Long Beach Golf Hall of Fame to Induct Three New Members

Above from left: Headshot of Bill McCormick, courtesy of Eisenhower Medical Center; headshot of Joey Cerulle, courtesy of Long Beach State Atheletics; headshot of Mike Ortega, courtesy of Southern California Golf Association.

Long Beach, CA – The City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine (PRM) is pleased to announce the 2026 Long Beach Golf Hall of Fame inductees, Joey Cerulle, Bill McCormick and Mike Ortega. The Long Beach Golf Hall of Fame was created in 1996 to recognize people who left their mark on golf in Long Beach.

"This year's Long Beach Golf Hall of Fame inductees have helped shape a golfing legacy in Long Beach, one that has strengthened the sport and helped make our city a vibrant and welcoming home for generations of golfers," said Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson. "We are proud to welcome Joey, Bill and Mike into our Hall of Fame."

Community members are invited to attend the public induction ceremony taking place Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, following the conclusion of the professional Long Beach Open Tournament that day. The induction ceremony will be held at El Dorado Park Golf Course (2400 Studebaker Rd.), at approximately 2:30 p.m. With the addition of these three honorees, the Long Beach Golf Hall of Fame will soon have 99 members.

"Our Golf Hall of Fame is a time-honored tradition among our local golf community," said Director of Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine Stephen P. Scott. "We are thrilled to add Joey, Bill and Mike into the Long Beach Golf Hall of Fame and thank them for their contributions to golf in Long Beach."

Long Beach is home to five municipal golf courses that are available for use by a wide range of golfers, from novices to professionals, and offers amenities like pro shops, dining options and lighting for evening play or practice. Since the opening of the golf course that was the original site of the Virginia Country Club in 1909 and became "The Municipal Links" in 1922 and was eventually renamed to the Recreation Park 18 Golf Course in 1929 – golfers from around the world have been drawn to Long Beach for its unique natural landscapes, well-maintained courses, and agreeable coastal climate that makes great golf accessible year-round.

"The City of Long Beach has a rich tradition of good golf, good golfers and great tournaments," said Bob Livingstone, Long Beach Golf Hall of Fame Committee Chair. "We want to acknowledge those who impacted golf in Long Beach, excelled at the game or made it better for those who play it. These inductees represent what is good about golf in general and golf in Long Beach in particular."

Below are the biographies for the 2026 Long Beach Golf Hall of Fame inductees:

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Bill McCormick has built a remarkable legacy for the Long Beach golf community through decades of championship success and unwavering dedication to the game that has inspired generations of golfers. Born and raised in Long Beach, Bill began playing golf at Recreation Park South 9-Hole Golf Course ("Little Rec") before graduating to Recreation Park 18 Golf Course and getting a range job working for fellow Long Beach Golf Hall of Fame member, George Lake. Bill graduated from Millikan High School and was named a three-time Long Beach Press Telegram All City Team selection for golf from 1960 to 1962 and participated in the opening day ceremonies at both Skylinks in 1959 and El Dorado Park Golf Course in 1962. In 1963 while playing for Long Beach City College he was runner-up in the 1963 California Junior College Championship. From 1962 to 1964 he was a three-time Club Champion at Skylinks and won the Long Beach Masters during those same years. Bill also won three Long Beach City Match Play Championships (1964, 1966 and 1969), the 1964 Los Angeles City Championship and So Cal Public Links Championship, and the 1966 Southwest Amateur Championship. Bill's excelling golf career was put on hold when he was drafted into the US Army during the Vietnam War, ultimately serving in the Army in Korea. After his service, he qualified for the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) Tour's 1969 San Diego Open at Torrey Pines; however, he realized during that event that his time away from the game and some physical issues limited his dream of being able to practice and play professionally. Bill currently lives in the Coachella Valley with his wife.

Joey Cerulle's leadership and longtime commitment to golf have helped strengthen the local golf community for decades and has inspired generations of golfers. A resident of Lakewood, he was a member of the Long Beach Junior Golf Association (LBJGA) at Heartwell Park Golf Course and has volunteered as an instructor with LBJGA and their Little Linksters program. Joey served as the head coach of the women's golf team at California State University, Long Beach State from 2009 to 2021, during which he was twice named Big West Coach of the Year (2018 and 2019) and led his teams to two Big West Team Championships (2018 and 2019) and seven tournament titles. He also took five teams/individuals to the NCAA Regional Championships and supported an innovative effort with the Long Beach Golf Festival to introduce internet-based live scoring to the Long Beach Open in 2016. Joey has been the boys' golf coach at Valley Christian High School since 2022 where he has led his teams to two undefeated League Champion seasons and has volunteered as a member of the CIF-Southern Section Golf Committee.

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Mike Ortega has played an integral role in helping reshape the golf industry in Long Beach. Although Mike is a Torrance resident, he has many ties to Long Beach, its golf operation and its golfers. Mike served on the Skylinks Board of Directors from 1985 to 2005 and as President in 1996, on the Southern California Public Links Golf Association (SCPLGA) Board of Directors from 1995 to 2010 and as President in 2003 to 2006, and on the Southern California Golf Association (SCGA) Board of Directors from 2011 to 2024, serving as President in 2023. As a respected member of the SCPLGA, Mike was a key participant in negotiating a merger between the SCPLGA's many public golf courses in Southern California (including Skylinks, Recreation Park 18 and Recreation Park South) and the SCGA. This merger was originally resisted by some members of Long Beach golf clubs, however, Mike's advocacy during the merger won the day and many of those golfers now admit how the merger was ultimately a very good thing for the Long Beach golf community. Over the years Mike has volunteered as either a Hole Captain or Marshal Chairman for dozens of Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour, PGA Tour, PGA of America and USGA Championships, including holding the top volunteer position at the 1995 PGA Championship, the 1998 US Senior Open, the 2017 US Amateur Championship and the recently completed 2026 US Women's Open, which were all contested at the Riviera CC in Pacific Palisades. Mike has also served on the Los Angeles County Golf Advisory Group since 2016.

The complete list of Long Beach Golf Hall of Fame inductees is available on the Golf Hall of Fame webpage. More information about Long Beach golf courses is available here.

Discover PRM's full lineup of parks, facilities, programs and services available for the Long Beach community at LBParks.org.

About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture, and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, the award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. More information about the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine is available at LBParks.org and by following us @LongBeachParks on Facebook, Instagram and X.

Headshots of Joey Cerulle, Mike Ortega and Bill McCormick attached for media use.
Headshot of Joey Cerulle courtesy of Long Beach State Athletics.
Headshot of Mike Ortega courtesy of Southern California Golf Association.
Headshot of Bill McCormick courtesy of Eisenhower Medical Center.

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