High stakes at Sailfish Point Golf Club for South Florida PGA Professional Championships
One of the most competitive events on the South Florida PGA schedule is being held this week on the Treasure Coast.
The South Florida PGA Professional Championship is being contested Tuesday and Wednesday at Sailfish Point Golf Club in Stuart.
At stake is more than a trophy and bragging rights. The top eight finishers qualify for the Senior PGA Professional Championship in mid-October at Twin Warriors and Santa Ana in New Mexico.
Defending champion Jack Shoenfelt, Director of Golf Operations at Oriole Golf Club in Pompano Beach, is in the field along with former champions Jerry Tucker (four wins) of Stuart, Mike San Filippo (three) of Hobe Sound, Lee Rinker (three) of Jupiter, Dan Heaslip and John Lee of Naples, Chris Campbell of Vero Beach and Dennis Meyer.
Recent: The grind never stops at 24/7 Indoor Golf, Stuart's new round-the-clock practice facility
More Coverage: Hobe Sound Golf Club proves stepping stone for golf's latest major champion
Victor Tortorici, the longest-tenured PGA Professional on the Treasure Coast and Director of Golf at Sailfish Club, also is in the field.
In each of the last 18 years, the winning score in this championship has been less than 140, meaning players usually have to shoot a pair of rounds in the 60s – at one of South Florida’s top courses – to have a chance to have their name added to the list of champions.
It’s easy to see why the South Florida PGA Professional Championship is tough to win.
Not only do a lot of top players migrate to South Florida in their late-40s to enhance their chances of playing on the PGA Tour Champions, but for the last two decades they have had the opportunity to fine-tune their competitive skills because of the presence of the Treasure Coast Senior Tour, co-founded by Tucker and Roger Kennedy Sr.
Not surprisingly, a TCST regular, Mark Mielke of High Ridge Country Club, shot a 5-under 67 Tuesday to share the lead with Ben Stewart of Grand Harbor Golf & Beach Club in Vero Beach.
A familiar name was near the top of the leaderboard after the first round: Alan Morin, a PGA Assistant Professional at The Club at Ibis in West Palm Beach. Morin shot a 4-under 68 and is tied for third place with Gene Fieger of Club Pelican Bay.
Morin has won Player of the Year honors in the South Florida PGA a record 11 times, and added POY honors the last two years in the Senior Division.
The South Florida PGA Professional Championship is one of the few South Florida PGA tournaments Morin has yet to win, but that may soon change.
Stoelting makes it a foursome: LPGA Tour member Jackie Stoelting of Vero Beach and husband Travis welcomed their second child last weekend, daughter Baylor Lee.
“Our little family of four is complete and we have the proudest big brother,” Stoelting posted on Facebook, referring to son Baren.
Stoelting was unable to defend her title in the recent Florida Women’s Open -- she won last year in her hometown at Riomar Country Club -- but hasn’t decided if she will retire from competitive golf at 35.
She has been transitioning to a teaching career with Travis at Meadowood Golf & Tennis in Fort Pierce, but no decision has been made.
She has other concerns these days.
Sandridge’s fall schedule: Sandridge Golf Club in Vero Beach has released its fall tournament schedule of three events.
The 10th annual Bela Nagy Sr. Golf Tournament will be held Oct. 22, the 29th annual Dick Bird Treasure Coast Team Championship is Nov. 12-13 and the 36th Treasure Coast Amateur/Indian River County Senior Championship is Dec. 3-4.
To register, go to www.sandridgegc.com.
Chip shots: Amateur Laura Carson of Vero Beach qualified for this week’s U.S. Senior Women’s Open at NCR Country Club in Kettering, Ohio.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Sailfish Point Golf Club hosts South Florida PGA Professional Championships
