Ferd Lewis: Father, with his son on his bag, proving to be in Cink at Sony Open

Until COVID-19 began to roar, Reagan Cink was working in flight operations for Delta Airlines in Atlanta.

But since September the Georgia Tech engineering graduate has mostly helped his father Stewart’s career resume flight on the golf course.

With his 23-year-old son on his bag and at his side as a caddie, Stewart ended an 11-year winner’s drought on the PGA Tour in September and is well positioned to pursue another tournament championship this weekend at the Sony Open in Hawaii.

Powered by seven birdies in a bogey-free round of 63 Friday, Stewart rocketed into a five-way tie for second place at 130, two strokes behind Nick Taylor, who seized the lead with a 62, at the halfway point of the 72-hole tournament. Webb Simpson, Russell Henley, Vaughn Taylor and Chris Kirk are also at 130.

It is the 17th appearance by Stewart at Waialae Country Club and Friday’s 18, his second-lowest score in 56 rounds played there, had a good vibe from the time he stepped on the course.

“I had a good sort of feeling going out today and it turned into some putts going in early and then we were kind of off to the races,” Stewart said. “(Friday) was a dream day for playing here at Waialae. It was almost no wind. There was a little bit of moisture on the ground from (Thursday) night, and it was a day where you could really dial it in. You could really hit your spots instead of having to do the usual, which is figure out how the wind is going to help or hurt the ball.”

Part of the perpetual blue sky outlook these days is from having his youngest son along for the ride. “He’s caddied for me a few times when he was in high school,” Stewart said.

“Last year — he works for Delta Air Lines, and COVID affected his job — so he was transitioning between jobs at Delta and got a little gap, and so he said, ‘While I’m off I would love to caddie for you sometime again.’”

A six-time winner who had just turned 47, Stewart has been on tour for nearly a quarter-century. He he hadn’t won a tournament since hoisting the claret jug after the British Open in 2009 and had taken some time away to help be a caregiver for his wife, Lisa, who was battling cancer.

Stewart said he gave his son’s suggestion some thought and then told his regular caddie to take the week off so he could team up with Reagan. “We play golf tons at home so he knows my game really well and I know his game and we think alike. I said, ‘Why not start at Safeway? Caddie for me at Safeway?’”

What Reagan brings, he says, “Is an intangible thing. He and I have a really super close relationship and he understands golf really well. And, I think, he doesn’t have maybe the expectation level that a lot of caddies have out here, the veteran caddies, and it’s just the nature of being in this job a long time. I have it, too. So, having him there to sort of be a little bit fresher and look at things in a little bit more of a fresh way, I think, is the main thing he brings to me.”

After the return to the winner’s circle, Stewart had another suggestion for Reagan. “So, we won there and had a good finish at Sanderson Farms and we had another top-five finish at Bermuda and his job (with Delta) was still kind of in flux. We said, ‘well, you know, maybe we should extend this and let you go the rest of the season.’

“(So), he talked to his team at Delta and said, ‘push it back to next year.’ (So) he’s basically out here for the season and whenever the season ends for us, he’ll go back to working there. I guess.”

Until then, they are enjoying soaring together.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.