ATLANTA, Ga. – Francisco Bide, PGA of America Head Professional at Capital City Club, captured his second Milton Martin Honda Classic title Tuesday at Jennings Mill Country Club, defeating Jin Chung, PGA Teaching Professional at Chateau Elan Golf Club, in a playoff after both finished the 36-hole championship at 4-under-par.
The victory marked a familiar finish for Bide, who also claimed the championship in 2024, with Chung finishing tied for fourth that year. Two years later, the pair once again found themselves battling near the top of the leaderboard, this time at Jennings Mill Country Club while the event’s traditional host, Chattahoochee Golf Club in Gainesville, undergoes course renovations.
Bide entered the final round with a three-shot advantage after opening with a 3-under-par 68 on Monday. Scoring proved difficult in Round One, with only two players finishing under par. Amateur Stephen Hall of Ashton Hills Golf Club was the only other player in red figures at 1-under, while Chung sat at even-par 71. The three made up Tuesday’s final pairing.
The final round brought plenty of movement at the top of the leaderboard. Chung recovered from a double bogey on the 11th with back-to-back birdies on holes 13 and 14, while Bide birdied the 15th before bogeys on 16 and 18 opened the door for a playoff. Facing a 15-foot par putt on the final hole, Chung converted to complete a 4-under-par final round and match Bide at 4-under for the championship.
Returning to the 18th for the playoff, Chung’s approach shot found the penalty area left of the green and was forced to take a drop. Bide faced a 30-foot birdie putt and ultimately made par, while Chung finished with a double bogey, securing Bide’s second Milton Martin Honda Classic victory.
“It was cool to see him both days. He kept pushing me,” Bide said. “He played great, and then I tried to stay with him. In the end, it all worked out in my favor.”
Bide credited his accuracy and course management for helping him navigate the demanding Jennings Mill layout.
“This course is very demanding. So it requires a lot of accuracy, and I think that probably played into my advantage,” Bide said. “I hit a lot of fairways. I had a really good strategy. Maybe a little conservative at times, but it paid off at the end.”
The victory marked Bide’s first Georgia PGA Section major title of the season, adding to a year of consistent performances. He finished tied for fifth or better in every Section major stroke-play event leading up to the Milton Martin Honda Classic, along with a T-15 finish at the Match Play Championship. Bide also captured the Georgia PGA Head Professional Championship earlier this year. Entering the week atop the Player of the Year points standings, his latest victory secured the 2026 Georgia PGA Player of the Year honor, his second in three years.
Chung’s runner-up finish came just two weeks after capturing his second Georgia PGA Championship at Champions Retreat Golf Club. Bide and Chung finished three shots clear of the rest of the field, with Ben Dulin, Associate PGA Professional at Polo Golf & Country Club, taking third at 1-under-par after firing a 4-under-par final round.
Another highlight came from Paul Claxton, PGA of America Director of Golf at Willow Lake Golf Club, who recorded his 32nd hole-in-one on the par-3 12th during a 2-under-par final round. Claxton entered the week fresh off his third Yamaha Georgia Senior Open victory at Echelon Golf Club.
The Milton Martin Honda Classic also marked the final points event in the Georgia PGA Player of the Year race and helped determine the field for The Drew, the Section’s season finale at East Lake Golf Club on November 2. The top 72 players will compete in the one-day stroke play event, culminating in a winner-take-all playoff for a $50,000 prize, made possible through the generosity of longtime Georgia PGA supporter and PGA REACH Georgia Foundation Board Member Philip Jones.
The Georgia PGA extends its appreciation to Milton Martin Honda and Butch Miller for their continued partnership and support of the championship, as well as longtime supporter and tournament participant Jim Foote for his commitment to Georgia PGA Professionals and the game of golf.