SOUTH FLORIDA PGA

Miromar Lakes, FL - Dakun Chang, PGA wins the Championship Division while Justin Hicks, PGA wins the Senior Division at the E-Z-GO South Florida Open, played June 24-26 at Miromar Lakes Golf Club and Bonita Bay Club. The second South Florida PGA Major of the year and first three-day Major featured 167 total players competing at Miromar Lakes Golf Club and Bonita Bay Club. Following round 2, a Senior Champion was crowned, and the field was cut to 51+ ties for the final round. Seminole Golf Club Assistant Professional, Dakun Chang, PGA, opened the three-day event with a 5-under 67 to trail John Lento, PGA, by one. Chang managed a shot better in the second round, firing a 6-under 66 to hold the lead by one over Justin Hicks, while managing a clean scorecard through the first 36-holes. Chang's first bogey didn't come until the 14th hole in the final round as he held a two-shot lead over the field. “After I made my first bogey on 14, I had to look at the leaderboard," Chang said. “I felt like I was in a pretty comfortable position, and after I looked, it did help me understand what I had to do.” Following his first bogey, Chang birdied the par-5 16th before making a double bogey on the 17th hole, narrowing his lead to one. Chang rebounded with a birdie on the 18th to secure the win by two with a final score of 67-66-71–204. “I have been working on my game pretty hard this summer, and things have been turning around for me,” Chang said. “The putter was very clutch this week. I am pretty excited for this win.” Capitulating himself up the leaderboard over the final 18 holes was Brant Peaper of Lost Tree Club, who fired a tournament round low of 8-under 64 to finish in a tie for second at 10-under, tied with Michael Kartrude, PGA of the Bear’s Club. Hicks finished in fourth at 9-under while Evan Bowser, PGA of LaPlaya Golf Club rounded out the top-5 at 7-under. In the Senior Division, Justin Hicks, PGA Teaching Professional at Stonebridge Golf and Country Club secured the title with a pair of 5-under 67 performances. After trailing Mark Mielke, PGA of High Ridge Country Club for the majority of the final round, Hicks managed to birdie three of the last four holes, including the 18th, to earn the win by one shot over Mielke. Hicks, who is coming off a start in the U.S. Open at Oakmont now adds his first South Florida PGA Senior Championship win of his career. Finishing in third at 6-under was Tim Cantwell, PGA of PGA National Golf Club, while Matt Lucchesi, PGA of the Loxahatchee Club, and Joe Kern, PGA of Mangrove Sands Golf Club, finished in a tie for 5th at 5-under. The E-Z-GO South Florida Open is the second of four South Florida PGA Major Championships to be played throughout the 2025 season. E-Z-GO served as the event's title partner while Ahead, Ballz4Change, Foresights Sports, Perry Weather, StrackaLine, StickX, and Winners Award Group served as supporting partners. Miromar Lakes Golf Club and Bonita Bay Club boast 15 combined PGA Members. Miromar is led by PGA General Manager Kenneth McMaster and PGA Head Professional Daniel Lee, while Bonita Bay Club is led by PGA Director of Golf Elliott McDonnell and PGA Head Professionals Andrew Gibson and Kyle Heaton. Leaderboard | Event Photos

Tom Patri, PGA Director of Player Development at The TwinEagles Club, completed his ninth annual Golf Marathon, raising more than $12,000 by playing 100 holes in a single day. The proceeds will benefit the South Florida PGA Foundation and its local community programs. Since launching the marathon in 2017, Patri has played over 1,000 holes of golf and raised nearly $80,000, using his passion for the sport to make a meaningful impact across South Florida. The South Florida PGA Foundation is dedicated to changing lives through the game of golf, with a charitable focus on youth, military, and families. “I just completed my ninth annual golf marathon to support the South Florida PGA Foundation, and I couldn’t be happier to dedicate a day to such a wonderful cause,” said Patri. “My only hope is that the funds raised will positively impact lives in South Florida. As long as I’m alive, I will continue to support the Foundation. Thank you to the South Florida PGA headquarters for all your support; I could not do this without you.” Patri’s annual challenge—to play as many holes as possible in one day—has become a tradition of giving back. Click here to support Patri’s Golf Marathon. Click here to learn more about the South Florida PGA Foundation and its programming.