Schmid, Schmuhl, Smith (-10) Share One-Shot Lead After Second Round of Senior PGA Professional Championship

A sunny day at Superstition Mountain Golf & Country Club produced a three-way tie atop the leaderboard following round two of the 2026 Senior PGA Professional Championship.

On the Prospector course, Jeffrey Schmid (Iowa City, Iowa) registered a 4-under-par 68 and Jason Schmuhl (Windsor, Calif.) posted even-par 72, while Stuart Smith (Reno, Nev.) shot 5-under-par 67 on the Lost Gold course, tying the trio at 10-under-par 134 and holding a one-shot lead heading into the weekend.

Kyle Dobbs (Scarsdale, N.Y.) is fourth, one shot back at 9-under. Defending champion Justin Hicks (Boca Raton, Fla.), Warren Pineo (Reno, N.V.) and Todd Ormsby (Newnan, Ga.) are T-5 at 8-under.

Schmid, PGA Teaching Professional at Brown Deer Golf Club in Coralville, Iowa, says he’s just trying to keep it simple.

“I'm just trying to play the best golf,” explained Schmid. “I'm not worrying about other people. I'm trying to make birdies, but I'm not trying to force myself. I'm hitting it really well. I'm driving it excellently so I feel good about my game. It comes down to making a few putts here and there.”

Beginning on Prospector’s par-4 10th, Schmid parred his first two holes then posted his lone bogey of the round at the par-3 12th. He steadied the ship with a birdie at the par-4 16th to make the turn at even-par 36. The 58-year-old ignited his round with a birdie at the par-5 2nd and three consecutive birdies on holes 5-7.

“I'm in pretty good shape,” said Schmid. “I try to be patient and then this course, if you drive it well, there's a lot of opportunities. It's really tough to read the greens. That's the hardest part about this course. I was fortunate. I had a couple of two-putt birdies and hit it close a couple of times and then I made a couple of nice 15 footers.”

Schmuhl, PGA Head Golf Professional at Windsor Golf Club in Windsor, Calif., began his day with eight consecutive pars on Prospector’s 10th-17th holes. His first birdie came at the par-5 18th.

After making the turn, bogeys at the par-4 1st and 3rd holes pushed Schmuhl to 1-over. The 54-year-old first round leader then recouped with an eagle on the par-5 7th hole.

“I hit a good tee shot,” said Schmuhl. “The second shot I hit, I didn't hit it very good and it looked like it was like 15 feet, but it was really 50 and it was the only putt that went in all day.”

A bogey on Prospector’s par-3 8th and a par at the par-4 9th brought Schmuhl’s finish to even par. After his up-and-down second round, Schmuhl aims to replicate his stellar first-round performance, a 10-under-par 62, on Lost Gold on Saturday.

“Play like I did in the first round, play free and not think about the score and just play,” said Schmuhl.

Smith, PGA Director of Instruction at Somersett Golf & Country Club in Reno, Nev., entered the week feeling confident after “playing and practicing a little bit more” in recent months.

He started his second round on Lost Gold’s par-4 1st hole and went birdie-bogey on holes 2-3. He collected another front-nine birdie at the par-5 5th to make the turn at 1-under-par 35. Four consecutive birdies on holes 12-15 and a bogey-birdie finish on holes 17-18 brought Smith his second straight 5-under-par 67.

“I was kind of disappointed at not birdieing 10 or 11," said Smith. “Then I hit it close on 12, hit it close on 13 and then on the par 5 up the hill I hit it on the fringe, made a nice chip down and had a short putt for three in a row. Then I dumped it in that front bunker on the par-3 15th, caught an uphill lie and holed it. That was a nice stretch that certainly got me back in the hunt.

“I didn't necessarily hit my best today, but I got some great breaks and took advantage of a couple of opportunities that I had. All in all, I'm pretty pleased, that's for sure.”

Dobbs, a PGA Assistant Professional at Fenway Golf Club in Scarsdale, N.Y., began the day T-15 following a first-round 3-under-par 69 (Prospector). The Metropolitan PGA Section Member totaled seven birdies against a single bogey, at the par-4 1st hole, his 10th hole.

“First of all, I need to give the credit to Darrell Kestner and Carl Alexander because without them I wouldn't be in this position,” said Dobbs. “They've invested some of their time with me. We played practice rounds together and they got my game straightened out so hats off to those guys. Today, I kept the ball in play and the numbers seemed to work out with the irons. I kept the ball around the cup and things just seemed to work out.”

Hicks, a PGA Teaching Professional at Stonebridge Country Club in Boca Raton, Fla., followed his opening-round 5-under-par 67 (Prospector) with 3-under-par 69 (Lost Gold) on Friday.

Pineo, a PGA Teaching Professional at Montreux Golf & Country Club in Reno, Nev., shot 3-under-par 69 (Lost Gold) after a first-round 5-under-par 67 (Prospector) on Thursday.

Ormbsy, a PGA Teaching Professional at Summer Grove Golf Club in Newnan, Ga., posted a 5-under-par 67 (Lost Gold) after shooting 3-under-par 69 (Prospector) on Thursday.

Bob Sowards (Dublin, Ohio), the 2018 and ‘23 Senior PPC Champion, is one of six players T-10 at 6-under. The 2024 Champion Alan Morin (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) is T-20 at 4-under.

Two members of the Southwest PGA Section made the 36-hole cut: Dean Vomacka (Tucson, Ariz.) is T-45 at 1-under and Jim Carter (Scottsdale, Ariz.) is T-54 at even-par.

108 players made the 36-hole cut at 2-over-par.

The 2026 Senior PPC marked an “emotional” milestone for John Ogden (Spartanburg, S.C.). The PGA Director of Golf at The Country Club of Spartanburg was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer approximately two years ago.

With the unyielding support of his wife Emily, family, friends and countless others from his Club and community, Ogden underwent treatment and fought his way back to the game. The 59-year-old won the 2026 Carolinas PGA Senior Professional Championship in August, earning a spot in this week’s field.

“I am so grateful,” said Ogden. “There are some of the best people I've ever met in my life in Spartanburg and The Country Club of Spartanburg. They've supported me, and they stood behind me in a very difficult time for my wife and I. I'm forever grateful. My staff is so great and I've been playing some better golf. I do get tired and lose my focus, but the stars lined up when I won the Senior Section. I didn't see any of that coming because I do play a lot like I did today where I just get tired.”

Ogden shot 73-79 this week to finish at 8-over. While the competitor in him wishes he had posted lower scores, Ogden hasn’t lost perspective on the achievement of simply competing this week with a strong contingent of family and friends cheering him on.

“It's been emotional for me because I didn't think I'd play again,” said Ogden. “I didn't play very good golf, but just to be here, I'm very blessed. It's emotional, and just to compete against the best players, it meant the world. Hopefully this is a step in the right direction at this point in my life with my age and the challenges I've had.”

The 2026 Senior PGA Professional Championship, supported by GOLF Channel and PXG, continues tomorrow on Superstition Mountain’s Lost Gold course before a final cut will be made to the low 70 scorers and ties. Sunday’s final round will also be on Lost Gold.

In addition to the Leo Fraser Trophy, named after the 16th president of the PGA of America, players are competing for a $425,000 purse with a winner’s share of $37,800. The top eight finishers, including ties, will automatically qualify for the 2027 Senior PGA Professional Championship to be held at PGA Golf Club, October 21-24.

For more about the Senior PGA Professional Championship, visit here.