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The Worldwide Golf Amateur Players Tour Players Championship returned to South Florida over Memorial Day weekend, bringing together one of the strongest fields of the 2026 season at the legendary PGA National Resort. The Tour’s premier regular season major once again featured a demanding 54-hole test across the Fazio and Champion Courses, culminating on the famed Champion Course — home of the PGA Tour’s Cognizant Classic and the infamous “Bear Trap.”
With Worldwide Golf serving as the presenting sponsor of the Amateur Players Tour for the fourth consecutive season, the event once again delivered a true championship atmosphere. Players battled swirling winds, firm conditions, and South Florida heat throughout the weekend, while the Tour’s partnership with Folds of Honor continued to support military families and first responders through the game of golf.
The opening 36 holes on the Fazio Course produced movement throughout the leaderboard, but as always at PGA National, the championship would ultimately be decided on Sunday across the Champion Course. Windy conditions made the closing stretch especially demanding, with holes 15 through 17 — the famed Bear Trap — proving once again why it remains one of the most feared stretches in championship golf.
In Division 1, fifty-four holes weren’t enough to decide the championship.
Worldwide Golf National Player of the Year Andrew Echard (Utah) entered the final round chasing down Erik Benson (Atlanta), who posted rounds of 77-75-77 (+13) to set the clubhouse target. Echard answered with a closing 76 of his own, finishing at 73-80-76 (+13) to force a sudden-death playoff between two of the Tour’s elite players.
The playoff shifted back to the par-5 18th on the Champion Course, where both players unleashed long drives into the left rough. Benson played first and came up short into the front greenside bunker, while Echard reached left of the putting surface in two. Benson responded with one of the shots of the championship, splashing his bunker shot to four feet. Echard answered with a delicate pitch that left him just three feet for birdie.
With pressure mounting, Benson confidently poured in his birdie putt. Moments later, Echard’s attempt slid past the edge, giving Benson his first career major championship victory in dramatic fashion.
Matt Ross (Florida Southwest) earned solo third at 73-77-83 (+17), rounding out the payout positions in Division 1. The top finishers also secured priority registration exemptions into September’s North American Championship at We-Ko-Pa.
In Division 2, John Wayne Parrish (Carolina Triad) controlled the championship from the opening round and never allowed the field fully back into contention.
Parrish opened with a steady 76 before adding a second-round 78 on Moving Day at the Fazio Course, building separation heading into Sunday’s final round on the Champion Course. With windy conditions creating big numbers throughout the field, Parrish stayed composed enough to close with an 84 and finish at 76-78-84 (+22), earning his first National Major victory.
Mike Vawter (Maryland) made a charge on the back nine Sunday and briefly trimmed the deficit, ultimately finishing runner-up at 80-80-87 (+31). Rocky Dare (New Jersey/Philadelphia) secured solo third at +32, while JP Pinkney (Jacksonville) and Christopher Idip (Virginia Capital) completed the payout positions.
With the victory, Parrish firmly inserts himself into the Worldwide Golf National Player of the Year race heading into the summer championship stretch.
Division 3 delivered one of the deepest and most competitive fields of championship week.
After opening-round 82s from Rick Johnson (St. Louis) and Bill Debobes (Metro New York), the leaderboard remained tightly packed through two rounds. A Moving Day 81 from John Blackburn (Indianapolis) and an 82 from Dan Sadler (Central Pennsylvania) helped set the stage for a Sunday showdown on the Champion Course.
But once the field reached the Bear Trap, Blackburn separated himself from the pack.
Battling heavy winds and mounting pressure, Blackburn navigated holes 15 through 17 in 1-over par — one of the best closing stretches of the entire division — helping him secure a convincing five-shot victory. Blackburn closed with rounds of 84-81-86 (+35) to earn his first National Major title and immediately vault himself into contention in the Worldwide Golf National Player of the Year race.
Dan Sadler (Central Pennsylvania) and Andre Banks (Charlotte) shared runner-up honors at +40, while Iceman Clark (Memphis) finished fourth at +42. Troy White (Houston) claimed fifth at +44, and Tim Carswell (Charlotte) secured sixth at +45.
Also earning payouts in the deep Division 3 field were Rick Knepp (Central Pennsylvania) and Bill Debobes (Metro New York), who tied for seventh at +46. The division’s top five and ties earned priority registration exemptions into September’s North American Championship at We-Ko-Pa.
In Division 4, momentum swung throughout all three rounds before Darren Barberio (New Jersey/Philadelphia)delivered the round that mattered most.
JD Lee (Myrtle Beach) set the early pace with an opening-round 81, while Ronnie Thornton (Charlotte) surged up the leaderboard on Moving Day after firing an impressive 83 at the Fazio Course.
Sunday, however, belonged to Barberio.
Starting the final round from behind, Barberio handled the Champion Course better than anyone in the division, carding an outstanding closing 84 in difficult conditions to finish at 86-88-84 (+42). The performance earned Barberio his first career major championship victory along with a priority exemption into this year’s North American Championship.
Thornton claimed solo second at +48, while Ryan Troll (St. Louis) and Carl Elliston (Metro New York) tied for third at +49. Roger Dollins (Tulsa) and Chris Huge (Myrtle Beach) shared fifth at +51 to complete the payout positions.
Division 5 turned into a battle of survival across three demanding days at PGA National.
Rusty Lingenfelter (Florida Southwest) grabbed the early lead after opening with a 93, while former National Player of the Year Garye LaFevers (Phoenix) positioned himself with a second-round 92 to move squarely into contention entering Sunday.
But the final round belonged to Robert Rosenbaum (Iowa).
Despite brutal conditions on the Champion Course, Rosenbaum stayed steady enough throughout the afternoon, closing with a 99 to secure a two-shot victory at 98-93-99 (+74). LaFevers finished runner-up at +76, while Chris Brockmeyer (St. Louis), Rusty Lingenfelter (Florida Southwest), and David Densieski (Florida Southwest) shared third at +78.
With another strong finish, LaFevers continues to strengthen his lead in the Worldwide Golf National Player of the Year standings.
In the Mid-Am Net competition, Ryan Troll (St. Louis) continued his impressive 2026 campaign by capturing the title at +5.
After earning promotion from Division 5 to Division 4 entering the season, Troll continues proving he belongs among stronger competition. His rounds of 76-72-73 (+5) were enough to separate from the field and secure the championship.
Christopher Idip (Virginia Capital) finished runner-up at +9, while Robert Spriggel (Kansas City) claimed third at +12. Steve Pickens (Denver) rounded out the payout positions at +13.
In Senior Net, Ronnie Thornton (Charlotte) was the only player in the field to finish under par for the 54-hole championship, capturing the title at 71-67-77 (-1).
Thornton survived a difficult Sunday on the Champion Course and edged Travis Crawley (Virginia Capital) by a single stroke after Crawley finished even par for the week at 70-67-79 (E).
The biggest final-round move belonged to Joseph Mahoney (Metro New York), who fired a remarkable 68 during the final round on the Champion Course to vault into solo third at +1.
Rounding out the payout positions were John Blackburn (Indianapolis) and John Wayne Parrish (Carolina Triad) tied for fourth at +4, Daniel Shelbo (Myrtle Beach) and Mike Vawter (Maryland) tied for sixth at +6, Sal Leto (New Jersey/Philadelphia), Chris Huge (Myrtle Beach), and Rusty Lingenfelter (Florida Southwest) tied for eighth at +7, along with Iceman Clark (Memphis) and Rick Johnson (St. Louis) tied for 11th at +8.
The Players Championship once again showcased why PGA National remains one of the most demanding and memorable stops on the Amateur Players Tour calendar. With the summer championship season approaching, the races for Worldwide Golf National Player of the Year, NAC exemptions, and We-Ko-Pa priority positioning continue to intensify across every division.
