REGION EVENT NEWS

U.S. PRO HICKORY – Mark Harman from Ridgeland, South Carolina, captured his second John Shippen Trophy when he outlasted a field of professional players to claim the 2026 United States Professional Hickory Championship, played February 15 at Temple Terrace Country Club in Tampa, Florida. Overcoming high winds, Harman fired a 78 to edge runner-up and tournament founder Mike Stevens of Tampa. The event is held annually as a celebration of the history of golf as well as that of Temple Terrace, which hosted the top professionals of the day (including Walter Hagan and Gene Sarazen) at the 1925 Florida Open.

SOUTHEAST REGION CHAMPIONSHIP – Proving to be an inhospitable host, region director Mark Harman followed up his win at the U.S. Pro Hickory with a victory at the 2026 USGTF Southeast Region Championship played at Juliette Falls in Dunnellon, Florida, February 24-25. His scores of 82-78 – 160 for the win were abnormally high, the result of Juliette Falls hosting an earlier “greenskeeper’s revenge”-type of event where the hole locations were placed in ultra-difficult situations on the greens, and the course maintenance staff was unable to cut new holes due to frost delays both mornings. Central Region director Tony McMullin finished in second at 83-80, which was a good score considering the borderline-unfair hole locations and the fact that he was far from midseason form. Scores can be found at www.2026seregion.golfgenius.com.

McMullin also announced that the USGTF Central Region Championship will be held this coming June at Walden Ponds Golf Course, just outside Cincinnati, Ohio, with the exact date to be determined. Please keep an eye out in our monthly e-newsletter for further information.