – shooting a tour season-best 60 in the second round – for his fifth senior title.

Janzen won his lone senior title in 2015.

Sutherland hit a 4-iron from 231 yards to 5 feet to set up the closing eagle.

“That was the best 4-iron I’ve hit in a while,” Sutherland said.

Winless on the senior tour, Sutherland entered the week fifth in the Charles Schwab Cup season points standings, the last spot where the player has to only win the tournament to top the yearlong competition.

“I played good, got myself back in the tournament,” Sutherland said. “But you’re going to have to go out and probably shoot something similar to that tomorrow.”

The only player to shoot 59 in senior tour history, the 53-year-old Sutherland has 14 top-10 finishes this season, finishing second three times and third twice. His lone PGA Tour victory came in 2002 at La Costa in the Accenture Match Play Championship.

“I can’t change what happened yesterday, what’s happened in the past, so I just keep moving forward,” Sutherland said. “I can’t change what happened at a tournament earlier this year, so I’m not going to dwell on that at all tomorrow. It will have no effect.”

Scott McCarron is second in the season standings, followed by Kenny Perry, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Sutherland. McCarron was tied for eighth at 8 under after a 66, Perry was tied for 17th at under after a 66, and Jimenez was tied for 34th at 1 over after a 69.

“I had a lot of really good putts that just didn’t go in,” McCarron said. “They’re right on the edge all day long. So it was one of those days that could have been really, really low. But I’ve got a chance tomorrow. I’ve got one round left, and if you had told me at the start of the year you have one round left to win the Schwab Cup, I’d would say what a wonderful opportunity.”

Langer opened the playoffs with victories in the Dominion Energy Charity Classic in Richmond, Virginia, and took the PowerShares QQQ Championship two weeks ago in Thousand Oaks, California.

The 60-year-old Geman won three of the tour’s five majors this season and has a tour-best seven victories. He has never won the season-ending event, finishing in the top 10 seven times in nine starts.

Canada’s Stephen Ames is T22 at 3 under par (70-69).

PHOENIX – Defending champion Paul Goydos and major winners Vijay Singh and Lee Janzen shot 7-under 64 on Friday to share the first-round lead in the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

Bernhard Langer, trying to sweep the PGA Tour Champions’ three playoff events and win the Charles Schwab Cup season points title for the fourth straight year and fifth overall, was tied for 28th at even-par 71 at tree-lined Phoenix Country Club. The points leader is one of five players who needs only to win the season-ending tournament to top the yearlong points competition.

Jerry Smith and Glen Day were a stroke back at 65, and Corey Pavin, David Toms and Joe Durant shot 66.

Goydos birdied two of the last three holes and five of the final seven on the traditional course that hosted the Phoenix Open until 1987.

“The golf course is in perfect shape,” Goydos said. “It’s just you want the scores to be higher, have lousy greens and bad fairways and the scores will be plenty high enough. The scores are going to be good. I don’t think 20 under’s going to win, but I think it’s going to be a pretty low score unless something funny happens with the weather.”

Goydos accidentally moved the ball with his putter on the par-3 eighth green.

“Since the Dustin Johnson situation, you play the local rule and if you accidentally cause the ball to move with the putter, even if you touch it with your putter, it’s not a penalty,” Goydos said. “I have to put it back, which I did, so it was a 3. Then from that point on good things kind of happened.”

In his victory last year at Desert Mountain, Goydos opened with a 62. The two-time PGA Tour winner took the 3M Championship in Minnesota in August for his fifth senior title.

The 60-year-old Langer opened the playoffs with victories in the Dominion Energy Charity Classic in Richmond, Virginia, and took the PowerShares QQQ Championship two weeks ago in Thousand Oaks, California.

He won three of the tour’s five majors this season and has a tour-best seven victories. Langer has never won the season-ending event, finishing in the top 10 seven times in nine starts.

Singh played the final 10 holes in 6 under.

“I played nicely,” Singh said. “I drove the ball well, which is key on this golf course. I think you’ve got to hit a lot of fairways. Putted nicely, made some nice good putts. Anytime you drive it well and make some putts, you’re going to shoot a low one. So, very happy with the start and hope to keep it going.”

He teamed with Carlos Franco to win the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf in April for his lone senior title.

Janzen had seven birdies in a bogey-free round. He won his lone senior title in 2015.

“Everybody in the field knows scoring’s going to be low, so I think the mindset is you’ve got to shoot low scores all three days,” Janzen said. “You don’t want to get behind.”

Scott McCarron is second in the standings, followed by Kenny Perry, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Kevin Sutherland. McCarron, playing alongside Langer in the final group on the warm, sunny afternoon in the desert, closed with a bogey for a 68. Sutherland had a 69, Perry shot 72, and Jimenez was tied for last in the 36-player field at 74.

Fred Couples, Colin Montgomerie and John Daly were at 69.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Bernhard Langer made a 30-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to beat Miguel Angel Jimenez in the PowerShares QQQ Championship on Sunday for his second victory in two events of the Charles Schwab Cup playoffs.

Langer missed a similar putt on the first extra hole as both he and Jimenez made par. He was perfect on the second for his third win in his last four tournaments and seventh victory of the season.

Just wow.

Bernhard Langer makes birdie on 2nd playoff hole to win @PwrShrsQQQChamp.

He takes the first 2 #SchwabCup Playoffs events. pic.twitter.com/q3fFqiRD87

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) October 30, 2017

Langer and Jimenez, who shared the 36-hole lead with David Toms, both shot 5-under 67 in the final round to force the playoff at 11-under 205. Toms, winless in his first season on the senior tour, had a 69 to finish two shots back in third.

Langer leads the Schwab Cup points standings and is followed by Scott McCarron, Kenny Perry, Jimenez and Kevin Sutherland. The points now reset and any of the top five can win the cup and $1 million bonus with a victory in the Schwab Cup Championship at Phoenix Country Club from Nov. 10-12.

The words of a champion.

Bernhard Langer discusses winning the @PwrShrsQQQChamp in a playoff against Miguel Angel Jimenez. pic.twitter.com/BIEAvTPjNN

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) October 30, 2017

McCarron shot a final-round 69 and finished fourth at 208. Fred Funk (68), Doug Garwood (70) and Billy Andrade (71) were tied another two shots back. Perry (72) finished in a tie for 12th at 212, and Sutherland (69) was in a group at 217.

Canadian Hall-of-Famer Stephen Ames will advance to the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup after finishing tied for 19th.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Bernhard Langer shot his second straight 3-under 69 Saturday to pull into a tie with David Toms and Miguel Angel Jimenez for the second-round lead at the PowerShares QQQ Championship.

Langer, the Schwab Cup points leader who has all but wrapped up his ninth PGA Tour Champions money title in 10 seasons, birdied Nos. 12, 13 and 17 to pull even with Jimenez (70), one behind Toms (72). Toms, who had a hole-in-one in the opening round, then bogeyed No. 18 to fall into the three-way tie at 6-under 138.

Scott McCarron (69), Billy Andrade (70) and Jeff Maggert (73) _ who was tied with Toms for the lead after the first round _ were one shot back. Kenny Perry (68), Doug Garwood (69), Wes Short Jr. (70) and Scott Dunlap) were tied for seventh at 140.

Jesper Parnevik, who was one shot off the lead after the opening round, had a 74.

RICHMOND, Va. – Bernhard Langer made a 15-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th hole Sunday to overcome a mediocre round and win the Dominion Energy Charity Classic, the first event in the PGA Tour Champions’ Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs.

Langer, even par for the day before getting to the easiest hole on The Country Club of Virginia’s James River Course, beat Scott Verplank by one shot. Verplank, playing two groups ahead of Langer, shot a bogey-free 6-under 66 to erase a five-shot deficit, but missed short birdie putts on the 17th and 18th holes.

Langer followed his second-round 63 with a 70 to finish at 16 under. The victory was the sixth this season and 35th on the tour for the 60-year-old Langer, and clinched the top seed in the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix.

And there it is!@BernhardLanger6 makes EAGLE on the 18th to defeat Scott Verplank by 1 shot at the @DECCGolf.#SchwabCup Playoffs pic.twitter.com/VLMT1RjCnR

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) October 22, 2017

Billy Mayfair (65), Kenny Perry (65) and Vijay Singh (71) tied for third at 12 under.

Langer became the second player on the tour for players 50 and older to make eagle on the final hole to win by a shot. Scott McCarron, who won this event last year, did it at the Allianz Championship in Boca Raton, Florida.

Canadians Rod Spittle and Stephen Ames finished inside the top 54 to advance to the second instalment of the Champions Tour playoffs next week in the PowerShares QQQ Championship at Sherwood Country Club in Sherwood Oaks, Calif. The top 36 will advance to the third and final event, the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

RICHMOND, Va. – Bernhard Langer matched the course record with a 9-under 63 on Saturday to take a three-stroke lead in the Dominion Energy Charity Classic, the first event in the PGA Tour Champions’ Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs.

Seeking an unprecedented fifth Schwab Cup and fourth in a row, the 60-year-old Langer leads the season standings and has a tour-high five victories this season.

“I’m playing nicely,” Langer said. “It’s a lot of fun. Hitting a lot of fairways, a lot of greens, giving myself opportunities and today was pretty special.”

Langer had nine birdies in his second straight bogey-free round to reach 14-under 130 on The Country Club of Virginia’s James River Course.

Fellow Hall of Famer Vijay Singh was second after a 63 of his own.

“I just have to continue to play great golf,” Langer said. “I know he’s (Singh’s) a great champion. He’s won lots of tournaments and majors, so he’s a tough competitor and he’s going to try and close the gap. I’m going to have to put the pedal down and keep making birdies.”

The 54-year-old Singh teamed with Carlos Franco to win the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf in April for his lone senior title.

“I drove it well, hit my irons quite nice and putted nicely,” Singh said. “I got my putter going, and anytime you putt well when you have so many opportunities, you’re going to make a good score.”

Joe Durant (67) was 10 under, and Michael Allen (64) and Scott Verplank (66) were 9 under.

The event is the first of three in the playoffs. The playoff field will be cut to 54 for the PowerShares QQQ Championship next week in Thousand Oaks, California, and the top 36 will advance to the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix.

RICHMOND, Va. – Bernhard Langer birdied the par-5 18th for a 5-under 67 and a share of the first-round lead Friday in the Dominion Energy Charity Classic, the first event in the PGA Tour Champions’ Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs.

Seeking an unprecedented fifth Schwab Cup and fourth in a row, the 60-year-old Langer leads the season standings and has a tour-high five victories this season.

“Played really good,” Langer said after his bogey-free round. “I hit every fairway, hit 17 greens in regulation. That means I had 17 chances for birdie, and the one I missed I made par out of the bunker. So that was about as bad as I could have scored, basically. Didn’t make many putts.”

Rocco Mediate, David Toms and Joe Durant matched Langer atop the leaderboard at The Country Club of Virginia’s James River Course. Jay Don Blake, Olin Browne and Glen Day were a stroke back.

Mediate had four birdies on the back nine in a bogey-free round.

“It’s a nice start for me, period,” Mediate said. “I haven’t been around much. It was a solid, solid day. Putted nice, drove nice. You have to do it around here, it’s a good golf course.

Toms and Durant also were bogey-free.

“I like the golf course,” Toms said. “I played solid yesterday in the pro-am. Went out there early in the round, I hit a couple wayward drives and got in the rough. It’s tough to play out of the rough. But I recovered well and then started to find the swing with the driver and I set myself up to have a lot of birdie opportunities the rest of the round.”

The event is the first of three in the playoffs. The playoff field will be cut to 54 for the PowerShares QQQ Championship next week in Thousand Oaks, California, and the top 36 will advance to the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix.

“Hoping to continue my good play and my good form and give myself opportunities,” Langer said. “Hopefully, get up in front and win the championship. But it’s a long ways to go. We’re only one-third of the way there.”

Defending champion Scott McCarron, playing alongside Langer, opened with a 72. He bogeyed the 18th after being penalized a stroke for accidentally moving his ball before he played his third shot.

McCarron has four victories this year and is second in the season standings.

John Daly withdrew after nine holes because of a right knee injury. He’s 22nd in the Schwab Cup standings.

VICTORIA – Jerry Kelly avoided the late trouble that derailed Lee Janzen and David McKenzie to win the Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship on Sunday for his second PGA Tour Champions victory in four weeks.

Kelly closed with a 3-under 68 in chilly, rainy conditions for a one-stroke victory over Janzen on Bear Mountain’s Mountain Course. The three-time PGA Tour winner won the Boeing Classic outside Seattle last month for his first senior title.

“You always want that validation after you win the first one,” Kelly said. “And to get it so soon, again, very surprised, but I’m just going to keep working hard.”

Janzen also shot 68, but dropped three late strokes to give away the lead. After making three birdies in a row, he bogeyed the par-4 15th and made a double bogey on the par-4 17th. On 17, the two-time U.S. Open champion drove into a bush, chipped back to the fairway and three-putted after his ball ran to the back of the green.

“Where that pin was, it’s so difficult to get it near the hole and I just made a huge error by hitting on the wrong line,” Janzen said. “Unfortunately, I just didn’t know any better. … It would have saved myself one shot, maybe two, and that’s the difference.”

The 50-year-old Kelly rebounded from a bogey on the par-5 13th with a birdie on the 15th – making the putt after being stung by a bee – and finished with three straight pars.

“It was really thinking your way around and I made a couple good saves and a couple good birdies at the end,” Kelly said. “It was more of a survival day.”

Kelly finished at 14-under 199. He began the round a stroke behind leaders McKenzie and Jerry Smith.

“The funny thing is I switched irons and won in Seattle and played well the week after in Calgary, and it’s just continued on here,” Kelly said. “Some of those changes, things click and next thing you know you’re playing with confidence and get some wins.”

Janzen missed a chance for his second senior title after winning eight times on the PGA Tour.

“When I look back at a tournament, I’m more concerned with my mental preparation and execution and where I went wrong,” Janzen said. “My psyche’s not damaged over that. Stupid things happen on the golf course all the time. It’s not the first time I’ve hit a bad shot with a chance to win a tournament, so I’m not worried. I’m getting to go to Pebble Beach, one of my favourite places in the world, and I’m really encouraged because my game stunk a week ago.”

McKenzie, the Australian trying to become the first qualifier to win since 2012, dropped back with double bogeys on the par-3 14th and the 17th. He birdied the par-5 18th for a 71 that left him tied for third at 12 under with Tommy Armour III (67).

Charles Schwab Cup points leader Bernhard Langer (68) and Esteban Toledo (67) followed at 11 under.

Smith had a 75 to finish six strokes back.

VICTORIA – David McKenzie birdied the final six even-numbered holes for a 7-under 64 and a share of the lead with Jerry Smith on Saturday in the PGA Tour Champions’ Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship.

McKenzie, the 50-year-old Australian who Tuesday qualified to get in the field, began the unique run on the par-4 eighth and added birdies on Nos. 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 to match Smith at 12-under 130 on Bear Mountain’s Mountain Course.

“I’m just trying to stand upright and play golf,” McKenzie said. “If I play well, it’s good. If I play bad, I’m unhappy, but it’s not the end of the world. That’s probably been the biggest thing.”

Making his third senior start after turning 50 on July 26, McKenzie is trying to become the first qualifier to win since Willie Wood in the 2012 Dick’s Sporting Goods Open.

“It would be nice, but my thoughts at the moment are just to keep playing,” McKenzie said. “I’ve got a qualifier on Tuesday if I don’t win or don’t finish in the top 10 here, so I’ll plan for the worst and hope for the best.”

McKenzie tied for second last month in the regular European Tour’s Fiji International.

Smith, tied for the first-round lead with Steve Flesch, followed his opening 64 with a 66. Smith opened with an eagle on the par-5 first.

“If you hit good shots out there, you get rewarded and you get opportunities to make birdies,” Smith said. “If you don’t, you’re really having to work to save pars.”

He won the 2015 Encompass Championship for his lone tour title.

“I’m glad to be where I am,” Smith said. “Last group is always good. I’ve been there a few times this year. I’ve had one good Sunday, one not so good, so maybe third time’s a charm. It’ll be tough, it’s going to be a battle out there.”

Jerry Kelly was a stroke back after a 66. Kelly won the Boeing Classic three weeks ago outside Seattle for his first tour victory.

Lee Janzen was 10 under after a 64, and Doug Garwood was another shot behind after a 67.

Flesch had a 70 to drop into a tie for sixth at 8 under.

Charles Schwab Cup points leader Bernhard Langer also was 8 under after a 69. Coming off a two-week break, the 60-year-old German star won three of the tour’s five majors and is tied with Scott McCarron for tour victory lead with four.

John Daly, a stroke back after an opening 65, had two triple bogeys in a 79 to tumble into a tie for 60th at 2 over.

McCarron was 6 under after a 65. He lost a playoff to Colin Montgomerie last year at Bear Mountain, and tied for second last week in Japan after winning three of the previous six events.

Montgomerie had a 68 to get to 4 under.

Nick Faldo was 1 under after a 68.

VICTORIA – Steve Flesch and Jerry Smith each shot 7-under 64 on Friday to share the first-round lead in the PGA Tour Champions’ Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship.

Flesh is making his 12th senior start after turning 50 in late May.

“It’s kind of an awkward golf course off the tee, so you need to be decisive about what club you are going to hit and if you can hit it in the right places, you can make some birdies,” Flesch said. “You have to pay attention out there. There are some tough tee shots out there and some awkward greens, so you can’t put yourself in the wrong place.”

The four-time PGA Tour winner had four birdies in a five-hole stretch on Bear Mountain’s Mountain Course and capped the bogey-free round with a birdie on the par-5 18th.

“I hit a lot of good tee shots and set myself up for a lot of short irons,” Flesh said. “I didn’t make a lot of putts early one, but I got it going in the middle of the round and ran off a few. It surprised me how much the golf course has dried out just in the last few days.”

Smith also closed with a birdie and had six birdies in a seven-hole span before bogeying the par-3 14th. He has one senior title.

Charles Schwab Cup points leader Bernhard Langer was a stroke back along with John Daly, David Toms and Jerry Kelly. Coming off a two-week break, the 60-year-old Langer opened eagle-birdie-birdie.

“Pretty easy eagle on No. 1 after a 3-wood,” Langer said. “I pretty much stiffed it on the next two holes, so suddenly I was 4 under after three. I played pretty solid, although there were a couple of loose shots. Overall, it was pretty decent. I had a couple of chances coming in, but didn’t make any putts.”

The German star won three of the tour’s five majors and is tied with Scott McCarron for tour victory lead with four.

“The greens have really toughened up and are really firm and really fast,” Langer said. “We don’t get conditions like this very often, so you have to be aware of it. You have to be on your toes and know what greens are firm and what fairways are running out.”

Daly won the Insperity Invitational in May in Texas for his first senior title. The fan favourite eagled the par-5 12th.

“Over the years, Canada has been just a wonderful place to come and play,” Daly said. “I always feel the support of the fans. I always love the fans and love playing for them, but it’s a hell of a lot better when you are playing good, however.”

Kelly took the Boeing Classic three weeks ago outside Seattle for his first tour victory.

“I wasn’t very happy with the way I started the year, but since I won, I have started to play much better,” Kelly said. “Took a change of putters, a change of irons, a change of drivers, a change of shoes to play better. These courses are not pitch and putts. They are tough golf courses, period. You need to shoot low every single week. You need to make putts.”

Canadian Stephen Ames topped the group at 66.

Defending champion Colin Montgomerie opened with a 70. He won last week outside Tokyo in the 50-and-over tour’s first event in Japan.

McCarron had a 71. He lost a playoff to Montgomerie last year at Bear Mountain, and tied for second last week in Japan after winning three of the previous six events.

Nick Faldo shot 73.