Jack Nicklaus designed the course. The LPGA staged several successful events there. The PGA Tour Champions held a major there once. Now, it's the time for the Senior PGA Professional Championship to have a turn at the scenic Superstition Mountain Golf & Country Club in Gold Canyon, Arizona, Oct. 22-25.
It's the first time in nine years that the event will be in Arizona. In 2017, Frank Esposito Jr. won at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale.
This year there is a 264-player field of PGA club and teaching pros 50 and older vying to be one of the top 35 who will earn spots in the 2027 Senior PGA Championship at The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Florida.
Superstition Mountain has 36 holes, the Lost Gold course as well as the Prospector. Both will be used over the first two days after which there will be a cut to the low 90 and ties. Then on the weekend, Lost Gold takes center stage. There will be a second cut after three rounds with the low 70 and ties advancing to play Sunday's final round.
Justin Hicks is the defending champion. He won a year ago at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida. He was later the low PGA of America professional at the 2026 Senior PGA.
"Really for me it's the same as last year, my first goal is to find a way towards the top of the leaderboard and find a way to be in that group that qualifies for the Senior PGA,” said Hicks ahead of this year's tournament. “These senior tees for the most part have been a little friendlier for me. I am a little bit more on the longer side of things amongst these guys and hopefully that gives me a little bit more opportunity to make more birdies because that's really what it's all about. You’ve got to have birdies in the tank.”
There are 13 past champions playing this week: Hicks (2025), Paul Claxton (2021), Jeff Coston (2006), Esposito Jr. (2014, ‘17), Kirk Hanefeld (2008, ‘11), Scott Hebert (2019), Alan Morin (2024), Matt Schalk (2022), Steve Schneiter (2016), Bob Sowards (2018, ‘23), Robert Thompson (2010), Omar Uresti (2020) and Jim White (2004).
There will be plenty of locals competing as well, with eight Southwest PGA Section members are in the field: Jim Carter (Scottsdale), Ross Farley (Queen Creek), J.D. Lindberg (Tucson), Gerry Norquist (Phoenix), Jerry Smith (Scottsdale), Jon Stanley (Phoenix), Dean Vomacka (Tucson) and Ralph West (Surprise, Arizona).
The winner this week receives $37,800 out of the $425,000 total prize fund. The top eight finishers automatically qualify for next year's Senior PGA Professional Championship.
Superstition Mountain opened the Prospector course in 1998 and Lost Gold in 1999. Jack Nicklaus teamed with his son Gary on the Prospector, while Lost Gold designed by Jack Nicklaus and his son Jack Jr.
Todd Kelly is an assistant managing editor at Golfweek.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Scenic Arizona golf course hosts Senior PGA Professional Championship this week