Live updates, recap from Day 1 at Kaulig Companies Championship at Firestone
Round one of the 2025 Kaulig Companies Championship was beset by rain, heavy winds and a lightning delay midway through the round.
Two golfers who handled the conditions after the stoppage sit atop the leader board.
Miguel Jiménez of Spain cruise down the No. 5 fairway during the first round of the 2025 Kaulig Companies Championship at Firestone Country Club, Thursday, June 19, 2025, in Akron, Ohio.
Denmark's Søren Kjeldsen and Argentina's Ricardo Gonzalez each defied the conditions to shoot 3-under rounds of 67 to finish as co-leaders.
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Kjeldsen scored three birdies on the back nine.
"I love this golf course," he said. "I can't remember how many times I've been here, but it's always been a treat. I scrambled well today. I do like playing in tough conditions. I do like playing with wind and rain, so have to battle a little bit."
After playing his front nine 1 over, Gonzalez smoked the back nine with five birdies and a bogey. He said his putting was key.
"I think it was fair all day," Gonzalez said. "Today, I played good, not from the tee, but from the second shot on."
Behind the leaders were more international flavor. New Zealand's Steven Alker, South Africa's Retief Goosen and Atlanta's Stewart Cink each were 2-under 68, one stroke behind the leaders.
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Defending champion Ernie Els finished round one at 2 over.
The second round will tee off at 11 a.m. June 20.
Here are live updates from round one.
Stewart Cink of Atlanta, Georgia takes his second shot onto the No. 7 green during the first round of the 2025 Kaulig Companies Championship at Firestone Country Club, Thursday, June 19, 2025, in Akron, Ohio.
Ricardo Gonzalez finishes strong, ties for lead at Kaulig Companies Championship
Argentina's Ricardo Gonzalez blitzed the back nine of his round, finishing with five birdies and one bogey after going out with 1 over. He finished with a 3-under score of 67, tying with Søren Kjeldsen for the first-round lead.
All golfers have completed round one.
Søren Kjeldsen finishes at 3-under, Steven Alken at 2-under at Kaulig Companies Championship
After 18 blustery holes in Akron, two international championship are atop the leaderboard.
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Denmark's Søren Kjeldsen finished with three birdies on the back nine to finish with a 3-under round of 67. Meanwhile, New Zealand's Steven Alker had a tougher back nine with two bogies, but still came home with 2-under 68. Those two are one-two in the clubhouse with about 18 golfers left on the course.
Steven Alker of New Zealand watches his shot from the No. 11 fairway in a steady rain during the first round of the 2025 Kaulig Companies Championship at Firestone Country Club, Thursday, June 19, 2025, in Akron, Ohio.
Søren Kjeldsen pulls into second at Kaulig Companies Championship
Denmark's Søren Kjeldsen birdies the 17th hole at the Firestone Country Club. He sits one stroke behind leader Stewart Cink with one hole to go.
Cink leads, Alken drops a shot at Kaulig Companies Championship
A strong back nine from Stewart Cink has him with a two-shot lead near the end of round one at Firestone Country Club.
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Cink just missed his third straight birdie on the par 4 sixth hole, but tapped in for par. Meanwhile, Steven Alker had his par putt on the 17th hole lip out, dropping him to 2-under and giving Cink the two-stroke lead.
Stewart Cink takes lead at Kaulig Companies Championship
Two straight birdies have propelled Stuart Cink to the lead at Firestone Country Club.
Following his birdie at hole No. 5, Cink sunk a long putt on the par 3 fifth hole. He takes the lead after Steven Alker had his birder putt lip out on the 16th hole.
Stewart Cink ties leader at Kaulig Companies Championship
Former British Open champion Stewart Cink has played his way to the top of the leaderboard at Firestone.
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Cink sunk a birdie on the par 4 fourth hole. That combined with a bogey on the 15th by Steven Alker to tie the pair at 3-under. Both golfers have four holes remaining.
Alker leads by two heading down the stretch at Kaulig Companies Championship
New Zealand's Steven Alker continues to lead at Firestone Country Club, as he has a two-stroke lead through 14 holes.
Alker sits at 4-under for the round, two strokes ahead of group of five golfers. Vijay Singh, Stewart Cink, Søren Kjeldsen, Miguel Angel Jiménez and Steve Fleich all sit at 2-under.
Cameron Percy comes in under par at Kaulig Companies Championship
Australia's Cameron Percy finished with the first under par round of the day. Percy shot a 1-under 69, sinking four birdies and three bogies in the round.
Tom Pernice Jr. takes clubhouse lead at Kaulig Companies Championship
The first six golfers of the day are in the clubhouse.
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Sitting with the lead after 18 holes is Tom Pernice Jr. He shot an even par round of 70 despite a bogey on the par 4 18th hole.
Steven Alken remains the leader on the course at 4 under.
First groups approaching final holes at Kaulig Companies Championship
With horizontal rain buffeting the course, the opening groups from the morning as approaching the final holes.
Steven Alken remains on top at 4-under through 11 holes, while Miguel Angel Jiménez sits at 3-under through eight holes.
Steven Alken extends lead at Kaulig Companies Championship
The hour-long lightning delay did not stop the momentum for the tournament leader at Firestone County Club.
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Steven Alken birdied the par 4 ninth hole and made the turn at 4-under, putting him two strokes ahead of the field.
Play resumes at Kaulig Companies Championship
With the lightning passed, the golfers are back at it, hoping to complete Round 1 at Firestone Country Club.
New Zealand's Steven Alker has the lead at 3-under through eight holes.
Play to resume at 2:50 p.m. at Kaulig Companies Championship
The PGA Tour announced the weather delay will be for an hour, as play will resume at 2:50 p.m.
Weather forces play suspension at Kaulig Companies Championship
The weather has been windy all day, but the rains have arrived in earnest. At 1:50 p.m. Firestone Country Club suspended play due to inclement weather. Awaiting word on how long the suspension will last.
Singh, Jiménez among leaders at Kaulig Companies Championship
Some famous names are one the leaderboard as Round 1 of the Kaulig Companies Championship hits the halfway mark.
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Vijay Singh and Miguel Angel Jiménez among a group sitting at 2-under through eight holes.
Steven Alker takes lead at Kaulig Companies Championship
One the PGA Tour Champions best players has the lead at Firestone Country Club.
Steve Alker moved into the lead at 3-under following a birdie at the par three 7th hole. Ailker sits Charles Schwab Cup standing, having won the Cologuard Classic earlier this season.
Boo Weekly moves into lead at Kaulig Companies Championship
Under cloudy skies at Firestone Country Club, a new leader has emerged.
Boo Weekly leads the field at 3-under through seven holes. After starting on the 10th hole, Weekly birdied the 10th, 14th and 16th hole to take the early lead.
All golfers on the course at Kaulig Companies Championship
With the trios from the 12:06 p.m. groups having teed off, the entire field is now on South Course at Firestone Country Club.
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Billy Mayfair maintains the early lead, shooting 2-under through seven holes.
Defending champion Ernie Els on the course at Kaulig Companies Championship
"The Big Easy" is back to defend his title.
Ernie Els teed off from hole No. 1, along with Hall of Famer Bernhard Langer and Ángel Cabrera, who has won two PGA Tour Champions majors already this season.
Teeing off with the 11:55 group was Miguel Angel Jiménez, the leader on this year's Charles Schwab Cup standings.
On the course, Billy Mayfair has the early lead at 2-under through seven holes.
John Daly on the course at Kaulig Companies Championship
"Big John" is in the swing.
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John Daly teed off at 10:31 a.m. along with Thongchai Jaidee and Harrison Frazar from tee No.10.
On the course, John Huston, Brand Jobe and Rod Pampling all sit at 1-under early.
Opening trios tee off at Kaulig Companies Championship
The opening trios have teed off here at Firestone.
It's Kirk Triplett, Paul Stankowski and Tom Pernice Jr. teeing off on the first hole. while Matt Gogel, Bob Estes and John Husted are on the course on hole 10.
For those wondering, defending champion Ernie Else and two-time major winner Angel Cabrera will tee off from hole 1 at 11:31 a.m.
Weather forecast for Round 1 of the Kaulig Companies Championship
It's a wet, windy morning here at Firestone Country Club.
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Last night's storms have passed, but scattered rain is expected through afternoon. Wind gusts of up to 30 mph. Temperatures will be in the lower 70s today.
What is the schedule for the Kaulig Companies Championship?
Rounds 1 and 2 of the tournament will tee off a 10 a.m. with trios starting from holes 1 and 10.
The South Course at Firestone will play as a par 70 with a total distance of 7,248 yards.
For those not able to attend, tape delay coverage of rounds 1 and 2 will be broadcast on Golf Channel at 9 p.m.
Who is the defending champion? Who is in the field?
South African golf legend Ernie Els won the 2024 Kaulig Companies Championship to claim his first Champions Tour major. He won with a 10-under score of 270.
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Els is one of the six World Golf Hall of Fame members in the field. He is joined by Retief Goosen, Padraig Harrington, Bernhard Langer, Colin Montgomerie and Vijay Singh.
Harrington is making his debut at the Kaulig Companies Championship. Tour leader Miguel Angel Jiménez and Ángel Cabrera, who won the first two Champions Tour major championships, also will compete.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Live scores, recap from Day 1 at Kaulig Companies Championship
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