David Toms takes a 3-stroke lead into Naples' Chubb Classic final round

There was a lot to love about David Toms’ 2026 Chubb Classic second round on Saturday, Feb. 14.

Highlighted by four consecutive birdies on Nos. 4-7, and three straight on 11-13, Toms added birdies at Nos. 16 and 18 to finish at 9-under 63. Combined with his first-round 67, he will take a 3-stroke lead into the final round at 14-under 130 at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples.

“It’s one of those things that, especially out here on our Tour with the three rounds, you really have to play well every day. You can’t back into anything,” Toms said. “I’ll have to go out and play really good golf again. I’m sure there is somebody that’s four, five shots back that will play a similar round like I did today. So, you got to go out there and make it happen when you can. That will be the game plan.”

David Toms lines up a putt on the 16th hole during the second round of the Chubb Classic 2026 at Tiburon Golf Club on February 14, 2026 in Naples, Florida.

One of the game’s most accurate drivers, Toms remained true to form in round two, hitting all 14 fairways. He missed only one green in regulation.

“Anytime you make nine birdies, you obviously rolled the ball well,” Toms said. “That was the key today. Speed was good on the greens. Once you don’t really have to think about the speed, if you can just think about the line…the speed comes naturally. That’s the way I putted today, and it worked really well.”

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In nine previous Chubb Classic starts, Toms has finished inside the Top 10 on five occasions. His closest brush with victory came in 2018 when he tied for second.

In 2018, Toms claimed his first of four PGA TOUR Champions crowns at the U.S. Senior Open. His most recent win came at the 2023 Cologuard Classic. Between 1997 and 2011, Toms won 13 titles on the PGA TOUR.

David Toms hits his tee shot on the 18th hole during the second round of the Chubb Classic 2026 at Tiburon Golf Club on February 14, 2026 in Naples, Florida.

First-round co-leader Michael Wright stands at 11-under par after two rounds, three strokes back of Toms. His youngest son Charlie is on caddie duty this week – a first for the duo on the PGA TOUR Champions.

“Charlie’s reads are still spot on,” said Wright. “He even said to me coming off 18 that I need to hit it on the line he gives me. I didn’t start a couple on the correct line, and you can’t make them if you’re not executing on the line that we picked. So hopefully tomorrow we’ll get them on the right line. I’m confident he’ll continue to make good reads.”

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Following last year’s 12th-place tie finish in his first Chubb Classic start, the Aussie went on to secure six top-10 finishes in his second season on the PGA TOUR Champions.

Wright will celebrate his 52^nd birthday next week.

Michael Wright hits his tee shot on the 18th hole during the second round of the Chubb Classic 2026 at Tiburon Golf Club on February 14, 2026 in Naples, Florida.

In his bid to become the fourth player to successfully defend his Chubb Classic title, and first since Bernhard Langer in 2022-23, Justin Leonard followed an opening-round 6-under 66 with 4-under 68 Saturday. He will head into Sunday’s final round tied for third at 10-under.

In the season’s first event last month, Leonard finished T28 in Hawaii at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.

In spite of finding only eight of 14 fairways off the tee, Ricardo Gonzalez managed a 4-under 68 in Saturday’s second round. Combined with his opening-round 6-under 66, the 56-year-old Argentinian sits at 10-under.

Gonzalez seeks a second career win on the PGA TOUR Champions and first since the 2024 Trophy Hassan II.

Highlighted by four birdies and an eagle on his outgoing nine, good for a 6-under 29, lefty Steve Flesch offset bogeys at Nos. 13 and 15 with an eagle-3 at the last.

Following his opening round 69, Flesch will begin the final round five strokes back at 9-under 135.

A four-time winner on the Champions Tour, Flesch seeks his first title since the 2023 Ascension Charity Classic.

18-hole co-leader, Darren Clarke, struggled in round two, signing for a 4-over 76 and settling in at 3-under 141.

Making his PGA TOUR Champions debut this week, Fort Myers’ George McNeill opened with rounds of 70-69 and will begin Sunday’s final round at 5-under 139.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: 2026 Chubb Classic in Naples leader David Toms entering final round

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