21D AGO
George McNeill, Scott Hend shares first-round lead at Principal Charity Classic
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George McNeill makes birdie on No. 16 at Principal Charity Classic
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Written by Staff
Things to know
- George McNeill and Scott Hend each carded 7-under 65 to share the first-round lead at the Principal Charity Classic.
George McNeill, 33-32 – 65 (-7)
- The 50-year-old seeks his first win on PGA TOUR Champions (ninth start)
- Best finish: second (American Family Insurance Championship – team event with partner Kenny Perry); T2 (James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational)
- The rookie, who turned 50 years old on October 2, 2025, has five top-10s in eight starts this season
- Entered the week ranked No. 11 in the 2026 Charles Schwab Cup standings
- This is his low 18-hole score on PGA TOUR Champions (21st round)
- Previous low: 68 (three times)
- This is his first time leading/co-leading after the first round on PGA TOUR Champions
- Previous best 18-hole position: T3 (2026 James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational) – finished T2
- Owns two wins on the PGA TOUR (324 starts)
- Last win: 2012 Puerto Rico Open
Scott Hend, 33-32 – 65 (-7)
- The 52-year-old seeks his second win on PGA TOUR Champions (13th start)
- Last win: 2026 Trophy Hassan II
- In three starts on PGA TOUR Champions in 2026, he has finished (chronologically): T3 (Senior PGA Championship), second (Regions Tradition), won (Trophy Hassan II)
- Entered the week ranked No. 5 in the 2026 Charles Schwab Cup standings
- Matched his second-lowest 18-hole score on PGA TOUR Champions (44th round)
- Low 18-hole score: 64 (2025 ISPS HANDA Senior Open, 3rd Round)
- This is his second time leading/co-leading after the first round on PGA TOUR Champions (1-for-1)
- Previous instance: 2026 Trophy Hassan II (won)
- Looks to become the second multi-time winner of the 2026 season, joining Stewart Cink (four)
- Looks to become the first player to win back-to-back starts on PGA TOUR Champions since Stewart Cink (2026 Hoag Classic, 2026 Senior PGA Championship)
Other notes
- Four players are T3 at 6-under: John Senden, Tag Ridings, rookie Vaughn Taylor and defending champion Miguel Angel Jiménez.
- Seeking wins in back-to-back weeks, Darren Clarke (T7) posted 5-under 67 (won last week’s American Family Insurance Championship with partner Ben Crane).
- José María Olazábal (T7) was one of five players without a bogey or worse in the first round.
- Zach Johnson (T22) carded 3-under 69 after opening bogey-double bogey before playing his final 16 holes in 6-under.
- Two-time champion (2021, 2023) Stephen Ames withdrew after the first round.
