January 2–4, 2026 | St. Petersburg Country Club | Saint Petersburg, Florida
The New Year’s Invitational returned to St. Petersburg Country Club for its landmark 100th playing, delivering a centennial championship that lived up to its history. Played on a fully renovated championship layout, the event once again served as the official launch of the elite amateur golf season.
Final Round Recap & Championship Summary
An unforgettable finish capped the 100th New Year’s Invitational, as Lucas Gimenez emerged victorious after a dramatic six-man tie at 7-under par and a multi-hole playoff Sunday at St. Petersburg Country Club.
Gimenez closed with a final-round 72 to post 7-under 206 (66-68-72), joining Chase Bauer, Carson Baez, Jacob Lang, Calen Sanderson, and Parker Severs atop the leaderboard at the end of regulation. Gimenez ultimately outlasted the field in the playoff to claim the centennial championship.
Chase Bauer finished as runner-up after rounds of 70-67-69, while Sanderson (71-67-68), Baez (66-69-71), Lang (68-70-68), and Severs (69-72-65) shared third place at 7-under 206, highlighting the depth and volatility of the final-round chase.
Behind the playoff group, Dylan Teeter and Alex Heard finished tied for seventh at 5-under 208, while Bailey Sutter, Luke Balaskiewicz, and Mingbo Jiang rounded out the top 10 at 4-under 209.
In the Mid-Amateur Division, Joseph Trim captured top honors with rounds of 73-67-70, capping a standout performance in the centennial field.
With the victory, Gimenez also earned an exemption into the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour Lecom Suncoast Classic, turning a milestone amateur title into a direct professional opportunity.
Live Scoring & Leaderboard
View Final Results – 100th New Year’s Invitational
2026 Tournament Overview
The 100th New Year’s Invitational was contested January 2–4, 2026 at St. Petersburg Country Club, hosting its centennial championship on a newly rebuilt championship course stretching beyond 7,000 yards.
Schedule
- Thursday, Jan. 1: Registration & Practice Round
- Friday, Jan. 2: Round 1
- Saturday, Jan. 3: Round 2
- Sunday, Jan. 4: Final Round & Awards Presentation
Format
- 54 holes, stroke play
- Championship tees
- 92-player invitational field
- No cut
What the Champion Earns
The tournament champion earns an exemption into the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour Lecom Suncoast Classic, providing a direct pathway from amateur competition into the professional ranks. The prize continues to elevate the New Year’s Invitational as one of the most consequential early-season events on the amateur calendar.
A Century of Significance
First played in 1927, the New Year’s Invitational has been contested every year at St. Petersburg Country Club without interruption. Originally a match play championship, the event transitioned to stroke play in 1956 and later adopted the modern 54-hole format.
Its champions list underscores its role as a proving ground for elite talent, featuring Masters champion Bob Goalby, FedExCup winner Brandt Snedeker, PGA Tour winners J.B. Holmes and Gary Koch, European Tour winner Sam Horsfield, and U.S. Amateur champions Buddy Alexander and Peter Uihlein. More than 30 New Year’s Invitational competitors have advanced to PGA Tour careers.
The Venue: St. Petersburg Country Club
Designed by Herbert Strong and opened in 1924, St. Petersburg Country Club is defined by small, elevated greens, strategic bunkering, and a routing that shifts wind direction on nearly every hole.
A full renovation completed in 2024 introduced new tees, Bimini Bermuda fairways and rough, USGA-spec TifEagle greens, and a complete bunker rebuild with modern liners. The course now stretches beyond 7,000 yards, offering a firm, fast, and strategically demanding test for the Invitational’s centennial playing.
Recent Champions
Recent editions illustrate the scoring standard required to win at St. Petersburg:
- 2025: Cayden Pope (13-under 203)
- 2024: Cooper Smith (13-under 203)
The 100th edition reaffirmed the New Year’s Invitational’s place as one of amateur golf’s most meaningful stages — a championship where history, opportunity, and pressure intersect to begin a new season.