2022 SCPGA Section Championship Preview

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PGA PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP EL NIGUEL COUNTRY CLUB SEPTEMBER 19-21, 2022

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CHAMPIONSHIP INFO & FORMAT 54-HOLES OF STROKE PLAY STARTING TIMES Rounds one and two will have a morning wave (8:00AM start) and afternoon wave (12:45PM start). Round three will be a 8:00AM start. Double tee start all three rounds.

AWARDS An awards ceremony will take place immediately following the conclusion of play.

PURSE The anticipated purse is expected to exceed $100,000!

PUTTVIEW YARDAGE BOOKS SCPGA Partner, Puttview, is providing yardage books to participants.

PLAYERS RECEPTION PRESENTED BY CADILLAC Join defending champion Kyle Mendoza at the SCPGA Professional Championship Players Reception from 6pm-8pm on September 18th at El Niguel Country Club.

THANK YOU PARTNERS!

WHAT’S ON THE LINE? The top 11 finishers will qualify for the 2023 PGA Professional Championship hosted at Twin Warriors & Santa Ana Pueblo Golf Clubs in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico ​April 30 - May 3, 2023. There will be 5 alternates. Top 20 from National PPC qualify into 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club, May 18-21.

COURSE OVERVIEW EL NIGUEL COUNTRY CLUB CLUB ESTABLISHED: 1963 ARCHITECT: Todd Eckenrode (2018 Remodel) GENERAL MANAGER: Patrick Casey, PGA HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONAL: Craig Plumley, PGA

SCPGA SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP PODCAST Listen to the Section Championship Preview Podcast with SCPGA Assistant Executive Director, Nikki Gatch, PGA, and El Niguel Country Club Head Professional, Craig Plumley, PGA.

“

The Membership and the El Niguel Team are honored to host the Southern California PGA Section for the 98th SCPGA Professional Championship. We believe our fellow PGA Golf Professionals will find that the course is a challenging, but fair layout that will test the skills of the very best club professionals in the region. We are excited to welcome you all to our well-conditioned hidden gem in South Orange County.

“

— Patrick Casey, PGA | CEO/ General Manager, El Niguel Country Club

PLAYERS TO WATCH

ANDREW KRAMER MICHAEL BLOCK LOS SERRANOS GOLF CLUB ARROYO TRABUCO GOLF CLUB

MARK GEDDES VINNIE PONCINO CORONADO GOLF COURSE

SAN CLEMENTE GOLF COURSE

KYLE MENDOZA THE FARMS GOLF CLUB

CHAD SORENSEN BUENA VISTA GOLF COURSE

2021 CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP KYLE MENDOZA CLAIMS BACK-TO-BACK SECTION TITLES shot to 20-feet. He emphatically drained the subsequent putt to pull into a tie for the lead after a costly Hart bogey.

With the Championship on the line, Mendoza and Hart had nearly identical 20-foot putts off the back fringe on the closing hole; however, it was the hometown hero Mendoza who drained the winning putt to complete the Hollywood ending.

“The fact that I was able to come out here and play the way I did was pretty cool. It’ll always be special to me for the rest of my life” commented Kyle Mendoza after his victory.

RANCHO SANTA FE, CA - Kyle Mendoza defended his home turf at The Farms Golf Club to win the 2021 Southern California PGA Professional Championship at seven-under par 209 and becomes the 10th champion to win back-to-back titles in the 97th playing of the Section Championship.

With the win, Kyle receives an exemption into the 2022 The American Express and a custom Club Car golf cart for the year.

Mendoza, who entered the final round oneshot off the leaders Jeff Hart Life Member and Michael Block of Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club, needed to battle adversity throughout his round if he wanted to pull off the victory. Coming off a recent bout with COVID-19 and an ailing back, Mendoza needed to dig deep mentally and physically if he were to repeat.

The following players have qualified for the 2022 PGA Professional Championship at Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa: Kyle Mendoza, Jeff Hart, Michael Block, Mark Geddes, Brian Smock, Rick Garboski, Ryan Kennedy, Andrew Kramer, Paul Dietsche, Alan Sorensen, Chi Choi, Vinnie Poncino, and Nate LeBlanc. Best of luck to these 13 professionals as they represent the Southern California PGA and vie for a chance to compete in the 2022 PGA Championship.

Kyle was able to get off to an early start and assert his presence at the top of the leaderboard with back-to-back birdies on holes 2 and 3. A missed short putt on the par-4 7th gave him the first bogey of the day but it didn’t derail his round and bounced back with a birdie on the par-5 9th to turn in a front nine twounder 34.

Making the turn, Mendoza had a misstep with a bogey on the par-4 10th. Then his putter caught fire, with lengthy birdie putts on holes 12 and 13. On the 220-yard par 3 16th he dunked his tee shot into the water but converted a clutch up-and-down to find himself two strokes behind leader Hart with two holes remaining in the Championship.

After a wayward tee shot on the par-4 17th, Mendoza pulled off an improbable cut punch

Jeff Hart finished in solo second at six-under par 210 and Michael Block was close behind at five-under par 211.

This Championship concluded the Rolex Section Player of the Year point race where Michael Block finished on top. This is Block’s eighth time in the past nine years to be named SCPGA Player of the Year.

Special thanks to our Rules Officials: Chairman Ron O’Connor, PGA, Gary Albin, Lee Wortman, Steve Frank and Rob Farkas. Big thank you to our presenting partners Cadillac, Club Car and Rolex and supporting partners TaylorMade, Titleist/ Footjoy, Nike, PGA TOUR, ForeFitness, Golf Channel, Toptracer, Zero Friction, Sterling Cut Glass, Aso Water & Precise Yardage Books.

Finally, the Section sends a big thank you to The Farms Golf Club for hosting this year’s Section Championship. Thanks to PGA General Manager Scott Heyn and Golf Course Superintendent Troy Mullane for their hospitality this week.

2021 CHAMPIONSHIP PHOTOS

2021 CHAMPION KYLE MENDOZA

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PGA PAST SECTION CHAMPIONS

2020 KYLE MENDOZA

2019 JEFF HART

2018 MICHAEL BLOCK

2017 - MICHAEL BLOCK 2016 - KENNY PIGMAN 2015 - CHAD SORENSEN 2014 - RYAN KENNEDY 2013 - ALAN SCHEER 2012 - CHRIS STARKJOHANN 2011 - MIKE MILES 2010 - CHRIS STARKJOHANN 2009 - RON SKAYHAN 2008 - MIKE MILES 2007 - ERIK WOLF 2006 - ROSS MARCANO 2005 - SCOTT MILLER 2004 - CHRIS STARKJOHANN 2003 - GEOFFREY DEAN 2002 - PAUL DIETSCHE 2001 - MONTY LEONG 2000 - JEFF CRANFORD 1999 - JEFF FREEMAN 1998 - JEFF FREEMAN 1997 - KEN CONANT 1996 - KELLY MANOS 1995 - DAN BATEMAN 1994 - BRAD SHERFY 1993 - JERRY WISZ 1992 - JEFF FAIRFIELD 1991 - CHRIS STARKJOHANN 1990 - SCOTT MAHLBERG 1989 - SCOTT BENTLEY 1988 - SHAWN MCENTEE 1987 - SCOTT CHAFFIN 1986 - DAVE BARBER 1985 - JIM WOODWARD 1984 - PAUL WISE 1983 - PAUL WISE 1982 - CURTIS SIFFORD 1981 - RH SIKES 1980 - CURTIS SIFFORD 1979 - CHUCK MONTALBANO 1978 - DAVE BARBER 1977 - DENNIE MEYER 1976 - TOMMY JACOBS 1975 - JIMMY POWELL 1974 - PAUL MCGUIRE 1973 - RAFE BOTTS 1972 - TOMMY JACOBS 1971 - TOMMY JACOBS

1970 - JIMMY POWELL 1969 - JERRY STEELSMITH 1968 - JIMMY POWELL 1967 - MAC HUNTER 1966 - BOB MCCALLISTER 1965 - RONNIE REIF 1964 - WAYNE SLEEPY 1963 - ERIC MONTI 1962 - EMIL SCODELLER 1961 - NO CHAMPIONSHIP 1960 - BUD HOLSCHER 1959 - JERRY BARBER 1958 - JOHNNY BULLA 1957 - ERIC MONTI 1956 - ERIC MONTI 1955 - JIM FERRIER 1954 - RALPH EVANS 1953 - ERIC MONTI 1952 - ERIC MONTI 1951 - ELLSWORTH VINES 1950 - FAY COLEMAN 1949 - ZELL EATON 1948 - HARRY BASSLER 1947 - PAUL RUNYAN 1946 - FAY COLEMAN 1945 - DALE ANDREASON 1944 - CLAYTON ALRIDGE 1943 - MARVIN STAHL 1942 - WILLIE HUNTER 1941 - BUD OAKLEY 1940 - OLIN DUTRA 1939 - WILLIE HUNTER 1938 - OLIN DUTRA 1937 - STANLEY KERTES 1936 - STANLEY KERTES 1935 - ERIC SEAVAL 1934 - LEW SCOTT 1933 - OLIN DUTRA 1932 - OLIN DUTRA 1931 - OLIN DUTRA 1930 - OLIN DUTRA 1929 - CHARLIE GUEST 1928 - ED DUDLEY 1927 - CHARLIE GUEST 1926 - CHARLIE GUEST 1925 - GEORGE KERRIGAN 1924 - DICK LINARES