30th Abacoa Junior Senior (October 10-11. 2026)

30 Editions
Final Regular-Season Event · Junior + Senior Teams

30th Abacoa Junior Senior Championship

October 10–11, 2026 · Abacoa Golf Club, Jupiter · Sponsored and hosted by Abacoa Golf Club

Thirty editions in, the idea behind the Abacoa Junior Senior hasn’t changed: one player 49 or younger, one player 50 or older, 36 holes, one score. On Saturday, October 10 and Sunday, October 11, 22 teams head back to Abacoa Golf Club for the last regular-season stop on the 2026 PBCGA calendar. Five of those teams are parents and their children, several former champions are back with new partners, and Points Cup standings in all three divisions are still in play one week before the Tour Championship presented by Tiger Woods.

30th Edition
22 Teams Entered
36 Holes
200 Points to the Winners

Five Storylines for the 30th

  1. An Open Title

    Marty Rifkin and Jeremy Walsh won the 29th edition last October with rounds of 68 and 66 for a 10-under 134, one shot ahead of Mike Weeks and Wylie Inman and of Scott Butler and Braden List. Rifkin and Walsh are not in this year’s field, so the 2025 title will not be defended. Rifkin’s win also came 13 years after his first, in 2012 with Scott Wilson.

  2. The Chouinards Return

    Mike and Caleb Chouinard won the rain-shortened 2024 championship with a 65, and they are back together for 2026. Mike also played last year with Brenden Chouinard and finished in a tie for eighth. Of the five family teams in this year’s field, the Chouinards are the only one that has already won this event.

  3. The Record Holder Is Back

    Stephen Anderson and Pete Williams won this championship four times (2010, 2011, 2013 and 2016), more than any other team. Their 127 in 2016 is still tied for the lowest winning score in event history. Anderson is back with Luke Harrigan, his partner for a tie for 13th in 2025.

  4. Past Champions, New Partners

    Mike Nealy won the sixth edition in 2001 with Clyde Gibson. Twenty-five years later he is back with Matt Lashinger, after the pair closed with a 67 last year to tie for fourth. Frank Babusik (2015, with Jackson Shoenfelt) is paired with Ryan Haxel, and Ryan Howison (2022, with Scott Butler) tees it up with Richard Donegan. Chris Hatfield, who won a playoff in 2023 with Jeff Helfrich, is back with Tyler Huffman.

  5. Last Call Before the Tour Championship

    The Junior Senior is the final regular-season event before the Tour Championship presented by Tiger Woods, October 17–18 at Mayacoo Lakes Country Club. Points are available in the Open, Senior and Super Senior races, so a strong weekend at Abacoa can still move a player into or out of the final field.

All in the Family

Eric & Connor Ahlborg Ali & Callum Brown Mike & Caleb Chouinard Joe & Joey Iaciofano Charles & Charles Siebrecht Jr.

Because the format pairs a junior with a senior, many families enter it together, and five parent-child teams are in this year’s field. The Iaciofanos are one to watch. Their opening 66 in last year’s alternate-shot round was tied for the lowest first-round score, and they finished in a tie for fourth.

On Saturday you play your partner’s drive. On Sunday you count on your partner’s score.

How It Works

The championship is a single division of two-person teams. Each team pairs one Junior (49 or younger) with one Senior (50 or older), and Juniors and Seniors play from separate tees.

Round 1 · Saturday, Oct. 10

Modified Alternate Shot

Both players tee off on every hole, and then each player plays their partner’s drive for the second shot. After the second shots, the team picks one ball and plays it in alternate shot until it is holed.

Penalty strokes do not change the order of play. Teams may change balls once on the putting green.

Round 2 · Sunday, Oct. 11

Better Ball

Both partners play their own ball on every hole, and the lower score is the team score for that hole.

There is no penalty if one partner does not finish a hole.

If teams are tied for the championship, a sudden-death playoff begins right after play ends. A playoff decided the title in 2005, 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2023.

What’s at Stake

Points in All Three Races

The winning team earns 200 points, second place earns 150 and third earns 120. Points are paid through 15th place and count toward the Open, Senior and Super Senior Points Cup races, presented by The Golf Crypt, Jupiter.

Tour Championship Field

After this event, the top 15 Open, top 12 Senior and top 9 Super Senior players in the standings qualify for the Tour Championship presented by Tiger Woods. Players need at least three starts to be eligible for invitation.

Smidt Cup Invitation

The top 10 Open players and the top 2 Seniors form the 12-player PBCGA team that plays the Southeast Chapter PGA Professionals.

Daily Skins

There is a skins game in each round, $80 per team for the full event, paid in cash or by Venmo to @PBCGA. Entries are accepted only before your opening-round start time.


Thirty Years of Champions

The first edition was played at Old Trail in 1996 and won by Jack Moriarty and Bob Brown at 137. For its first nine years, the championship moved among clubs across the county. It has been played at Abacoa Golf Club since 2005.

Ed. Year Champions Venue Score
29th 2025 Marty Rifkin & Jeremy Walsh Abacoa GC 134
28th 2024 Mike Chouinard & Caleb Chouinard Abacoa GC 65*
27th 2023 Chris Hatfield & Jeff Helfrich Abacoa GC 131 (P)
26th 2022 Scott Butler & Ryan Howison Abacoa GC 129
25th 2021 Brandon Smith & Tim Hanlon Abacoa GC 130
24th 2020 Mike Conforti & Mike Weeks Abacoa GC 127
23rd 2019 Kyle Westhorpe & Tony Panebianco Abacoa GC 131
22nd 2018 Dan Russo & Justin Goodhue Abacoa GC 128
21st 2016 Steve Anderson & Pete Williams Abacoa GC 127
20th 2015 Jackson Shoenfelt & Frank Babusik Abacoa GC 129
19th 2014 Michael Blum & Brian Kennedy Abacoa GC 131
18th 2013 Steve Anderson & Pete Williams Abacoa GC 131
17th 2012 Scott Wilson & Marty Rifkin Abacoa GC 131 (P)
16th 2011 Steve Anderson & Pete Williams Abacoa GC 132 (P)
15th 2010 Steve Anderson & Pete Williams Abacoa GC 128
14th 2009 Brent Bush & Mark Peel Abacoa GC 134
13th 2008 Brent Bush & Mark Peel Abacoa GC 131 (P)
12th 2007 Kevin Hammer & Woody Greene Abacoa GC 130
11th 2006 R.J. Nakashian & Gary Mackintosh Abacoa GC 131
10th 2005 Brandon Smith & Dann Merrell Abacoa GC 133 (P)
9th 2004 Ryan Konkus & Clyde Gibson PGA National – Squire 134
8th 2003 Jim Patrone & Clyde Gibson; Andy Johncke & Lenny Loyd (co-champions) Boca CC 132
7th 2002 Eric Schreiber & Richard Ekey Breakers West CC 128
6th 2001 Mike Nealy & Clyde Gibson Admirals Cove – East 128
5th 2000 Andy Johncke & Lenny Loyd Atlantis CC 133
4th 1999 Rick Othmer & Clyde Gibson Bear Lakes – Links 136
3rd 1998 Paul Piccolo & George Rodriguez Frenchman’s Creek 135
2nd 1997 Paul Piccolo & George Rodriguez PB Polo – Dunes/Cypress 134
1st 1996 Jack Moriarty & Bob Brown Old Trail – Fazio 137

* 2024 was shortened to 18 holes by rain. (P) = won in a playoff. Clyde Gibson won four titles with four different partners (1999, 2001, 2003 and 2004).


Home Course: Abacoa Golf Club

Abacoa Golf Club in Jupiter is one of South Florida’s best public golf courses. It was also the last course designed by Joe Lee before his death. Abacoa has hosted the Junior Senior every year since 2005, along with this season’s County Amateur Qualifier. Players know the course well, so the low scores usually come down to the alternate-shot round on Saturday.

Our Sponsors

Title Sponsor & Host

Abacoa Golf Club

Abacoa Golf Club is the title sponsor and host of the Junior Senior, which it holds every October.

Thank you to Robbie Dew, Director of Golf Rob Young and Superintendent Dale Knefely for supporting the PBCGA. If you see them this weekend, please thank them in person.

Points Cup Sponsor

The Golf Crypt, Jupiter

The Golf Crypt is Jupiter’s members-only indoor golf club, with Trackman 4 simulators and practice space open 24/7. It presents this season’s Player of the Year and Season Points Cup Race, and this weekend’s points could change the final standings before the Tour Championship.

About the PBCGA

The Palm Beach Golf Association was founded in 1976 and has been home to many of the area’s best amateur golfers ever since. Each season it runs about 20 championships and promotes amateur golf across South Florida. As a 501(c)(3) organization, the PBCGA also funds college scholarships for deserving Florida students. Thanks to support from members and sponsors, 25 students currently receive tuition scholarships.

Pairings, live scoring and final results for the 30th Abacoa Junior Senior are all on BlueGolf.

View the Tournament Page

Questions? Contact Jordan Schneider, Executive Director: /blog/abacoa-junior-senior-2026 · (561) 625-0400