Bernhard Langer is on the prowl for another championship. Scott McCarron seems to be the player to beat. And once again, the best in men’s senior golf are getting ready to cap their seasons in downtown Phoenix.
After having the honor of crowning the Charles Schwab Cup Championship for the past two years, Phoenix Country Club is set to do so again in November – and for the foreseeable future.
The Schwab Cup tournament is the final event of the year for the PGA Tour Champions circuit, for professional golfers 50 and older.
Langer, the defending Cup champion and winner of four of the past five titles, is currently sixth in the overall standings, based on money earnings this season. McCarron has a healthy overall lead on the money list, thanks in part to a tour-leading three victories, but there are still four more tournaments before the tour arrives in Phoenix.
“This course for me is very challenging,” Langer said Monday at a media event at Phoenix Country Club to promote the tournament. “I have to play my very best, be very precise and obviously make a bunch of putts to have a chance to win here. I’ve done it before and hopefully I can do it again.”
Last year, Langer needed help to claim the overall Cup championship – and got it when Vijay Singh won the tournament, allowing Langer to jump up the money list to grab the Cup title.
Just as Langer has been a mainstay atop the PGA Tour Champions leaderboard, the tour has determined that the Schwab Cup Championship can now call Phoenix Country Club home.
The club signed a 10-year deal with the PGA Tour in May 2018 to host the final tournament through 2027.
“This is an amazing, historic venue and it’s a beautiful course,” said Richard Munneke, regional market executive of the Charles Schwab Southwest region. “It is such an amazing golf community here in Phoenix.”
Added club General Manager Dan Budzius, “On behalf of literally 800 members here at Phoenix Country Club, it’s an honor to be a part of this great event, to not only host the greatest players in the world, but also it’s such a great part of being able to give back to the community here in Phoenix.”
The Charles Schwab Cup Championship will take place Nov. 7-10. The tour this week will be at the Pebble Beach Golf Links for the PURE Insurance Championship.
