Scott Cherry, PGA, 2026 Southern California PGA Section Champion
Rancho La Quinta CC | Sept 14-16(LA QUINTA, CA – SEPT 16, 2026) — Scott Cherry, PGA, of Mission Hills Country Club is the 2026 Southern California PGA Professional Champion at Rancho La Quinta Country Club with a 13-under-par (70, 68, 65) score over 54 holes on the Pate and Jones Courses.
Starting the final day at 6-under-par and tied for fourth in a crowded field, Cherry delivered a flawless closing performance to capture the tournament title on the Jones Course. Demonstrating complete control, Cherry went bogey-free over his final two rounds on the Jones. He mounted a decisive charge on the back nine, stringing together five birdies to take his first lead of the tournament down the stretch and secure the win with a critical 20-foot birdie putt on hole #17.
When asked about the victory, Cherry said, “I tried to approach today just like the last two days. Show up, take every shot one at a time, and do the best that I can.”
This marks the first time Cherry has won the SCPGA Section Championship and will take home a $15,000 check for his victory. Cherry will also receive a spot in the 2027 PGA Tour’s The American Express, along with a spot into the World Wide Technology Championship Monday Qualifier.
Runner-up, Kyle Mendoza, PGA, of Hacienda Golf Club, will also receive a spot in the World Wide Technology Championship Monday Qualifier.
This Championship concludes the 2026 SCPGA Player of the Year points race, and Lyon Lazare, PGA, of Monarch Beach Golf Links earns top honors with 1,192.02 points over 11 events played this season. This earns Lazare an exemption into the PGA Tour’s Sentry at Torrey Pines on January 27-30, 2027, and marks the first time he has been named the Rolex SCPGA Player of the Year.
Congratulations to the 14 members who will be representing the Section in the 2027 PGA Professional Championship hosted at Streamsong Golf Resort in Bowling Green, Florida on April 25-28, 2027:
Scott Cherry – Mission Hills Country Club
Kyle Mendoza – Hacienda Golf Club
Blake Schmitt – Ironwood Country Club
Jamie Puterbaugh – Aviara Golf Academy
Lyon Lazare – Monarch Beach Golf Links
Mike Fergin – Mesa Verde Country Club
Nate LeBlanc – Andalusia Country Club
Vinnie Poncino – San Clemente Golf Course
Ryan Kennedy – Rustic Canyon Golf Course
Andrew Alderdice – Newport Beach Country Club
Cavin McCall – The Santaluz Club
Logan Scott – Oakmont Country Club
*Mark Geddes – Coronado Golf Course (Exempt)
*Garrett Sapp – Hacienda Golf Club (Exempt)
Alternates in Order:
Trevor Cassidy – Oakmont Country Club
Koll Farman – La Quinta Country Club
Bobby Nickell – Monarch Beach Golf Links
Alberto Ruiz Nava – Querencia Golf Club
Natalie Vivaldi – Goat Hill Park
A big thank you to the following partners for supporting this event:
PRESENTING SPONSORS – Club Car, Corebridge Financial, Rolex
SUPPORTING PARTNERS – PGA Tour, Golf Channel, Gallagher, Ship Sticks
SUPPORTING SPONSORS – Titleist, FootJoy, Nike, TaylorMade, Callaway
LOCAL PARTNERS – Stracka Golf, Dormie Workshop, Kradul, KM Golf Performance
PRODUCT PARTNERS – Pepsi, SCNS Sports Foods
A special thank you to our host facility, Rancho La Quinta Country Club, and their membership for welcoming the 102nd edition of the SCPGA Section Championship to their facility. In addition, we would like to recognize the following staff at Rancho La Quinta CC for their efforts involved with the Championship:
Justin Stelzer, PGA – Assistant GM/Director of Golf
Matt Smela, PGA – Head Golf Professional
Chris Erickson – Director of Agronomy
Joey Kenneally – Pate Course Superintendent
Mike Baxter – Jones Course Superintendent
Bob Pechous – Executive Chef/Director of Food & Beverage
Thank you to our dedicated Rules Committee for the week: Gary Albin, Lee Wortman, Steve Asaki, Tom Parker, PGA, Mike McFaul, PGA, Marv Covach, and Bob Livingstone, plus honorary starters Randy Parkinson and Steve Frank.
ROUND TWO RECAP
(LA QUINTA, CA – SEPT 15, 2026) Moving Day at the 2026 Southern California PGA Professional Championship, hosted at Rancho La Quinta Country Club on the Jones & Pate Courses, is complete, with Lyon Lazare, PGA, of Monarch Beach Golf Links, holding the second-round lead after shooting a 4-under-par 68.
Today, the top 60 players plus ties advanced to the final round, which will take place tomorrow on the Jones Course. The cut was made at 4-over-par, with 65 players total advancing to the final round.
Lazare now sits at the end of round two with 10-under-par 134 total. Going into the final round, Lazare said, “It’s not very often that you get a couple days off of work and get to enjoy playing with a bunch of buddies. I’m going to have fun tomorrow, and hopefully the birdies drop.”
Joining Lazare in tomorrow’s final pairing will be Mike Fergin, PGA, of Mesa Verde Country Club, who sits just two shots off the lead at 8-under-par. Logan Scott, PGA, of Oakmont Country Club, will round out the pairing, three shots back at 7-under-par.
Heading into the final round, the field is chasing the top 12 spots, as they will advance to the National PGA Professional Championship, including five alternates. The Champion will receive a spot in the 2027 PGA TOUR’s The American Express, with first- and second-place finishers getting a spot into the World Wide Technology Championship Monday Qualifier.
A big thank you to the following partners for supporting this event:
PRESENTING SPONSORS – Club Car, Corebridge Financial, Rolex
SUPPORTING PARTNERS – PGA Tour, Golf Channel, Gallagher, Ship Sticks
SUPPORTING SPONSORS – Titleist, FootJoy, Nike, TaylorMade, Callaway
LOCAL PARTNERS – Stracka Golf, Dormie Workshop, Kradul, KM Golf Performance
PRODUCT PARTNERS – Pepsi, SCNS Sports Foods
ROUND ONE RECAP
(LA QUINTA, CA – SEPT 14, 2026) The opening round of the 2026 Southern California PGA Professional Championship, hosted at Rancho La Quinta Country Club on the Jones & Pate Courses, is complete.
This year’s Championship sees 167 PGA Professionals participating in the event, with the hopes of etching their name into the storied history of the Southern California PGA. The leaderboard is already looking stacked, and the players matched the desert heat with red-hot scores during today’s first round.
Taking the opening round lead is Lyon Lazare, PGA, of Monarch Beach Golf Links, shooting a 6-under-par 66. Lazare also leads the Section in Player of the Year points and recently won the SCPGA Match Play Championship.
Three players are tied for second behind Lazare with Natalie Vivaldi, PGA, of Goat Hill Park, leading the charge, followed by Jamie Puterbaugh, PGA, of Aviara Golf Academy, and Bruce Nakamura, PGA, of Aviara Golf Academy, all shooting scores of five-under-par 67.
This Championship serves as the Section’s qualifier for the 2027 PGA Professional Championship (PPC) hosted at Streamsong Golf Resort in Bowling Green, Florida, on April 25-28, 2027. The top 12 finishers will advance to the PPC, with five alternate positions.
Heading into moving day, the field is chasing a spot into the top 60 and ties to advance to Wednesday’s final round. The Champion will receive a spot in the 2027 PGA TOUR’s The American Express, with first and second place finishers getting a spot into the World Wide Technology Championship Monday Qualifier.
Past champions in this year’s field include Kyle Mendoza (2020, 2021, 2024), Chad Sorensen (2015), Ryan Kennedy (2014), Scott Miller (2005), Geoff Dean (2003), Paul Dietsche (2002), and Paul Wise (1983, 1984).
A big thank you to the following partners for supporting this event:
PRESENTING SPONSORS – Club Car, Corebridge Financial, Rolex
SUPPORTING PARTNERS – PGA Tour, Golf Channel, Gallagher, Ship Sticks
SUPPORTING SPONSORS – Titleist, FootJoy, Nike, TaylorMade, Callaway
LOCAL PARTNERS – Stracka Golf, Dormie Workshop, Kradul, KM Golf Performance
PRODUCT PARTNERS – Pepsi, SCNS Sports Foods