Top 35 finishers earn spot in 2027 Senior PGA Championship at The Concession
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GOLD CANYON, Ariz. – The Senior PGA Professional Championship heads west this week to Superstition Mountain Golf & Country Club in Gold Canyon, Arizona, where a 264-player field of PGA of America Golf Professionals age 50 and older will compete Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 22-25, on the Lost Gold and Prospector Courses.
The 2026 Senior PGA Professional Championship, supported by GOLF Channel and PXG, marks the event’s second appearance in Arizona and the first since 2017 when Frank Esposito Jr. captured the Leo Fraser Trophy at Desert Mountain Club in Scottsdale.
The top 35 finishers in the four-day, 72-hole Championship will earn a spot in the field as members of the Corebridge Financial Team in the 2027 Senior PGA Championship, scheduled for April 15-18 at The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Florida.
Justin Hicks (Wellington, Fla.) enters the week as the defending Senior PPC Champion following his one-shot victory in 2025 at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The PGA Teaching Professional at Stonebridge Country Club in Boca Raton, Florida, shot 70-70-69-71 to finish at 8-under-par 280. Hicks later earned Low PGA of America Golf Professional honors at the 2026 Senior PGA Championship, finishing T-17 (5-under).
“Really for me it’s the same as last year, my first goal is to find a way towards the top of the leaderboard and find a way to be in that group that qualifies for the Senior PGA,” said Hicks. “These senior tees for the most part have been a little friendlier for me. I am a little bit more on the longer side of things amongst these guys and hopefully that gives me a little bit more opportunity to make more birdies because that’s really what it’s all about. You’ve got to have birdies in the tank.”
While Hicks, who is one of 13 past Champions in the field, has not yet played at Superstition Mountain, those he has talked to “really raved about that place as being a phenomenal place to play golf.”
“It’ll be great to see it,” said Hicks. “Obviously there’s two courses and hopefully one’s a little easier than the other so you can maybe make a few birdies on one. Like always, there’s certain guys that play well in certain parts of the country. I’m sure there are guys from the Phoenix area who, for whatever reason, are a little more at ease and a little more comfortable.”
In addition to Hicks, past champions in the field include Paul Claxton (2021), Jeff Coston (2006), Esposito Jr. (2014, ’17), Kirk Hanefeld (2008, ’11), Scott Hebert (2019), Alan Morin (2024), Matt Schalk (2022), Steve Schneiter (2016), Bob Sowards (2018, ’23), Robert Thompson (2010), Omar Uresti (2020) and Jim White (2004).
Eight Southwest PGA Section Members are in the field, including Jim Carter (Scottsdale, Ariz.), Ross Farley (Queen Creek, Ariz.), J.D. Lindberg (Tucson, Ariz.), Gerry Norquist (Phoenix, Ariz.), Jerry Smith (Scottsdale, Ariz.), Jon Stanley (Phoenix, Ariz.), Dean Vomacka (Tucson, Ariz.) and Ralph West (Surprise, Ariz.).
Each player will compete on the Lost Gold and Prospector courses on Thursday and Friday before a 36-hole cut to the low 90 scorers and ties. Saturday’s third and Sunday’s final round will be played entirely on the Lost Gold course. A second cut following 54 holes will be made to the low 70 scorers and ties.
In addition to the Leo Fraser Trophy, named after the 16th president of the PGA of America, players are competing for a $425,000 purse with a winner’s share of $37,800. The top eight finishers, including ties, will automatically qualify for the 2027 Senior PGA Professional Championship to be held at PGA Club, October 21-24.
Jack Nicklaus and his son Jack Jr. designed the Lost Gold Course, which opened in 1999. The links-style track offers generous fairways, slightly smaller greens than the Prospector Course and strategic bunker placements. The Lost Gold Course was the site of the 2002 Senior Slam won by Fuzzy Zoeller. The Prospector Course, designed by Nicklaus and his son Gary, opened in 1998 and features inspirational vistas, wide fairways and quick green speeds. Prospector previously hosted the 2002 Countrywide Tradition Tournament, the LPGA Safeway International from 2004-08, and the LPGA Drive On Championship in 2023.
For more about the Senior PGA Professional Championship, visit here.
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Media Contact:
Greg Dillard, PGA of America, gdillard@pgahq.com
