Zach Johnson Wins Principal Charity Classic on Home Soil© Instagram
Zach Johnson won the Principal Charity Classic on Sunday at Wakonda Club in Des Moines, shooting a final-round 5-under 67 for a four-stroke victory in his debut at the event. The Cedar Rapids native finished at 17-under 199, claiming his second win in his first season on the PGA Tour Champions and doing it two hours from where he grew up.
Johnson opened with a 69 on Friday despite going 3-over through his first two holes, rallied with a 63 on Saturday to take command of the tournament, and closed it out comfortably on Sunday. Richard Green and Retief Goosen tied for second at 13-under after rounds of 68 and 70 respectively. David Bransdon and Brett Quigley finished tied at 12-under.
“Pure gratitude,” Johnson said after the round. “It’s times like this where you really reflect on, obviously the journey, reflect on the people surrounding you and helping, encouraging you. Given this week and all that it entails being back home, then literally in a place I used to live, I felt like I had already won before I teed off. That honestly gave me a lot of freedom to just play.”
Coming Home to Wakonda Club
The win carried an extra layer of meaning. Johnson attended Drake University in Des Moines and last played Wakonda Club in 1998 as a college golfer. Friday marked his first return to the course in 28 years. He grew up in Cedar Rapids, approximately two hours away, and the gallery that followed him around the property across all three days reflected the depth of his connection to the state.
He returned to Cedar Rapids six days before the tournament for his annual Zach Johnson Foundation fundraiser for Kids on Course, though heavy rain washed out the golf portion of the day. The victory Sunday served as an adequate substitute.
A Dominant Start to Life on Tour Champions
Johnson’s debut season on the 50-and-over tour has been remarkable in its consistency. He won the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational in his very first senior start in March. He has now finished in the top ten of all eight PGA Tour Champions events he has entered in 2026, including four top-three finishes. The 2007 Masters and 2015 Open Championship winner has made the transition look straightforward.
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