Snoeberger Claims Southern Open Victory at Champions Pointe
Indiana Professional Golf Association, Henryville, IN (April 13)–
A strong field of 151 players gathered at Champions Pointe Golf Club for the 2026 PGA Southern Open, where a picture-perfect day in Southern Indiana was paired with a steady wind that proved to be the tournament’s greatest defense.
While sunshine filled the skies throughout the day, the breeze picked up as play continued, creating two distinctly different scoring environments between the morning and afternoon waves.
The morning wave set the tone early, with Eric Steger racing out to the lead and reaching 5-under par. Steger held control for much of his round before a difficult finish, where late bogeys dropped him back to 3-under.
Close behind, Nick Bienz steadily worked his way into contention, posting a solid 4-under round to stay within striking distance.
It was Mattingly Upchurch who made the biggest move of the morning. Mixing aggressive play with consistency, Upchurch recorded six birdies and an eagle to climb to 5-under par. A clutch birdie on the 17th hole gave him the solo clubhouse lead as the morning wave wrapped up.
As the afternoon wave took the course, conditions at Champions Pointe became increasingly challenging. The wind intensified, forcing players to adjust on the fly and making it difficult to maintain momentum.
Peyton Snoeberger did just that.
Snoeberger put together one of the day’s most complete rounds, building early momentum and staying in control through much of his round despite the changing conditions. He remained bogey-free late into the day before encountering trouble down the stretch.
“I hit it pretty well all day, up until my 17th hole,” Snoeberger said. “Drove it in the water there… I was able to make bogey. And then I gave myself a look at par on the last hole… ultimately glad to come away with the victory.”
“I knew where I was,” he added. “I had a two-shot lead going into the last couple holes… just didn’t make a great swing off the tee there.”
A closing bogey brought him back to 5-under par—matching the clubhouse lead set earlier by Upchurch.
With both players tied, a playoff was set to determine the champion. However, Upchurch was unable to return to play, resulting in Snoeberger being declared the winner of the 2026 PGA Southern Open.
Despite the unique finish, Snoeberger’s performance stood out—particularly in the more difficult afternoon conditions, where scoring opportunities were limited.
The victory adds to an already strong run for Snoeberger, who continues to establish himself among the top players in the state.
“It feels good,” Snoeberger said. “There’s a lot of really good players in the state, so to be up there competing week in and week out is a good sign for me going forward.”
With the season just getting underway, the momentum is something he hopes to carry forward.
“This gives me a big boost of confidence going into the season,” he said. “I’m just trying to play in as many events as I can and compete in each and every one.”
Full results from the 2026 PGA Southern Open can be found here: