Yuengling Open set to tee off for the 61st time at Fort Myers Country Club this weekend
The 61st Yuengling Open will be held Saturday and Sunday at the Fort Myers Country Club.
The event is free and open to the public both days. There are two sets of tee times with the final group beginning at about 1:15 p.m.
This year’s field will feature a number of former champions including Rick Lamb (2021), Connor Arendell (2020), Brandon Lee (2014), Justin McCarraher (2007) and Steve Scott (2000).
However, defending champion MJ Maguire will not be back to defend his title due to a scheduling conflict. Last year, Maguire shot a 10-under 130 to win by two strokes over Sean Jacklin.
From 2022:Southwest Florida golf: M.J. Maguire wins 60th annual Yuengling Open in Fort Myers
In addition, three-time champion Derek Lamely and two-time champion George McNeill will be playing in the PGA Tour’s Puerto Rico Open. Another pair of two-time winners, Nolan Henke and Tommy Tolles, won't be competing at the Yuengling due to injuries.
On Tuesday, Michael Balcar won medalist honors in the qualifier with a 7-under 63. Darin deLelys was second with a 65, and Michael VanDerLaan, Otto Black and Evan Brown tied for third with 66s. Tom Murray also qualified with a 3-under 67.
The field of 44 professionals will be competing for a purse of $31,000 with $10,000 going to the winner of the two-day tournament.
Fort Myers Country Club professional Kari Phenix said the course is in great shape and came through Hurricane Ian relatively unscathed, except for some tree damage.
“We’re 80 trees less than we were; other than that the golf course is great,” she said. “We’re set up to have a good weekend.”
Phenix said one new addition for this year’s tournament designed to improve the fan experience will be a covered seating area by the seventh tee with food and drinks available for purchase. They will also be a second leaderboard in the area that will make following the tournament easier.
“We’re always trying to make things a little bigger and better,” she said.
Yuengling Open champions
1963 Bob Jewett
1964 Bob Jewett
1965 Art Stuhler
1966 Marion Heck
1967 Marion Heck
1968 Steve Bull
1969 Marion Heck
1970 Jim King
1971 Dennis Rouse
1972 Del Starks
1973 Tommy Bolt
1974 Dan Keefe, John Parsons
1975 Marion Heck
1976 Doug Dalziel
1977 Tommy Bolt
1978 Jim Albus
1979 David Thore
1980 Bobby Nichols
1981 Jim Albus
1982 Mick Soli
1983 Lynn Janson
1984 Bill Murchison
1985 Steve Benson
1986 Larry Ziegler
1987 Ed Dougherty
1988 Lee Janzen
1989 Jeff Coston
1990 Roy Biancalana
1991 Nolan Henke
1992 Tommy Valentine
1993 Eric Booker
1994 Dana Quigley
1995 Marion Heck
1996 Eric Booker
1997 Tommy Tolles
1998 Lonnie Nielsen
1999 Nolan Henke
2000 Steve Scott
2001 Tommy Tolles
2002 George McNeill
2003 Mike Harris
2004 Steve Benson
2005 Dana Quigley
2006 Shawn Matthews
2007 Justin McCarraher
2008 George McNeill
2009 Randy Leen
2010 Brennan Webb
2011 Dustin Cone
2012 Akio Sadakata
2013 Donald Constable
2014 Brandon Lee
2015 Derek Lamely
2016 Derek Gillespie
2017 Derek Lamely
2018 Eric Steger
2019 Derek Lamely
2020 Connor Arendell
2021 Rick Lamb
2022 MJ Maguire
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Fort Myers Yuengling Open leaders, purse, history
