Coloradan Matt Schalk qualifies for another senior major with top-15 finish at national Senior PGA Professional Championship; former Aspen resident Justin Leonard posts third straight top-5 showing on senior tour
By Gary Baines – 10/26/2025
Matt Schalk of Erie is heading for his fourth start in a PGA Tour Champions major.
The PGA general manager at Colorado National Golf Club tied for 14th place on Sunday at the national Senior PGA Professional Championship in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Schalk, who won the national Senior PGA Professional Championship title three years ago, finished even par for 72 holes for his top-15 showing in an event which featured a starting field of 264 players. He went 69-71-76-72 and ended up eight strokes behind 2025 champ Justin Hicks of Wellington, Fla.
The top 35 finishers on Sunday qualified for the 2026 Senior PGA Championship, a major on the Champions circuit. Next year’s Senior PGA is set for April 16-19 at The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Fla.
Schalk previously competed in the Senior PGA Championship in 2023, and has teed it up in the U.S. Senior Open in 2024 and ’25, the latter at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. He’s looking to make a cut in a senior major for the first time.
For his performance this week, Schalk earned $4,360. He was the lone Colorado PGA member — out of 10 in the field — who made the 54-hole cut in Port St. Lucie. Over four rounds, he carded an eagle, 14 birdies, 11 bogeys, a double bogey and a triple bogey.
Scores for Coloradans at National Senior PGA Professional Championship
Oct. 23-26 in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Advances to 2026 Senior PGA Championship
14. Matt Schalk, Colorado National GC 69-71-76-72–288
Missed 54-Hole Cut
Micah Rudosky, Conquistador GC 79-71-75–225
Bobby Quaratino, West Woods GC 76-74-77—227
Doug Rohrbaugh, River Valley Ranch 75-73-81—229
Missed 36-Hole Cut
Chris Johnson, CC at Westmoor 76-77–153
Mike Zaremba, Desert Hawk at Pueblo West 76-77–153
Caine Fitzgerald, Meadow Hills GC 79-79–158
Barry Milstead, Valley CC 84-76–160
Bill Hancock, Meadow Hills GC 82-79—161
Scott Sommers, Flatirons GC 81-83–164
For all the scores from the national Senior PGA Professional Championship, CLICK HERE.
— Justin Leonard Notches Another Top-5: Elsewhere in senior professional golf on Sunday, former Aspen resident Justin Leonard continued his torrid streak on PGA Tour Champions as he tied for fifth on Sunday at the Simmons Bank Championship in Little Rock, Ark.
Leonard, who lived in Aspen full time from 2015-22, recorded scores of 66-68-72, good for a 10-under-par total in the second PGA Tour Champions Schwab Cup Playoff event. He finished 10 strokes behind runaway winner Steve Alker.
In his last six Champions events, Leonard has finished second, seventh, 11th, fifth, first and fifth. He won the Dominion Energy Charity Classic on Oct. 19.
With this performances, Leonard has moved up to No. 7 in the season-long Schwab Cup point standings. He’ll be among 36 players who will tee it up in the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship Nov. 13-16 in Phoenix. The other two players with strong Colorado ties who competed in Little Rock did not qualify for the Schwab Cup Championship and saw their season end on Sunday. Colorado residents David Duval (44th place) and Shane Bertsch (47th) finished outside the top 36 in the 2025 points standings.
For all the scores from the Simmons Bank Championship, CLICK HERE.