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By Randy Dodson
The Utah Section PGA stepped into its 40th championship season the same way it honored its past, with purpose and perspective. The inaugural Utah Section PGA Hall of Fame induction ceremony set the tone in March, recognizing the people who built the Section while reminding everyone in the room what still drives the game forward. When inductee Ernie Schneiter Jr. was asked what memories stay with him most, his answer was simple and on point, “The victories.”
That thought carries weight this season and served as a reminder to Section members to keep playing. The 2026 schedule presents one of the deepest competitive calendars the Section has delivered, anchored by a historic milestone. The Utah Open returns to Riverside Country Club in August for its 100th playing, a championship that has long defined professional golf in the state. One hundred champions in, it remains the high bar, the place where careers are validated and legacies are built.
2025 Utah PGA Section and Senior Section champion Chris Moody said, “The Utah Section members are so fortunate to have golf professionals and the Section staff that go out of their way to raise money and put on a number of first class events each and every summer. The Utah Section PGA has an incredible pool of players that could win any given week. It is the high level competition that makes these events so much fun to compete in.”
Beyond the centennial spotlight, the Section championship lineup continues to offer competitive paths at every stage of a PGA Professional’s career. The Utah Section Championship heads to northern Utah this year to a newly renovated Logan Country Club, adding a fresh test to one of the Section’s cornerstone events and serving as a direct pipeline to national competition. The Assistant PGA Championship and Senior PGA Professional Championship qualifiers again carry added importance, with national playing spots on the line and a clear route for Section Members to represent Utah on a national stage.
“It’s always fun to travel out of the Utah Section and be able to talk with other Sections about how many tournaments we are able to play in,” Moody said.
Depth remains the strength of the annual schedule. Match Play, Four-Ball, and the Utah Women’s Open continue to provide competitive balance across different formats, while the senior circuit, including the Senior Open, Senior Match Play, and Senior Section Championship, remains a steady and respected mainstay of the season. These championships are where Section Members stay connected and continue to compete with purpose.
“Because of the full schedule tournaments, it helps the players be ready for when they do qualify for national events,” Moody said.
Equally important is the full slate of affiliated Open events across the state. These tournaments fill the season calendar and keep competitive opportunities available until late fall. For many members, this is where confidence builds ahead of championship events.
“We are super lucky to be a part of the Utah Section PGA!” Moody added.
The message coming out of the Hall of Fame ceremony still applies as the season gets underway. This schedule is more than just another tournament. It is opportunity and the chance to add significant stories to a Section now 40 years strong. And as Schneiter said, when it is all said and done, it is the victories that become the memories that last.
Click here for the 2026 Utah PGA championship calendar.
