RANCHO MIRAGE, California – The annual highlight on the Southern California PGA schedule, the popular Professional-Assistant Championship, returned to the Coachella Valley for an action-packed two days at Mission Hills Country Club where nearly 60 facilities were represented. PGA professionals Michael Block and Brian Schippel of Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club finished the two-day Championship at 20-under par, 124, and were crowned champions.
The duo began the Four-Ball format Monday on the Pete Dye course, where they carded an eight-under par 64 in the first round, putting them in a tie for fourth place. Block, who won the 2018 Professional-Assistant, and Schippel, had eight birdies with no bogeys and were trailing by three shots to two teams from Coronado Golf Course – PGA Professional Brian Smock & PGA Associate Mark Geddes and Smock & PGA Professional Tim Parun – both duos who led with a first round 61.
Block found his grove in the second round on the Dinah Shore course with partner Schippel, firing a team score twelve-under par 60. The clean scorecard had eight birdies to go along with two eagles in the march to victory and back-to-back wins for Block in this Championship. The top of the leaderboard was covered with team Block, having all five Arroyo Trabuco teams finish in the top ten and four of the top five. Brian Smock and Mark Geddes ended up finishing in solo third at 16-under par 127.
“It’s probably our favorite event of the year, for the guys in the golf shop. We all get to come out here, we had 6 of us from Arroyo Trabuco and we had a blast,” said Block after completing a back-to-back bid.
Schippel added, “He goes so low on his own ball, it’s fun to pitch in here and there where I can.”
Thanks to the number of partners who support this event to make it a highlight each year with fun contest, giveaways and a generous purse – Club Car, Garmany Golf, Ahead, Cutter & Buck, Bridgestone Golf, Evolve Golf, Medterra, AM&E, Golf Genius, SCNS Foods, Cleveland/Srixon, Surfside Innovations, Hole-In-One U.S.A., Golf Scorecards Incorporated, Evian, Sterling Cut Glass, Washington National Insurance, Pepsico, and PGA Tour. Special thanks to Callaway Golf for hosting the afterparty following the conclusion of Monday’s first round.
Thanks to the Rules Committee for volunteering their time including Rules Committee Chair Ron O’ Connor, PGA, Gary Albin, Terry Startzel, Lee Wortman and Wil Mayo.
Finally, thank you to Mission Hills Country Club for being great host in this event for a number of years.