SOUTHERN
IRONWOOD COUNTRY CLUB
MISSION HILLS COUNTRY CLUB
SEPTEMBER 15-17, 2025
CHAMPIONSHIP INFO & FORMAT
FORMAT
54-hole stroke play. Cut to the low 60 and ties after 36 holes. A playoff will take place immediately concluding the final round in the instance there is a tie for the overall Champion, final PPC qualifying spot(s) and/or alternate order. Rounds One & Two will be hosted at Ironwood Country Club and Mission Hills Country Club. Round Three will be hosted at Ironwood Country Club.
STARTING TIMES
All rounds to begin at 7:15 a.m. and will be a single tee start off Hole #1. (Players will flip golf courses from Round One and Round Two)
AWARDS
An awards ceremony will take place immediately following the conclusion of play.
PURSE
The anticipated purse is expected to exceed $100,000!
WHAT THE CHAMPION TAKES HOME
Winner will receive $15,000 and an exemption into the PGA TOUR American Express and Monday Qualifier for the World Wide Technology Championship. Second place will receive an exemption into the Monday Qualifier for the World Wide Technology Championship.
WHAT’S ON THE LINE
The top 13 finishers will qualify for the 2026 PGA Professional Championship hosted at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Oregon, on April 26-29, 2026. There will be 5 alternates. Top 20 from National PPC qualify into 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, on May 11-17, 2026.
EXEMPT: Michael Block, PGA
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS!
COURSE OVERVIEW
IRONWOOD COUNTRY CLUB
CLUB ESTABLISHED: 1974
ARCHITECT: Desmond Muirhead (1974), Ted Robinson (1981), John Fought (2016)
DIRECTOR OF GOLF: Michael Oberlander, PGA
HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONALS: Blake Schmitt, PGA
COURSE OVERVIEW
MISSION HILLS COUNTRY CLUB
CLUB ESTABLISHED: 1921
ARCHITECT: Arnold Palmer (1978)
DIRECTOR OF GOLF: Mike Holyk, PGA
HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONAL: Richie Valenzuela, PGA
PLAYERS TO WATCH
SAPP
2024 CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP
KYLE MENDOZA CLAIMS HIS
THIRD SECTION TITLE
LOS ANGELES, CA (Sept. 18, 2024) — Congratulations to Kyle Mendoza, PGA, of Hacienda Golf Club, on capturing the 100th installment of the 2024 Southern California PGA Professional Championship at Hillcrest Country Club.
After an impressive bogey-free 5-under-par 66 in the second round, Mendoza entered the day with a two-shot lead over a stacked field. He picked up where he left off on Tuesday’s round, producing another bogey-free final round of 4-under-par 67 to cruise to victory. His impressive play over the last two rounds was highlighted by 36 holes of bogey-free golf with nine birdies on the card.
When Mendoza was asked about today’s victory, he said, “My round today was clean again with no bogeys, and it was good that I was able to keep the mindset that I had of trying to get to a certain number with no one chasing me.”
Finishing in second place was defending champion and four-time winner Michael Block, PGA, of Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club, with a 7-underpar 206 total.
The victory for Mendoza earns him an exemption into the PGA Tour’s The American Express and a custom Club Car for a year. Mendoza has now etched his name into the historic Section Championship for a third time after winning the title in back-to-back years (2020, 2021).
The Southern California PGA Championship also served as the national qualifier for the 2025 PGA Professional Championship hosted at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida, on April 27-30, 2025.
Mendoza has made two starts in the PGA Championship after a T-16 finish in the 2024 PGA Professional Championship earned him a spot
at Valhalla and a T-6 in the 2022 PGA Professional Championship to earn a spot in the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills. When asked about qualifying for the PGA Professional Championship again, Mendoza said, “Winning the National PGA Professional Championship would be huge for me, that’s the last thing I want to do in my Professional career. I don’t know how much longer I will be able to maintain the level of practice and play I do now and to win that would be super cool.”
Congratulations to the 13 members that will be representing the Section in the 2025 PGA Professional Championship:
**Kyle Mendoza – Hacienda Golf Club
*Michael Block – Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club
Logan Scott – Oakmont Country Club
Brian Smock – Coronado Golf Course
Blair Harkins – Rolling Hills Country Club
Scott Cherry – Mission Hills Country Club
Alberto Ruiz Nava – Querencia Golf Club
Steve Saunders – Temecula Creek Golf Club
Brice Busse – Hillcrest Country Club
David Magdziasz – PGA West – Jack Nicklaus Resort Course
Mark Geddes – Coronado Golf Course
Ryan Kolk – Murrieta Valley Golf Range
Vinnie Poncino – San Clemente Golf Course
*Exempt via Past Champion status at PGA Professional Championship
** Exempt via top-20 finish in 2023 PGA Professional Championship
Thank you to all of our partners for supporting the Championship and allowing the professional purse to surpass $100,000. A big thank you to presenting National partners, Club Car, Rolex, and Corbridge Financial for their continued support of the PGA of America.
Thank you to host professional Andrew Bostrom, PGA, Director of Golf, Head Golf Professional, Chris Miller, PGA, General Manager, Head Golf Professional Graham Slater, PGA, Dan Meherin, the Superintendent Matt Muhlenbruch, and the entire staff and membership at Hillcrest Country Club for their gracious hospitality.
Also, thank you to Rancho Park Golf Course for collaborating and hosting the first two rounds of the SCPGA Section Championship, Rick Reinschmit of LA City Golf, and Superintendent Virginia Micka.
A special thank you to the SCPGA Rules Committee who volunteered their time and rules expertise at this year’s Championship – Gary Albin, Lee Wortman, Steve Asaki, Bob Livingstone, Marc Dauber, Luke Scoville, Betsy Gretton, and Tom Reul.
2024 CHAMPIONSHIP PHOTOS
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
2022
MICHAEL BLOCK
2021
KYLE MENDOZA
2023
MICHAEL BLOCK