PGA of America Golf Professional Ryan McGinnis added another major championship to his 2026 season Wednesday, defeating Eric Manning in a sudden-death playoff to capture the CNY PGA Player’s Championship at Thendara Golf Club.
McGinnis and Manning finished the 36-hole championship tied at 7-under-par 137, setting up a dramatic finish after Manning made birdie on the 18th hole to force the playoff.
Manning, who began the final round five shots behind McGinnis, fired an impressive 7-under-par 65 to close the gap. His birdie on the 18th brought him even with McGinnis, who carded a second-round 70 after opening the championship with a 5-under 67.
With the championship tied, the two returned to the first tee for sudden death.
“Eric played great. He shot seven under today,” McGinnis said. “So after seeing him hit it to two feet on the last hole, me making a good two-putt coming to the first playoff hole, it was like, all right, let’s reset.”
Both players made par on the first playoff hole, sending them to the second. McGinnis was able to pull away on the second playoff hole to secure the championship.
“I just did my best to give myself a birdie look every hole,” McGinnis said. “And I was fortunate to get the win on the second hole.”
The victory marks McGinnis’ second CNY PGA major championship of the season. He captured the CNY PGA Stroke Play Championship earlier this spring, making 2026 a standout season for the CNY PGA professional.
For McGinnis, the success is the result of a process that began well before the start of the season.
“I started a big swing change two and a half years ago, and this is the first year where it’s all come together,” McGinnis said. “I really haven’t thought about golf swing. I’ve just played golf, enjoyed doing it, and had two really good wins.”
McGinnis said his focus throughout the championship was simple: commit to every shot and give himself as many opportunities as possible.
“My goal coming in was commit to every shot,” McGinnis said. “And my goal was, can I give myself 18 looks at birdie? I think I was pretty successful with that.”
That approach helped McGinnis navigate Thendara’s challenging closing stretch, where he knew mistakes could quickly change the championship.
“When you get on the backside here it gets tight, so you’ve got to really make sure you do that,” McGinnis said.
While Manning fell just short of the Player’s Championship, his runner-up finish capped an outstanding season and secured both the CNY PGA Player of the Year and Senior Player of the Year titles.
Manning’s final-round 65 was the low round of the championship and highlighted the season-long consistency that earned him both honors.
Matt Campbell finished third at 5-under-par 139 after rounds of 70 and 69.
Zach Vinal and Dennis Colligan shared fourth place at 2-over-par 146. Vinal posted rounds of 78 and 68, while Colligan finished with a 72 and 74.
McGinnis also offered a message for the next generation of CNY PGA players looking to follow in his footsteps.
“I think the biggest thing is just the right way and committing to a good practice plan,” McGinnis said. “And then once you’re on the golf course, it’s just—it’s a game of chess. How do you manage yourself? How do you manage your way around the golf course to give yourself the best opportunity to shoot the best score?”
Dennis Colligan secured the Head Pro Championship on Monday with an even par 72. The Head Pro Championship is open to PGA Professionals classified as General Manager, Director of Golf or Head Golf Professional.