South Florida PGA
Serving PGA Members and Growing the Game
List of Services
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SENIOR PRO-SCRATCH CHAMPIONSHIP OCTOBER 5 | IMPERIAL GOLF CLUBMORE INFO SENIOR PRO-SCRATCH CHAMPIONSHIP
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ASSISTANT CHAMPIONSHIP OCTOBER 8-9 | COLONIAL COUNTRY CLUBMORE INFO ASSISTANT CHAMPIONSHIP
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CHALLENGE CUP OCTOBER 13-15 | JOHN'S ISLAND CLUB - WESTMORE INFO CHALLENGE CUP
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WEST COAST PLAY YELLOW BIRDIE BASH OCTOBER 19 | THE GLADES GOLF & COUNTRY CLUBMORE INFO WEST COAST PLAY YELLOW BIRDIE BASH
What's the News?
By Chance Bressler
•
October 2, 2026
The South Florida PGA has announced the roster of 12 PGA Professionals who will represent the South Florida PGA Section at the 2026 Challenge Cup matches played against the North Florida PGA Section. This Ryder Cup format event will be played October 13-15, 2026, at John’s Island Club’s West Course in Vero Beach, Florida. The team was determined through the 2026 ROLEX Player of the Year Points Standings, where the top 12 players were invited to compete. Joe Allinder, PGA Head Professional at Imperial Golf Club, will lead the South Florida team as captain. Allinder has previously participated ten times in the Challenge Cup, contributing to the current all-time record of 29 wins for the South Florida Section, and now will attempt to contribute once more as the captain to get to 30 wins, meaning six straight victories for the team. “It’s not about me; it’s about these guys and what they have accomplished through the year,” Allinder stated. “All 12 of these professionals have a lot of talent, with guys making cuts on PGA Tour and Champions Tour events, and two guys playing on the PGA Cup Team. Speaking to his role as captain for such a seasoned roster, Allinder emphasized his trust in the team's depth and experience. "We've got great putters, great golf ball strikers," Allinder noted. Highlighting the remarkable talent level across the entire roster, he added, "It's kind of like a team where you could just almost toss the balls up and let them go because all 12 of them are that good." 2026 South Florida PGA Challenge Cup Team Nick Beddow (Hobe Sound, Fla.) - APOGEE Evan Bowser (Naples, Fla.) - Wilderness Country Club Matt Cahill (West Palm Beach, Fla.) - Seminole Golf Club Tyler Collet (Vero Beach, Fla.) - John’s Island Club Andrew Filbert (Naples, Fla.) - West Bay Golf Club Justin Hicks (Wellington, Fla.) - Stonebridge Country Club Austin Jarchow (Delray Beach, Fla.) - Boca West Country Club Michael Kartrude (Port Saint Lucie, Fla.) - NOKOSI Derron Peyton (Boynton Beach, Fla.) - BallenIsles Country Club John Somers (Port Saint Lucie, Fla.) - Hobe Sound Golf Club Justin Smith (Estero, Fla.) - Bonita Bay Club Jeremy Wells (Estero, Fla.) - Cypress Lake Golf Club First played in 1981, the Challenge Cup is an annual contest between professionals from the South Florida and North Florida PGA Sections. The Ryder Cup-style event is contested by teams of 12 players over three days, with four-ball matches and foursome matches on the first day, and singles matches on the final day. The South Florida PGA Team will be reaching for its sixth consecutive Challenge Cup victory. The last time the Challenge Cup was contested, the South Florida PGA Section won 17-7 at the Ritz-Carlton Members’ Club, led by 2025 Captain Dan Heaslip, PGA Director of Golf at Windstar on Naples Bay.
By Chance Bressler
•
September 29, 2026
West Palm Beach, FL - Jenny Suh Thompson claims the 2026 Women's Section Championship, and Robin Boretti and Pamela Elders are crowned co-champions in the Senior Division. The Women’s Section Championship was hosted by The Park on September 28-29, 2026. Women’s Section Championship Concluding round 1, 2020 champion, Jenny Suh Thompson, PGA Membership Director at Dye Preserve, was on top of the leaderboard shooting 3-under with a flawless scorecard including three birdies. Following just one shot behind were Taylor Collins, PGA Instructor at Coral Ridge Country Club, and Carla Overhiser, PGA Assistant Professional at The Breakers, shooting 2-under. Thompson continued her strong play in the final round, finishing with another 3-under-par to bring her two-round total to 140, four shots ahead of her nearest competitor. Thompson carded six birdies during the final round to finish the championship with nine birdies over the 36-hole event. Collins finished as the runner-up, shooting even par in the final round to keep her total at 2-under. Overhiser finished the day at 2-over, finishing in third at even par. Senior Division In the senior division, Robin Boretti, PGA Director of Golf at The Club at Ibis, led the first round with a 2-over 73, with Pam Elders, PGA Director of Instruction at Boca West Country Club, right behind at 3-over. In the final round, Boretti and Elders battled in a tight race for the championship title. After two rounds, the pair finished tied at 14-over to share the 2026 Senior Division Championship. The South Florida PGA Section thanks The Park and its entire staff for hosting the 2026 Women’s Section Championship and providing a great venue for this year’s competition.
By Chance Bressler
•
September 18, 2026
Vero Beach, FL - Tyler Collet, PGA, has excelled at the Section and National levels over the last six years, previously winning the South Florida PGA Section Professional Championship in 2020 & 2023, the PGA Professional Championship in 2024, and playing in the PGA Championship twice, along with numerous PGA Tour events. Thursday, September 17th, the PGA Assistant Professional at John’s Island Club added 2026 South Florida PGA Section Professional Champion to his resume with rounds of 63-66-67, 20-under par. Collet not only claimed the Championship title, but he also earned entry into the 2027 Puerto Rico Open. The South Florida PGA Section Professional Championship Round one of the South Florida PGA Section Professional Championship began Tuesday morning at 7:45 AM and got off to a hot start, with two professionals standing out among the field. Tyler Collet, PGA Assistant Professional at John’s Island Club, ended the round at the top of the leaderboard after firing a 9-under at Orchid Island. Following closely behind was Justin McCarraher, PGA Director of Golf at Heritage Bay Golf & Country Club, who shot an 8-under at Quail Valley. Ryan Fountain, PGA Head Professional at Hobe Sound Golf Club; Brett Melton, PGA Assistant Professional at APOGEE; and John Bednar, PGA Assistant Professional at Eastpointe Country Club, all finished tied for third at 5-under. “I’m just going to play like I would any other day to be honest with you,” McCarraher said heading into the second round. “Today is over, tomorrow is a new day, but I’m looking forward to round two.” With a forecast calling for rain throughout the day, round two began beneath a cloudy sunrise over Vero Beach. As players made their way onto the course, rain began to build, setting the stage for a challenging day of competition. Nearly halfway through the starting times, players at both venues were pulled off the course due to unplayable conditions and heavy rain. The team at Orchid Island was able to hit the ground running once the storm passed, but Quail Valley wasn’t as fortunate. Following a five-and-a-half-hour delay at Quail Valley, players were finally able to resume play. The tone quickly shifted to a battle against daylight, and as darkness fell, three groups that were in the hunt were unable to complete their round. Of the twelve players still left on the course, Collet was not one of them. By the end of round two, Collet had extended his lead to 15-under, continuing to separate himself from the field. Meanwhile, Michael Kartrude, PGA Assistant Professional at The Bear’s Club and the reigning champion, surged up the leaderboard with a 5-under round to reach 9-under overall. Kartrude was not the only former champion making a move in round two. Taylor Collins, PGA Teaching Instructor at Coral Ridge Country Club, fired an impressive 6-under to move to 8-under for the tournament, earning herself a spot in the final grouping for the championship round. At the conclusion of round two, which was delayed until Thursday morning, the nearly 200-player field was cut down to the top 70. Not as originally planned, players made their way to Orchid Island, where the final round was conducted due to the extreme amount of rain received throughout the week at Quail Valley. As play got underway, the leaderboard shifted early, with Derron Peyton, PGA Assistant Golf Professional at BallenIsles Country Club, and Justin Smith, PGA Teaching Instructor at Bonita Bay Club, getting hot early and moving their way into third after just three holes, taking over Collins. Collet kept pushing through the final round, firing a 5-under 67 to seal the championship victory by eight strokes over Justin Hicks, PGA Teaching Instructor at Stonebridge Country Club. With today’s performance, Collet also managed to break a section record, scoring the lowest total to par in South Florida PGA history, finishing 54 holes at 20-under, carding a total of 21 birdies and 2 eagles. “I had no idea what the record was coming into today. Honestly, my goal for today was to not make a bogey, but breaking that record is really cool,” Collet said about his accomplishment. The South Florida PGA Section Professional Championship is the premier event for South Florida PGA Professionals, where this 47th Championship was hosted at Quail Valley Golf Club and Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club from September 15-17, 2026. Leaderboard | Event Photos
About SFPGA
The South Florida Section of the PGA of America is an association of golf professionals whose mission is to promote interest, participation and enjoyment in the game of golf; establish and maintain professional standards or practice; and enhance the well-being of golf professionals.
What's the News?
By Chance Bressler
•
October 2, 2026
The South Florida PGA has announced the roster of 12 PGA Professionals who will represent the South Florida PGA Section at the 2026 Challenge Cup matches played against the North Florida PGA Section. This Ryder Cup format event will be played October 13-15, 2026, at John’s Island Club’s West Course in Vero Beach, Florida. The team was determined through the 2026 ROLEX Player of the Year Points Standings, where the top 12 players were invited to compete. Joe Allinder, PGA Head Professional at Imperial Golf Club, will lead the South Florida team as captain. Allinder has previously participated ten times in the Challenge Cup, contributing to the current all-time record of 29 wins for the South Florida Section, and now will attempt to contribute once more as the captain to get to 30 wins, meaning six straight victories for the team. “It’s not about me; it’s about these guys and what they have accomplished through the year,” Allinder stated. “All 12 of these professionals have a lot of talent, with guys making cuts on PGA Tour and Champions Tour events, and two guys playing on the PGA Cup Team. Speaking to his role as captain for such a seasoned roster, Allinder emphasized his trust in the team's depth and experience. "We've got great putters, great golf ball strikers," Allinder noted. Highlighting the remarkable talent level across the entire roster, he added, "It's kind of like a team where you could just almost toss the balls up and let them go because all 12 of them are that good." 2026 South Florida PGA Challenge Cup Team Nick Beddow (Hobe Sound, Fla.) - APOGEE Evan Bowser (Naples, Fla.) - Wilderness Country Club Matt Cahill (West Palm Beach, Fla.) - Seminole Golf Club Tyler Collet (Vero Beach, Fla.) - John’s Island Club Andrew Filbert (Naples, Fla.) - West Bay Golf Club Justin Hicks (Wellington, Fla.) - Stonebridge Country Club Austin Jarchow (Delray Beach, Fla.) - Boca West Country Club Michael Kartrude (Port Saint Lucie, Fla.) - NOKOSI Derron Peyton (Boynton Beach, Fla.) - BallenIsles Country Club John Somers (Port Saint Lucie, Fla.) - Hobe Sound Golf Club Justin Smith (Estero, Fla.) - Bonita Bay Club Jeremy Wells (Estero, Fla.) - Cypress Lake Golf Club First played in 1981, the Challenge Cup is an annual contest between professionals from the South Florida and North Florida PGA Sections. The Ryder Cup-style event is contested by teams of 12 players over three days, with four-ball matches and foursome matches on the first day, and singles matches on the final day. The South Florida PGA Team will be reaching for its sixth consecutive Challenge Cup victory. The last time the Challenge Cup was contested, the South Florida PGA Section won 17-7 at the Ritz-Carlton Members’ Club, led by 2025 Captain Dan Heaslip, PGA Director of Golf at Windstar on Naples Bay.
By Chance Bressler
•
September 29, 2026
West Palm Beach, FL - Jenny Suh Thompson claims the 2026 Women's Section Championship, and Robin Boretti and Pamela Elders are crowned co-champions in the Senior Division. The Women’s Section Championship was hosted by The Park on September 28-29, 2026. Women’s Section Championship Concluding round 1, 2020 champion, Jenny Suh Thompson, PGA Membership Director at Dye Preserve, was on top of the leaderboard shooting 3-under with a flawless scorecard including three birdies. Following just one shot behind were Taylor Collins, PGA Instructor at Coral Ridge Country Club, and Carla Overhiser, PGA Assistant Professional at The Breakers, shooting 2-under. Thompson continued her strong play in the final round, finishing with another 3-under-par to bring her two-round total to 140, four shots ahead of her nearest competitor. Thompson carded six birdies during the final round to finish the championship with nine birdies over the 36-hole event. Collins finished as the runner-up, shooting even par in the final round to keep her total at 2-under. Overhiser finished the day at 2-over, finishing in third at even par. Senior Division In the senior division, Robin Boretti, PGA Director of Golf at The Club at Ibis, led the first round with a 2-over 73, with Pam Elders, PGA Director of Instruction at Boca West Country Club, right behind at 3-over. In the final round, Boretti and Elders battled in a tight race for the championship title. After two rounds, the pair finished tied at 14-over to share the 2026 Senior Division Championship. The South Florida PGA Section thanks The Park and its entire staff for hosting the 2026 Women’s Section Championship and providing a great venue for this year’s competition.
By Chance Bressler
•
September 18, 2026
Vero Beach, FL - Tyler Collet, PGA, has excelled at the Section and National levels over the last six years, previously winning the South Florida PGA Section Professional Championship in 2020 & 2023, the PGA Professional Championship in 2024, and playing in the PGA Championship twice, along with numerous PGA Tour events. Thursday, September 17th, the PGA Assistant Professional at John’s Island Club added 2026 South Florida PGA Section Professional Champion to his resume with rounds of 63-66-67, 20-under par. Collet not only claimed the Championship title, but he also earned entry into the 2027 Puerto Rico Open. The South Florida PGA Section Professional Championship Round one of the South Florida PGA Section Professional Championship began Tuesday morning at 7:45 AM and got off to a hot start, with two professionals standing out among the field. Tyler Collet, PGA Assistant Professional at John’s Island Club, ended the round at the top of the leaderboard after firing a 9-under at Orchid Island. Following closely behind was Justin McCarraher, PGA Director of Golf at Heritage Bay Golf & Country Club, who shot an 8-under at Quail Valley. Ryan Fountain, PGA Head Professional at Hobe Sound Golf Club; Brett Melton, PGA Assistant Professional at APOGEE; and John Bednar, PGA Assistant Professional at Eastpointe Country Club, all finished tied for third at 5-under. “I’m just going to play like I would any other day to be honest with you,” McCarraher said heading into the second round. “Today is over, tomorrow is a new day, but I’m looking forward to round two.” With a forecast calling for rain throughout the day, round two began beneath a cloudy sunrise over Vero Beach. As players made their way onto the course, rain began to build, setting the stage for a challenging day of competition. Nearly halfway through the starting times, players at both venues were pulled off the course due to unplayable conditions and heavy rain. The team at Orchid Island was able to hit the ground running once the storm passed, but Quail Valley wasn’t as fortunate. Following a five-and-a-half-hour delay at Quail Valley, players were finally able to resume play. The tone quickly shifted to a battle against daylight, and as darkness fell, three groups that were in the hunt were unable to complete their round. Of the twelve players still left on the course, Collet was not one of them. By the end of round two, Collet had extended his lead to 15-under, continuing to separate himself from the field. Meanwhile, Michael Kartrude, PGA Assistant Professional at The Bear’s Club and the reigning champion, surged up the leaderboard with a 5-under round to reach 9-under overall. Kartrude was not the only former champion making a move in round two. Taylor Collins, PGA Teaching Instructor at Coral Ridge Country Club, fired an impressive 6-under to move to 8-under for the tournament, earning herself a spot in the final grouping for the championship round. At the conclusion of round two, which was delayed until Thursday morning, the nearly 200-player field was cut down to the top 70. Not as originally planned, players made their way to Orchid Island, where the final round was conducted due to the extreme amount of rain received throughout the week at Quail Valley. As play got underway, the leaderboard shifted early, with Derron Peyton, PGA Assistant Golf Professional at BallenIsles Country Club, and Justin Smith, PGA Teaching Instructor at Bonita Bay Club, getting hot early and moving their way into third after just three holes, taking over Collins. Collet kept pushing through the final round, firing a 5-under 67 to seal the championship victory by eight strokes over Justin Hicks, PGA Teaching Instructor at Stonebridge Country Club. With today’s performance, Collet also managed to break a section record, scoring the lowest total to par in South Florida PGA history, finishing 54 holes at 20-under, carding a total of 21 birdies and 2 eagles. “I had no idea what the record was coming into today. Honestly, my goal for today was to not make a bogey, but breaking that record is really cool,” Collet said about his accomplishment. The South Florida PGA Section Professional Championship is the premier event for South Florida PGA Professionals, where this 47th Championship was hosted at Quail Valley Golf Club and Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club from September 15-17, 2026. Leaderboard | Event Photos
