The Cookout by seniorgolfHQ Vol 2
The Cookout by seniorgolfHQ
March 2026
What we are cooking this month:
Welcome back to the second edition of The Cookout, where we break down everything happening at the highest levels of senior amateur golf. February delivered a trio of early-season “majors” that immediately shaped the 2026 narrative. William Mallon set the tone at the Society of Seniors Spring Classic, firing three rounds of 70 to win at 6-under and headline a week that also produced dramatic finishes across every age division. Just days later, the Gasparilla Invitational once again proved why it’s appointment viewing, with Jeff Frazier claiming Low Senior honors at +10 after three steady rounds in the 70s, holding off a tightly packed leaderboard. Then at Sea Island, Mike McCoy reminded everyone why experience matters, closing with a Sunday 67 to capture the Jones Cup Senior Invitational and add another trophy to his decorated résumé.
With three champions crowned — Mallon, Frazier and McCoy — the senior landscape is already taking shape, and the points race is heating up as the calendar turns toward the Golfweek Senior Amateur Championship at Desert Willow’s demanding Firecliff Course. Bryan Hoops returns there as defending champion, while the East-West standings continue to evolve with familiar names climbing the board. From Palm Desert to Pinehurst, from the R&A to the USGA, the 2026 senior “major” schedule is stacked — and we’re just getting started. As always, this community drives the game forward, so if you’ve got a story, milestone or moment worth sharing, we want to feature it. Let’s get cooking.
2026 February Major Senior-Am Tournament Results
Society of Seniors: Spring Classic
February 8-11, 2026
Champion: William Mallon
At the 18th Spring Classic at Aileron Golf Club in Lake Suzy, Florida, golfers faced championship-level conditions throughout the week as William Mallon powered through despite battling a nagging forearm issue to capture the Senior Division title. The Vero Beach player posted three steady rounds and a 6-under total to win by three shots, fending off late pressure from the field. In the Super Senior Division, Allen Barber’s consistent play and strong short game on tricky greens earned him a well-deserved victory, while Stephen Fox rebounded from an early stumble in the Legend Division to pull out a narrow win with composed golf down the stretch.
The competition in the Super Legend Division provided plenty of drama, with Don Donatoni and Pete Allen battling all day before finishing tied and sending the title to a playoff. Donatoni seized the moment with a clutch birdie on the first extra hole to take the crown, capping a week of high-level golf. Across all four divisions, players showcased resilience and skill on Aileron’s course, making for a memorable Spring Classic that highlighted both seasoned strategy and late-round nerve.
Leaderboard
-6 | William Mallon | 70-70-70 = 210-3 | Todd Doss | 73-70-70 = 213-1 | Craig Hurlbert | 73-72-70 = 215Gasparilla Invitational (Senior Division)
February 19-21, 2026
Champion: Jeff Frazier
If you follow any of our mid-am content you know the Gasparilla is a true major of mid am and senior golf! This year was no different with plenty of attention and media coverage. At the 71st Gasparilla Invitational at Palma Ceia Golf & Country Club in Tampa, competitors battled firm conditions and tricky greens over 54 holes, with the premier Mid-Am title going to Hayes Brown. Amid the highly competitive overall field, the Senior Division provided plenty of action, and Jeff Frazier emerged as the Low Senior, leading wire-to-wire with three steady rounds in the 70s to finish at +10 for the tournament.
Frazier’s disciplined play kept him just ahead of a tight chase pack, with Paul Royak finishing at +12 and both Kevin VandenBerg and Tony Wise tied at +13. Final scores from the senior leaderboard read +10 (73-73-74 = 220) for Frazier, +12 (73-76-73 = 222) for Royak, and +13 (VandenBerg 75-74-74 = 223 and Wise 74-74-75 = 223), highlighting how close the battle was throughout the week.
Leaderboard
+10 | Jeff Frazier | 73-73-74 = 220+12 | Paul Royak | 73-76-73 = 222+13 | Kevin VandenBerg | 75-74-74 = 223+13 | Tony Wise | 74-74-75 = 223Jones Cup Senior Invitational
February 24-26, 2026
Champion: Mike McCoy
Mike McCoy captured the title at the 2026 Jones Cup Senior Invitational on the Seaside Course at Sea Island Golf Club, navigating coastal winds and firm conditions to post a three-round total of 4-under-par 206. McCoy climbed one spot on the final day, closing with a superb 67 to finish one stroke clear of defending champion Jeff Knox, who ended at 3-under 207. Bryan Hoops finished at 1-under, with Michael Zito at +2, but it was McCoy’s steady ball-striking and composed finish that ultimately separated him from a deep and accomplished field of senior amateurs.
The victory adds another significant chapter to McCoy’s decorated amateur career, which already includes U.S. Mid-Amateur and U.S. Senior Amateur titles along with Walker Cup leadership experience. In a championship where patience and precision were essential, McCoy relied on experience and disciplined course management to seize control late and secure the Jones Cup Senior crown, reaffirming his place among the elite in senior amateur golf.
Leaderboard
-4 | Mike McCoy | 68-71-67 = 206-3 | Jeff Knox | 67-68-72 = 207-1 | Bryan Hoops | 71-70-68 = 209Up Next
Golfweek Senior Amateur Championship
March 31-April 2, 2026
Desert Willow GC - Firecliff Course
Defending Champion: Bryan Hoops
The 2026 Golfweek Senior Amateur Championship is set for March 31–April 2 at the Firecliff Course at Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert, California, where firm fairways, strategic bunkering and desert wind will challenge every aspect of a player’s game. Firecliff’s layout rewards precision off the tee and strong iron play into receptive but fast greens, making course management and patience essential over three competitive rounds. As one of the marquee early-season senior amateur events, it attracts a deep field across multiple age divisions and serves as both a test and a stepping-stone toward the busiest stretch of the season.
Defending champion Bryan Hoops returns to the desert looking to replicate his commanding performance from last year, where he carded 3 straight sub-par rounds on Firecliff and finished well clear of the field en route to his title. With maximum points and prestige on the line, many of the nation’s top senior amateurs will vie for the honor, knowing that success here can set the tone for a strong spring and summer campaign on the senior circuit.
2026 “Major” Senior-Am Events
Society of Seniors: Spring Classic - February 2026 - William Mallon
Gasparilla Invitational (Senior Division) - February 2026 - Jeff Frazier
Jones Cup Senior Invitational - February 2026 - Mike McCoy
Golfweek Senior Amateur Championship - March/April 2026
George Coleman Invitational (Senior Division) - April 2026
Society of Seniors: Senior Masters - April 2026
Trans-Mississippi Senior Championship - May 2026
John T. Lupton Memorial (Senior Division) - May 2026
Huddleston Cup (Senior Division) - May 2026
R&A Senior Amateur Championship - July 2026
North & South Senior Men’s Amateur Championship - August 2026
Sunnehanna Senior Amateur Championship - August 2026
Valentine Invitational - August 2026
Senior Porter Cup - September 2026
USGA Men’s Senior Amateur - August/September 2026
The Crump Cup (Senior Division) - September 2026
International Senior Individual Championship - October 2026
Ojai Senior Cup - October 2026
Reynolds Senior Invitational - October 2026
California Senior Amateur Championship - November 2026
East West Cup Matches - November 2026
Society of Seniors: Ralph Bogart - November 2026
East West Matches
Senior Standings
As of February 24, 2026
Bob Royak | 1,317.82
Bryan Hoops | West | 900.00
Gene Elliott | West | 887.70
Mike McCoy | West | 812.50
Doug Hanzel | East | 478.00
Robert Gerwin | East | 470.60
Danny Nelson | East | 470.00
Mike Lohner | 463.50
Jack Larkin | East | 459.00
Robert Funk | West | 433.00
Greg Sanders | West | 427.50
Miles McConnell | 367.50
Mike Sposa | East | 330.00
Jeff Knox | East | 300.00
Jim Lehman | 300.00
Jack Hall | East | 292.00
Kevin Vandenberg | East | 281.85
Todd White | 270.00
Big Niger | West | 255.00
Neal Barfield | 235.00
Shaw Pritchett | East | 219.82
Rusty Strawn | East | 214.00
Arnold Cutrell | East | 212.50
Gary Durbin | West | 197.25
Dave Ryan | East | 194.50
We love to feature our passionate senior-am golf community. If you have a story, achievement, or event you'd like to share, send us a DM on our Instagram or X (formerly Twitter) @seniorgolfHQ
Until next month…..