Richard Green records best finish of season in Des Moines
Victorian
Richard Green – file image courtesy of USGA
Richard Green has produced his best finish of the 2026 PGA Tour Champions season when finishing in a share of the runner-up position behind Zach Johnson in the Principal Charity at the Wakonda Club in Des Moines, Iowa.
Green began the final round three off the lead held by Johnson, Scott Hend and Brett Quigley and actually took the lead when he moved 6 under for the day and 15 under for the tournament through 15 holes before bogeys at the 16th and 17th, and a strong finish by Johnson saw the 55-year-old finish four behind.
Green has been steadily improving in recent starts, this now his third consecutive top ten, and a cheque for US$160,000 is his reward.
“There was some good stuff,” said Green. “Just got a bit challenging towards the end for me, really. I had a really long putt for birdie on 16 and left it short and three-putted from just off the green, yeah, so that was a difficult hole.
“Then I made sort of a mess of 17 really as well into the wind, that probably cost me in the end. The guys will probably finish off pretty well from where they are now. It was a good result. It’s nice to sort of put my name back up there.”
Green’s fellow Victorian, David Bransdon, added to a good week for the Australians when he finished in a share of 4th place, but a costly double bogey at the 16th will no doubt haunt Bransdon, who is playing without full status on the PGA Tour Champions this season and getting starts where he can.
Bransdon, who has been able to play only three events up until this week in 2026, given his limited status, will add considerably to his earnings of US$47,500, a cheque for US$108,000 coming his way.
Mark Hensby followed up his last start 5th place, his best of the year, with a share of 10th place, rounding out a good week for the large (10 players) Australian contingent.
But it was a disappointing Sunday for Scott Hend, who, with a win and two top 3 finishes in three starts, has been one of the talking points on the PGA Tour Champions this season.
Hend took a share of the lead into the final day, but a horror outward nine of 41 resulted in a final round of 77 and a share of 22nd.
