2026 Simmons Bank Championship at Pleasant Valley Country Club
The 2026 Simmons Bank Championship presented by Stephens returns to Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock from October 30 through November 1. The three-round tournament is the second event of the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, bringing the top 54 players in the standings into a high-pressure fight for one of 36 places in the season-ending championship.
Pleasant Valley's tournament course is listed by the PGA TOUR at par 72 and 7,101 yards. The Joe Finger design, created with Jimmy Demaret and Byron Nelson as consultants, features rolling terrain, oak-and-pine-lined Bermudagrass fairways, strategic bunkering, eight ponds, ultra-dwarf Bermudagrass greens, and a combination of risk-reward scoring holes and demanding approaches.
This page is the main CaddyBytes Simmons Bank Championship hub for live scoring, playoff-field developments, Pleasant Valley course analysis, highlights, Steven Alker defending-champion coverage, top-36 advancement scenarios, Arkansas charity stories, tournament history, and round-by-round reporting from Little Rock.
🏌️ Pleasant Valley Country Club — Little Rock, Arkansas Par 72 • 7,101 Yards • Joe Finger Design
Pleasant Valley Country Club has hosted the Simmons Bank Championship since its 2024 debut. The sprawling Mid-South layout is built around accurate driving, water management, controlled approach play, confident Bermudagrass putting, smart par-5 aggression, and calm execution under playoff pressure.
Quick Course Overview
Pleasant Valley hired Joe Finger in the late 1960s to design its 27-hole golf complex, with three-time Masters champion Jimmy Demaret and Byron Nelson serving as consultants. The course combines rolling hills, scenic lakes, oak-and-pine-lined fairways, abundant wildlife, strategic ponds, and Bermuda playing surfaces. The PGA TOUR tournament setup measures 7,101 yards and plays to par 72.
Course Type / Conditions
- Traditional Mid-South parkland layout with rolling terrain and tree-lined corridors
- 419 Bermudagrass on tees, fairways, and rough with ultra-dwarf Bermudagrass putting surfaces
- Eight ponds across the property create strategic carries, penalty areas, and approach decisions
- Par-72 scorecard with four par 5s, four par 3s, and ten par 4s
What Matters Most
- Driving position to avoid blocked approaches beneath oak and pine trees
- Water management because aggressive lines can quickly create penalty strokes
- Par-5 conversion on a course where low scoring is required to contend
- Bermuda putting to convert birdie opportunities and protect momentum
Player-Fit Keys
- Confident drivers who combine distance with control through tree-lined corridors
- Strong wedge and short-iron players capable of creating repeated birdie chances
- Experienced Bermudagrass putters who can handle grain and changing speeds
- Composed playoff competitors who can attack without forcing shots around water
Winning Formula
- Build scoring momentum on the par 5s and more accessible par 4s
- Keep tee shots in position and avoid penalty strokes around the ponds
- Control distance into elevated and contoured Bermuda targets
- Stay aggressive enough to contend while protecting a top-36 advancement position
Simmons Bank Championship
2026 Simmons Bank Championship
Tournament Details
Date: October 30-November 1, 2026
Location: Pleasant Valley Country Club, Little Rock, Arkansas
Format: 54-hole Charles Schwab Cup Playoff event
Purse: $2.3 million
A 54-player playoff event on Pleasant Valley's par-72 Joe Finger design.
Tournament Details Live News Feed Official Tournament PageSimmons Bank Championship & Pleasant Valley Coverage
2026 Simmons Bank Championship
Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs
Pleasant Valley Country Club — Little Rock, Arkansas
$2.3 million purse and a 54-player playoff field
Second event of the three-tournament Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs
CaddyBytes hub for scoring, news, highlights, advancement movement, and course coverage
Pleasant Valley Country Club
Little Rock Championship Venue
Par 72 • 7,101 Yards
Oak-and-pine-lined Bermudagrass fairways across rolling Mid-South terrain
Eight ponds, strategic bunkering, and ultra-dwarf Bermudagrass greens
Designed with Jimmy Demaret and Byron Nelson serving as consultants
Defending Champion: Steven Alker
2025 Simmons Bank Champion
Winning Score: 20-Under 196
Opened with an 11-under 61 and led wire to wire
Added rounds of 66 and 69 to finish seven strokes clear
Used a final-round hole-out eagle at the par-5 10th to extend control
Pleasant Valley Course-Fit Keys
Driving, Wedge Play & Bermuda Putting
Birdie Production, Water Management and Momentum
Drive confidently through tree-lined corridors while avoiding ponds
Create repeated birdie chances with precise wedges and short irons
Convert opportunities on Bermuda greens and capitalize on the four par 5s
Playoff Field & Storyline Watch
Top 54 Continue the Postseason
Double Points, Elimination Pressure and Cup Contenders
Only the top 36 after Sunday advance to the Charles Schwab Cup Championship
Double points create significant movement around the qualification line
Final entries, withdrawals, tee times, featured groups, and projected advancement positions will be tracked through the news page
Second Playoff Event
Final Cut Before Phoenix
Top 36 Advance to the Season Finale
Pleasant Valley hosts the middle event of the three-tournament postseason
The field is reduced from 54 players to 36 after the final round
Every place gained or lost can determine whether a player's season continues
Arkansas Community Impact
Golf With a Statewide Mission
Arkansas Champions Trust and Local Charities
Arkansas Champions Trust serves as the tournament's nonprofit host organization
Tournament proceeds support area charities and community programs
The event has supported First Tee-Central Arkansas and uses professional golf as a statewide fundraising platform
Tournament News & Highlights
Round Coverage
News, Video and Playoff Movement
Field notes, tee times, Little Rock weather, interviews, advancement scenarios, and daily scoring movement
Highlights and video recaps from each competition round
Simmons Bank Championship History
Pleasant Valley Champions Since 2024
Arkansas PGA TOUR Champions Legacy
Steven Alker won in 2025 with a tournament-record 20-under 196
Padraig Harrington won the inaugural Little Rock edition in 2024
The 2024 tournament received the PGA TOUR Champions Players Award
The Simmons Bank Championship & Pleasant Valley Story
The Simmons Bank Championship presented by Stephens debuted at Pleasant Valley Country Club in 2024 as the second event of the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs. Padraig Harrington won the inaugural Little Rock edition, and PGA TOUR Champions players voted the first-year tournament their favorite event.
Steven Alker followed with a dominant 2025 performance, opening with an 11-under 61 and adding rounds of 66 and 69 to finish at 20-under 196. His seven-stroke, wire-to-wire victory included a final-round hole-out eagle at the par-5 10th.
Pleasant Valley was designed by Joe Finger with Jimmy Demaret and Byron Nelson as consultants. Its 27-hole property features rolling Arkansas terrain, tree-lined Bermudagrass fairways, eight ponds, ultra-dwarf Bermuda greens, and a 7,101-yard tournament setup that rewards aggressive but controlled scoring.
Use the hub buttons above to jump directly to live scoring, the Simmons Bank Championship news feed, playoff-field storylines, highlights, Pleasant Valley course notes, defending-champion coverage, community-impact stories, and tournament history.