HILLCREST COUNTRY CLUB
RANCHO PARK GOLF COURSE
SEPTEMBER 16-18, 2024
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 Hillcrest Country Club and Rancho Park Golf Course. Round Three will be hosted at Hillcrest Country Club
STARTING TIMES
All rounds to begin at 7:30 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 $17,000 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 11 finishers will qualify for the 2025 PGA Professional Championship hosted at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida on April 27-30, 2025. There will be 5 alternates. Top 20 from National PPC qualify into 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C., May 12-18, 2025.
WHO’S EXEMPT IN PPC
Michael Block, Kyle Mendoza
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS!
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
In a historic celebration, the Southern California PGA, a distinguished Section of the PGA of America, proudly marks its 100th anniversary in 2024. Since its establishment in 1924, the SCPGA has been an influential force in shaping Southern California’s golf landscape, which currently has 1,693 PGA Golf Professionals across 509 facilities in a vast geographic area extending from Baywood Park / Los Osos to the Mexican border and the Pacific Ocean to the Nevada and Arizona borders.
In 1924, the SCPGA’s inception was marked by the collaborative efforts of 25 charter clubs, with PGA Members actively participating in the signing and formation of the Section. On November 3rd, 1924, in Los Angeles, these visionary clubs listed below officially signed the Section charter, laying the cornerstone for a century of golfing excellence.
To celebrate the SCPGA’s Centennial year, our goal was to have each of our major events hosted by our original 17 active charter clubs. This year’s Section Championship will be hosted by both Hillcrest Country Club and Rancho Park Golf Course, as two of those charter clubs and we would like to thank them for hosting this monumental Championship.
Hacienda Golf Club
(Host to 2024 Senior Section Championship)
Hillcrest Country Club
(Co-Host to 2024 Section Championship)
Oakmont Country Club (Host to 2024 Senior-Junior Championship)
Palos Verdes Golf Club
(Host to 2024 Pro-Club-Member Championship)
Rancho Park Golf Course
(Co-Host to 2024 Section Championship)
San Gabriel Country Club
(Host to 2024 Honor’s Cup Matches)
Victoria Club
(Host to 2024 Pro-Junior Championship)
COURSE OVERVIEW
HILLCREST COUNTRY CLUB
CLUB ESTABLISHED: 1920
ARCHITECT: Willie Watson (1920), Kyle Phillips (2019)
DIRECTOR OF GOLF: Andrew Bostrom, PGA
HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONALS: Chris Miller, PGA, and Graham Slater, PGA
COURSE OVERVIEW
RANCHO PARK GOLF COURSE
CLUB ESTABLISHED: 1921
ARCHITECT: William P. Bell
HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONAL: Derrick Allen
PLAYERS TO WATCH
MICHAEL
BLOCK
ARROYO TRABUCO GOLF CLUB
STEVE HOLMES
RUSTIC CANYON GOLF COURSE
VINNIE PONCINO SAN CLEMENTE GOLF COURSE MARK GEDDES CORONADO GOLF COURSE
2023 CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP
MICHAEL BLOCK CLAIMS HIS FOURTH SECTION TITLE
THOUSAND OAKS, CA - Congratulations to Michael Block, PGA, of Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club, on capturing the 99th installment of the 2023 Southern California PGA Professional Championship at Sherwood Country Club.
Entering the day, Block stood two shots behind the leader but was able to make it all square through 16 holes. In dramatic fashion, Block birdied holes 17 and 18 to win his fourth SCPGA Section Championship and his second in consecutive years with an 11-under-par 205 total. He ended his day tying the tournament low round with a 6-under-par 66.
“Thank you to Sherwood Country Club and Jeff Fowler for putting this event on and getting us out here,” said Block. “I rolled in a couple of putts down that final stretch, and the tide turned pretty quickly. I was lucky enough to come away with the trophy, and I’m grateful for all the support and comradery we have here in the Section.”
With the win today, Block has locked up the Southern California PGA Player of the Year honors, marking his 10th Player of the Year honors in the last 11 years.
Finishing in second place was Steve Saunders, PGA, of Temecula Creek Golf Club, with a 7-under-par 209 total.
The victory for Block earns him an exemption into the PGA Tour’s The American Express and earns a custom Club Car for a year.
Block now becomes one of four players in the storied history of the event to claim the title four times or more.
The Southern California PGA Professional Championship also served as a national qualifier into the PGA Professional Championship that will be hosted on April 28-May 1, at Fields Ranch at PGA Frisco East & West Courses in Frisco, Texas. Congratulations to the 14 SCPGA Section Members who will be representing the Section:
*Michael Block – Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club
Steve Saunders – Temecula Creek Golf Club
Lyon Lazare – Monarch Beach Golf Links
Mark Geddes – Coronado Golf Course
Kyle Mendoza – Hacienda Golf Club
Brian Smock – Coronado Golf Course
Brice Busse – Hillcrest Country Club
Bruce Nakamura – Aviara Golf Academy
**Kenny Pigman – Shandin Hills Golf Course
Logan Scott – Oakmont Country Club
Simon Allan – The Plantation Golf Club
Mike Mendoza – South Hills Country Club
Thomas Chu – San Diego Country Club
** Steve Holmes – Rustic Canyon 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 $115,000. A big thank you to presenting partners, Club Car, Rolex, and Corebridge Financial for their continued support of the PGA of America.
Thank you to host professional Jeff Fowler, PGA, Director of Golf, the Golf Course Superintendent Neil Edwards, and the entire staff and membership at Sherwood Country Club for their gracious hospitality.
A special thank you to the SCPGA rules committee members who volunteered their time and rules expertise at this year’s Championship – Gary Albin, Lee Wortman, and Steve Asaki.
2023 CHAMPIONSHIP PHOTOS
2023 CHAMPION
MICHAEL BLOCK
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PGA PAST SECTION CHAMPIONS
2022
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
MICHAEL BLOCK
MENDOZA