The field is set for the 70th Florida Open Championship to be contested July 15-17 at Interlachen Country Club in Winter Park and Orange Tree Golf Club in Orlando. 156 competitors will play 18 holes one each golf course on Friday & Saturday, then the field will be cut to the low 60 and ties with the final round contested at Interlachen on Sunday.
Nearly 1,000 professionals and amateurs registered to compete in the 2016 Florida Open, with 131 players advancing through one of 16 local qualifiers, and 25 competitors who were exempt into the Championship. Professionals will be competing for the $80,000 purse including a $12,000 top prize to the low professional.
Field Facts
• 4 past Florida Open Champions - Caleb Johnson (2014) , Chase Seiffert (2013), Rod Perry (2011) & Joe Alfieri (2003)
• 2 professionals who qualified for the 2016 U.S. Open Championship - Andy Pope & Matt Borchert
• 1 past Florida Senior Open Champion - Eduardo Herrera (2015)
• 2015 North Florida PGA Player of the Year - Rod Perry & South Florida PGA Player of the Year - Alan Morin
• 7 professionals who qualified for the 2016 PGA Professional Championship - Rod Perry, David Damesworth, Alan Morin, Greg Koch, Paul Scaletta, David Hronek, John Duckworth
• 2 past Florida Amateur Champions - Jimmy Jones, Jr. (2015) & Chase Seiffert (2013)
• 4 Past FSGA Amateur Players of the Year - Joe Alfieri (1999, 2001, 2015), Jeff Golden (2007), Chase Seiffert (2012), Jon Veneziano (2013)
• 1 past Florida Boys’ Junior Champion - Alberto Martinez (2015)
• Ryan Carter (a), of Miami finished T3 in the 2015 Florida Open and is the highest placer returning for 2016.
• Oldest Competitor in Field - Bob Levy, of Windermere - 63
• Youngest Competitors in Field - Alberto Martinez, of Weston & Nicholas Bessire, of Orlando - 16
The Florida Open has a rich history that dates back to 1942 and includes notable champions, such as Bob Murphy, Gary Koch, Charles Owens, Bruce Fleisher, John Huston, Dudley Hart, and Bart Bryant among others. Click here to read more about the historic event and its past Champions.
