SOUTH FLORIDA PGA

Special from the Florida State Golf Association BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. (April 24, 2025) – In a final round filled with nonstop leaderboard shifts it was Rod Perry of Crane Lakes Golf & Country Club who stayed steady amid the storm to emerge victorious at the 48th Florida Senior Open Championship. The day began like any other final round, with the leaders going off in the final group. But it didn’t take long for the leaderboard to unravel. Players rose and fell with nearly every hole, creating a whirlwind of momentum shifts that made it nearly impossible to keep track of who was actually in control. Miles McConnell, who started the day with the lead, stumbled early with a double bogey on the 4th, falling to 2-under. First-round leader Timothy Cantwell also faltered, dropping three shots on holes five, six, and eight to sit at 1-under by the turn. Meanwhile, Frank Bensel surged into contention with three front-nine birdies to briefly grab the lead. As players made the turn, the lead changed hands so rapidly it seemed like every hole produced a new frontrunner. Perry, starting the day in second, posted a 3-over front nine. But then came the spark. Back-to-back birdies on the 10th and 11th holes put him right back in the mix. Also making noise was Jonathon Kaye, who clawed his way into contention after a 76 in the opening round with a gritty comeback in round two. The first sign of clarity came on the 14th when Cantwell birdied to take solo possession of the lead at 3-under. But Perry was lurking just one shot back. McConnell and Kaye were still within striking distance, turning the final stretch into a high-stakes showdown. By the end of the 16th hole, the original leaders had clawed their way back to the top, and Cantwell and Perry were tied at 3-under with just two holes to play. Then Perry struck. A clutch birdie on the 17th pushed him to solo first, the decisive blow that sealed his win. Perry’s consistent play across all three rounds, 70-70-71--212, earned him the title and a $12,000 payday as the 48th Florida Senior Open Champion. It was a wild finish, but in the end, calm and composure carried the day. Timothy Cantwell of PGA National Resort & Spa finished in second place with rounds of 69-73-72--214. Third place was a tie between Jonathan Kaye and Miles McConnell who both finished at 1-under total. McConnell earned Low-Amateur Honors after rounds of 71-69-75--215. Results

B oca Raton, FL (April 22, 2025)— The Southwest Chapter earned 31 points in the annual Nelson Cup Matches, played at Stonebridge Country Club, claiming the 2025 Nelson Cup by half a point. The Southeast Chapter streak of three consecutive wins came to a close as the Southwest Chapter earned their first Nelson Cup since 2019 with the 2020 event being cancelled due to the pandemic and the 2021 event being rained out. The day started with nine-hole foursome matches, which saw the Southeast Chapter get out to an early 3-point lead over the Southwest Chapter and a 9-point lead over the Southern Chapter. Three-ball matches were played on the second nine, where the Southwest Chapter managed to earn 7.5 points to the Southeast Chapter’s 5, giving the Southeast Chapter a .5 lead over the Southwest Chapter. Heading into the singles matches, the scores stood: Southeast (15), Southwest (14.5), and Southern (6.5), with the most points up for grabs in the singles matches. Matt Markle, PGA of True Spec Golf, led off for the Southwest Chapter, earning two 4 & 2 wins to earn the first two points of the singles matches. With only a few matches left on the course, a tie between Andrew Filbert, PGA of West Bay Club, and Mike Midgette, PGA of Delaire Country Club, flipped the Southwest to have a .5 point lead. Kyle Horvath, PGA of Quail Creek Country Club, was ultimately the deciding point with his 2 & 1 victory over Stephen Conte, PGA of Conte’s Palm Aire Golf Academy. In the Cup’s 31-year history, the Southwest Chapter has now earned 13 wins. The annual Nelson Cup was supported by Scales, who outfitted each team. This year’s Cup was hosted at Stonebridge Country Club, led by PGA Director of Golf, Jeff Hall, and PGA Head Professional, Jordan Mathers. Southwest Chapter Roster: Justin Bertsch - Club Pelican Bay - Bay/Club Evan Bowser - LaPlaya Golf Club James Desanges - Panther Run Golf Club Gary Shea - The Club at Olde Cypress Andrew Filbert - West Bay Club Jeremy Wells - Cypress Lake Golf Club Domenico Geminiani - Old Corkscrew Golf Club Kyle Horvath - Quail Creek Country Club John Lento - The Golf Club at Crown Colony Nick Marcoaldi - Colonial Country Club Matt Markle - True Spec Golf - Naples Grande