PEBBLE BEACH — Zach Johnson has had limited success on the Monterey Peninsula in nearly 30 years as a professional golfer. His fortunes changed Sunday.
Continuing his stellar rookie season on the PGA Tour Champions circuit, Johnson won his sixth tournament of the season at the PURE Insurance Championship with a final-round 7-under 65 at Pebble Beach Golf Links.
Johnson, the 2007 Masters titlist and 2015 British Open winner who turned 50 on Feb. 24, finished two shots ahead of Steven Alker, Henrik Stenson and Steve Alker at 14-under par 202.
Zach Johnson hoists the trophy after winning the PURE Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach Golf Links on Sunday. NIC COURY — GETTY IMAGES
“I was extremely confident with the way I was swinging it, certainly confident with the parameters with which we had,” said Johnson. “Obviously I knew where I stood.”
Sabbatini, vying for his first win since 2019, shot a tournament-low 63, the best round of his short tenure on the PGA Tour Champions circuit. Alker finished with a 67. Stenson had a 68.
Sabbatini, who began the final round five shots off the three co-leaders, had nine birdies through 16 holes. But he completed the final round with pars on the 17th and 18th.
Johnson, who had 12 PGA Tour victories, finished with a birdie to complete a one eagle, six birdie, one bogey round. He began the final round one shot off the lead and tied with Alker.
In addition to his six wins, Johnson has finished second once, third three times, and in the top-five 12 times in his 15 tournaments this season. His career pro titles have occurred on five tours.
Johnson’s previous best finish on the Monterey Peninsula was a tie for second at the 2003 Monterey Peninsula Classic on the Nationwide Tour. His best finish in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am was a tie for 29th in 2012.
Johnson missed the cut in the 2022 TaylorMade Pebble Beach Invitational, his last tournament on the Peninsula. He also finished tied for 77th (2010) and tied for 59th (2019) in his two appearances at the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.
“I feel like I’ve already won out here,” said Johnson. “That being said, to add this majestic spot to the list of wins is, again, my dreams never got that far. Let’s just be blunt.
“I’ve got an attitude of gratitude right now. I never thought I’d ever amount to this, but that’s the beauty of this game and the beauty of, like I said, surrounding yourself with like-minded good people. I’m a product of them. So Pebble Beach, it’s amazing. Never in my wildest dreams did I think we’d be here.”
Y.E. Yang, whose last PGA Tour Champions win was the Ascension Charity Classic in September 2024, held a three-shot lead over Armour after an opening-round 64 at Pebble Beach.
Peter Thomson and Hale Irwin share the PGA Tour Champions record with nine wins in a season. Bruce Crampton, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Lee Trevino, Hale Irwin, 1998, Bruce Fleisher and Bernhard Langer all won seven tournaments in a season. Eight tournaments remain this season.
Yang shared the 36-hole lead with Armour and Stenson at 8 under. He finished with a 71 and in sixth, one shot behind Armour, who had a 70 and was fifth at 10 under.
Doug Barron, the 2025 PURE Insurance titlist withdrew from the Sanford Invitational last week in the second round and did not defend his title.
The event’s 23rd edition featured 80 pros, 80 junior players from the First Tee organization and 160 amateurs. It was also held at Spyglass Hill Golf Course.
Naomi Raymundo, a junior at Trinity Christian in Monterey, teamed with professional Stewart Cink to win the Pro-Junior competition with a score of 198.