51st Palm Beach Kennel Club County Amateur (Jul 10-12, 2026)
Fifty-one years of history return to The Park in West Palm Beach this week. On Friday through Sunday, July 10–12, 2026, seventy-eight of the finest amateurs in Palm Beach County tee it up for the Palm Beach Kennel Club County Amateur, presented by Flagstick Golf Performance — the longest-running, most prestigious individual championship on the PBCGA calendar.
Demand for this championship has never been higher. To preserve the integrity of the event as a true signature championship, PBCGA capped the 2026 field at 78 players while adding qualifying sites and new exemption categories — widening the path in without diluting the strength of the field. Registration closed June 23. The field is set.
| Dates | July 10–12, 2026 |
| Venue | The Park — 7301 Georgia Avenue, West Palm Beach, FL |
| Format | 54-Hole Individual Stroke Play |
| Field Size | 78 Players |
| Cut | Low 60 and Ties After 36 Holes |
| Tees | 7,076 Yards — Par 71 |
| Cart Policy | Carts Required — Caddies Not Permitted |
| Pairings Released | July 7, 2026 at 10:30 AM |
| Ranking Status | Counts Toward World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) |
Championship Partners
Palm Beach Kennel Club
West Palm Beach's home for poker, simulcast racing, dining, and live entertainment lends its name to Palm Beach County's premier amateur championship. Since 1932, PBKC has distributed millions of dollars to community projects, educational activities, and charitable institutions — a legacy of giving back that mirrors the County Amateur's own scholarship mission.
Visit pbkennelclub.com →Flagstick Golf Performance
A full-service indoor golf performance center in Boynton Beach featuring golf simulators, club fitting and building, a SAM Putt Studio, and instruction from Andy Heiberger, PGA. Flagstick joined PBCGA as an Official Partner in 2025 and offers members exclusive access to its facilities and tailored training programs.
Visit flagstickgolfperformance.com →PBCGA's Signature Tournament
The County Amateur is Palm Beach County's most prestigious amateur golf championship, and its list of past champions reads like a who's-who of the sport. Major champion Mark Calcavecchia has hoisted this trophy, alongside PGA Tour members Steve Hart and Gary Nicklaus. Eoghan O'Connell of Palm City — a County Am champion — went on to halve his match with Phil Mickelson to help Great Britain-Ireland claim the Walker Cup.
The championship has also served as an early proving ground for some of golf's biggest current names. Four-time PGA Tour winner Daniel Berger finished runner-up here in 2008 as a 15-year-old. Five-time major champion and former World Number 1 Brooks Koepka competed in the County Amateur before going on to win the U.S. Open twice and the PGA Championship three times.
From Palm Beach County to the world stage — the County Amateur has been the starting line since 1976. NaShawn Tyson enters as the defending champion, having won the 50th edition last year at The Park with a score of 201 (-12).
51 Years of Champions
Tom Knapp holds the record for most titles with four (1982, 1984, 1987, 1991). Jordan Elsen is the most recent multi-time champion, winning back-to-back in 2023 and 2024 before Tyson broke through last year.
| Year | Winner | Location | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | NaShawn Tyson | The Park West Palm | 201 (-12) |
| 2024 | Jordan Elsen | The Park West Palm | 200 (-13) |
| 2023 | Jordan Elsen | PGA National - Fazio | 206 (-10) |
| 2022 | Andrew Riley | Mayacoo Lakes CC / Banyan Cay | 208 (-6) |
| 2021 | Brandon Smith | Ballen Isles CC-South / Ibis-Tradition | 206 (-10) |
| 2020 | Scott Turner | Dye Preserve / Jonathan's Landing | 206 (-10) |
| 2019 | Scott Turner | Lost Tree Club | 206 (-10) |
| 2018 | Cameron Starr | Turtle Creek Club | 206 (-10) |
| 2017 | Ryan Crowley | Sailfish Point Golf Club | 206 (-10) |
| 2016 | Christopher Carlin | OT-Fazio / Ibis-Legend | 210 (-6) |
| 2015 | Robbie Wight | Banyan GC / Mayacoo Lakes CC | 207 (-8) |
| 2014 | Eddie Kenny | CC of Florida / Quail Ridge-N | 207 (-9) |
| 2013 | Mike Weeks | Quail Ridge, S-N-N | 202 (-14) |
| 2012 | Austin Powell | BallenIsles-East / OT-Fazio | 207 (-9) |
| 2011 | Daniel Eggertsson | Pine Tree / The Falls | 215 (+1) |
| 2010 | Erik Downs | Falls CC / Old Trail-Fazio | 203 (-13) |
| 2009 | Danny Germaine | The Bear's Club / Lox Club | 210 (-6) |
| 2008 | Gary Nicklaus | Lost Tree / Ibis-Heritage | 205 (-11) |
| 2007 | Chappell Brown | Abacoa GC | 138* (-6) |
| 2006 | Eoghan O'Connell | Old Trail-Fazio | 213 (-3) |
| 2005 | David Abell | Mayacoo Lakes CC | 213 (E) |
| 2004 | R.J. Nakashian | Bear Lakes CC-Lakes | 213 (-3) |
| 2003 | Tim Powell | Mayacoo Lakes CC | 222 (-3) P-1 |
| 2002 | Kyle Henderson | Old Trail-Fazio | 212 (-4) |
| 2001 | Lee Stroever | Emerald Dunes GC | 215 (-1) P-2 |
| 2000 | Anders Johncke | Ibis-Legend | 216 (E) |
| 1999 | Steve Genchi | PGA National-Champion | 219 (+3) |
| 1998 | Eric Schreiber (won by 10) | Old Trail-Fazio | 210 (-6) |
| 1997 | Vince Cherrix | Bear Lakes CC-Lakes | 211 (-5) P-3 |
| 1996 | Vinny Graffeo | Cypress Links | 145* (+1) |
| 1995 | Pleasant Hughes | Emerald Dunes GC | 215 (-1) P-1 |
| 1994 | Mike Lefebre | Ibis-Heritage | 214 (-2) |
| 1993 | Jim Kilduff | Old Trail-Fazio | 216 (E) |
| 1992 | Mike Nealy | Bear Lakes CC-Lakes | 209 (-7) |
| 1991 | Tom Knapp | Bear Lakes CC-Lakes | 142* (-2) |
| 1990 | Bill Harvey | Bear Lakes CC-Lakes | 217 (+1) |
| 1989 | Larry Holland | Bear Lakes CC-Lakes | 213 (-3) |
| 1988 | Jim Sowerwine | JDM CC-East | 140* (-4) |
| 1987 | Tom Knapp | JDM CC-East | 214 (-2) |
| 1986 | Bill McDonough | JDM CC-East | 211 (-5) |
| 1985 | Bill McDonough | JDM CC-East | 219 (+3) |
| 1984 | Tom Knapp | JDM CC-East | 216 (E) |
| 1983 | Adam Armagost | Palm Beach National | 143* (-1) |
| 1982 | Tom Knapp | President CC-South | 215 (-1) |
| 1981 | Steve Hart | PB Polo & CC | 213 (-3) |
| 1980 | Dave Pesacov | Boca West GC No. 1 | 216 (E) |
| 1979 | Mark Calcavecchia | President CC-South | 219 (+3) |
| 1978 | Alan Menne | President CC-South | 140* (-4) |
| 1977 | Kevin Butler | Palm Beach National | 217 (+1) |
| 1976 | Mickey Van Gerbig | Palm Beach National | 217 (+1) |
*Rain shortened | P = Playoff
How the Championship Works
Three rounds. Seventy-eight players. One cut line that separates the field Saturday evening.
- Round 1 is played Friday, July 10, with tee times off Nos. 1 & 10 for the full 78-player field.
- Round 2 follows Saturday, July 11. After 36 holes, the low 60 scores and ties make the 36-hole cut and advance to Sunday.
- Round 3 — the championship's final round — is played Sunday, July 12, deciding the 51st County Amateur champion, with awards immediately following.
Over the past two seasons, the cut has settled around 149 (+7), low 60 and ties — a number worth watching as Friday's round unfolds.
Schedule of Events
What's at Stake
Exemption Pathways (New Categories for 2026)
Players in the following categories are exempt into the championship, provided they meet all entry and eligibility requirements:
- A Past Champions of the Palm Beach County Amateur (20 Years)
- B Top 30 & Ties, 2025 Palm Beach County Amateur
- C Open Winners of Individual PBCGA Tournaments in 2025
- D Qualifiers for the 2025 PBCGA Tour Championship
- E Top 5, 2025 PBCGA Senior Amateur Championship
- F Semi-Finalists, 2025 PBCGA Mid-Amateur Championship
- G Past Champions of the Nicklaus Junior Championship (3 Years)
- H Top 5, 2025 Nicklaus Junior Championship
- I Top 3, SFPGA Junior Tour 2025 Points List
- J Qualifiers for any 2025 USGA Championship
- K Special Exemptions at Tournament Committee discretion
Host Venue
The Park — West Palm Beach, FL
Playing to 7,076 yards and a par of 71 from the Yellow tees, The Park gives the County Amateur field a championship-length test — the same stage that crowned NaShawn Tyson the 50th champion a year ago.
Live scoring runs all three days as the field works through the cut and toward Sunday's final round.
View Live Leaderboard → Full Registration Guide →About the PBCGA
Since its inception in 1976, the Palm Beach Golf Association has been a cornerstone to the many excellent golfers residing in Palm Beach County. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the PBCGA conducts approximately 20 championships each year while promoting amateur golf throughout South Florida. Nearly 700 amateur golfers compete in PBCGA championships throughout the tournament season, playing the finest golf courses in the region.
The PBCGA has awarded over $495,000 in college scholarships to 195+ area students, partnering with Take Stock in Children – Palm Beach County to support deserving students through mentorship and tuition assistance. The Association is operated by Executive Director Jordan Schneider from its headquarters in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.