PALM COAST, Florida – The names in the 30-player field may change each year but the 70th edition of the Golf Writers Association of America Championship finds a familiar name at the top of the leaderboard again.
Winning is becoming a habit for Leigh MacKay, as he captured the 2026 GWAA Championship title for an unprecedented 10th time. The 76-year old Port St. Lucie, Florida resident posted gross scores of 75-77-152 over 36 holes on the Ocean and Conservatory courses at Hammoch Beach Golf Resort & Spa to win the gross division.
MacKay, senior writer for New England dot Golf and Pro Golf Weekly, under the Stableford scoring system compiled 64 points to beat GWAA Championship Co-Chair Kevin Frisch (59) by five and third place contestant Gary Van Sickle (58) by six.
“It was fun, and the best part is we get to play very nice golf courses and meet with people whom we don’t get to see much throughout the year,” MacKay said. “It’s a good way to renew old friendships.”
MacKay won his first GWAA title in 2010 at the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Florida after coming close in his first two events at Curahee Club in Toccoa, GA, and at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.
“I was very happy not only because I had played the two superb courses, The Slammer & Squire and The King & Bear, in under par but also because I had such a grand time with the GWAA contingent,” said MacKay. “The camaraderie that I encountered first at Curahee and then at Foxwoods became the cornerstone of these GWAA tournaments. That spirit of friendship and competition has remained as steadfast and as appreciated at my 10th victory as it was at my first.”
Mark Marcus won the net division with 73 points, edging Tom Gorman (71) by two.
The GWAA Championship was played at the Dunes Golf & Beach Club, Myrtle Beach, S.C, 1954-2005. Since leaving Myrtle Beach after the 2005 Championship, the event has been played at courses around the country and with competition in various formats.
Prior winners show an impressive roster, certainly more skilled at journalism than at golf. The GWAA website shows Dan Jenkins as a two-time winner (1959 and 1961). Other multiple year winners include Des Sullivan, Ron Coffman, Steve Kelly, James McAfee, Curt Sampson, Bruce Stephen, Ed Gowan and David DeSmith.
2026 RESULTS
GROSS STABLEFORD
1. MacKay, Leigh (64)
2. Frisch, Kevin (59)
3. Van Sickle, Gary (56)
4. Gorman, Tom (55)
5. Sokol, Phil (52)
6. Marcus, Mark (52)
7. Hobson, Bill (52)
8. Dewalt, Gregg (47)
9. Scott, Danny (46)
10. Guertler, Stephan (45)
11. Schwarb, John (40)
12. Bailey, Mike (40)
13. Altvater, Fred (40)
14. Strauss, Mike (39)
15. Wood, Bo (36)
16. Zurak, Rick (36)
17. Mickelson, Carl (35)
18. Vukelich, Dan (31)
19. Hall, Larry (31)
20. McWilliams, Jamie (29)
21. Scott, Alice (27)
22. Sweeney, Brendan (27)
23. Garbedian, Chuck (27)
24. Kane, Kevin (23)
25. McNeilly, George (22)
26. Emerson, Eric (19)
NET STABLEFORD
1. Marcus, Mark (73)
2. MacKay, Leigh (71)
3. Gorman, Tom (71)
4. Wood, Bo (63)
5. Sokol, Phil (62)
6. Frisch, Kevin (59)
7. Altvater, Fred (59)
8. Van Sickle, Gary (58)
9. Scott, Alice (57)
10. Hall, Larry (57)
11. Hobson, Bill (56)
12. Vukelich, Dan (56)
13. Guertler, Stephan (55)
14. Dewalt, Gregg (55)
15. Schwarb, John (55)
16. Zurak, Rick (54)
17. Sweeney, Brendan (51)
18. Scott, Danny (51)
19. McNeilly, George (51)
20. Mickelson, Carl (50)
21. Bailey, Mike (50)
22. Emerson, Eric (48)
23. McWilliams, Jamie (47)
24. Strauss, Mike (45)
25. Kane, Kevin (39)
26. Garbedian, Chuck (28)
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