The Florida Open

Seiffert Dominates at Florida Open

Chase Seiffert captures the 66th Florida Open Championship posting a tournament total of 23-under par at The Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club and Sara Bay Country Club in Bradenton/Sarasota on July 20-22.

Chase Seiffert, of Panama City, outlasted the field of 156 players to capture the 66th Florida Open Championship with a record setting performance. Seiffert posted a six-under par 66 at The Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club in the first round to trail Chase Marinell by one shot. Seiffert’s flawless first round included six birdies and no bogeys.  Playing Sara Bay Country Club in the second round, Seiffert who started on the back nine, fired an impressive six-under par 30, which included four birdies and an eagle on the par five 18th hole. Seiffert kept the momentum going on his back nine making birdies on 3, 5, and 9, to go with only one bogey on the par three 4th hole for his round of eight-under par 64. His second round of eight-under par 64 set a new course record at Sara Bay Country Club. Seiffert would take a three stroke lead heading into the final round of the Championship at The Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club.

In the final round, Seiffert picked up where he left off by making birdies on 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 for an impressive five-under par 31 to expand his lead four strokes heading into the back nine.  Seiffert continued his torrid pace with birdies on 11, 13, 14, 16, and 17 to go with only one bogey on the 12th hole. After hitting his approach shot to the back of the 18th green, Seiffert would two putt for his incredible round of nine-under par 63. Seiffert's final round of nine-under par 63 established a new course record for The Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club. Seiffert stated “Every part of my game clicked this weekend. The courses set up perfectly for me. This is an incredible feeling, to win the Amateur and the Florida Open is unreal”. Seiffert joined elite company on Sunday by becoming only the second player to capture the Florida State Amateur Championship and the Florida Open Championship in the same year. Don Bisplinghoff, a four time State Amateur Champion and a three time Florida Open Champion, was the only other player to achieve this great feat back in 1955.
 
Chase Marinell, of Cape Coral, finished in second place with a tournament total of 14-under par.  Marinell held the first round lead after a seven-under par 65 at Sara Bay Country Club and finished strong with rounds of 68-69 at The Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club. Adam Fox, of Stuart, and David Ladd, of Palm Beach Gardens, earned low Professional honors with their third place finish posting 10-under par 206 for the Championship. The Defending Champion, Rod Perry, of Port Orange, finished tied for 15th place after his rounds of 76-69-68.

Round 2 Story

Florida Open Preview

Entries Close Wednesday June 13, 2012

The 2012 Florida Open will be held July 20-22 at the Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club and Sara Bay Country Club in Bradenton. Florida Professionals and Amateurs can qualify for the Championship through local qualifying.  Exemptions are available through State Amateur Championships & PGA Section Events.

Championship Format

Fifty-four holes of individual stroke play. The field will be cut to the low sixty and ties after thirty-six holes. The lowest score for 54 holes will be the Champion.

Local Qualifying

18 holes stroke play at 16 sites. 

Transferring Qualifying Sites

Players may submit one entry for the Florida Open and choose the site at which they will attempt to qualify.  However, if any site requires adjustment (including , but not limited to, the receipt of more entries than can be accommodated), players will be transferred to another site based on their preference listed on the entry application and date of receipt of entry application (i.e. later applicants will be subject to transfer).

Eligibility

Open to Florida Golf Professionals and Amateurs who are residents of Florida. See Eligibility and Rules page for complete details.

Estimated Purse

$75,000 (see estimated purse pay-out (Click here)  1st Place - $12,000

Entry Fees

Players who advance to the Championship through local qualifying must pre-register and remit the appropriate Championship Fee online at www.fsga.org under the "My Account" section, which can be located in the top right hand corner of the web-page.  Payment must be received by Monday, July 16 by 12:00 PM or the individual will be withdrawn from the Championship.  Championship fee includes competitive round lunches, golf, cart fees and range balls plus a player badge and tee gift.

Exempt Player's Fee

• $300 for Professionals
• $200 for Amateurs
• Exempt Fee includes Championship Fee and Entry Fee for those individuals eligible for exemption.

Defending Champion

Rod Perry, of Port Orange, won the Florida Open Championship shooting a 68-69-69--206 at Black Diamond Ranch in Lecanto.  

Cart and Caddie Policy

Qualifying Round

Players have the option of walking or they may rent a cart.  Only a player or his caddie may ride in a cart but not both at the same time.  (Cart fees at qualifying site not to exceed $25 per player)

Championship Rounds
Cart fees are included in the Championship Fee for all competitive rounds of the C

hampionship.  Players may ride, carry their bag or have a caddie at the Championship, however no refunds will be given for unused cart fees and players choosing to walk must adhere to the established FSGA Pace of Play Policy.

Practice Rounds - Cart fees, if charged, are the responsibility of the player.

Championship Information

All players play eighteen holes each at the Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club and Sara Bay Country Club on Friday, July 20th and Saturday, July 21st. The field will be cut to the low sixty and ties after thirty-six holes. The final eighteen holes will be played at the Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club on Sunday, July 22nd.

Play-Off

If necessary, there will be a three-hole aggregate score play-off for champion. If the play-off results in a tie, play will immediately continue, hole by hole. It is the player’s responsibility to be present for any playoff.

Practice Round and Practice Information - Championship

Practice rounds will be available to the competitors one week in advance of the competition on a space available basis.  Practice rounds are restricted to after 12:00 PM on the weekend prior to the Championship. The cost of practice rounds is $25 plus tax. Players will be responsible for direct payment of any fees for the practice rounds.

Starting times for your practice round can be arranged by calling host facilities.
The Ritz-Carlton Members Club telephone number is (941) 309-2900

Sara Bay Country Club telephone number is (941) 355-6544

Players will be allowed to practice after their practice round on Wednesday & Thursday and after each competitive round. 

You may not make your practice round tee time before qualifying is completed. Weather permitting, qualifying concludes on Monday, July 9th. A list of players will be faxed to the club following the conclusion of qualifying. 

Exemptions

Players in the following categories will be eligible for exemption provided they meet all entry and eligibility requirements.      

PROFESSIONALS

• Last five year's Florida Open Champions
• Professionals finishing top ten and tied of last year’s Florida Open Championship
• Host Club’s Representative
• Current year’s SFPGA Open Champion
• Last year’s Dixie and SFPGA Professional Champion
• Current year’s Southeast PGA Classic Champion
• Last year’s NFPGA PNC Champion
• Last year’s Dixie, NFPGA and SFPGA Section Champions
• Last year’s Dixie, NFPGA and SFPGA Section Senior (regular division) Champion
• Last year’s Dixie, NFPGA and SFPGA Section Chapter Champions
• Last year’s Dixie, NFPGA and SFPGA Section Assistant Champions
• Last year’s Dixie Section Match Play Champion
• Current year’s NFPGA Section Match Play Champion
• Last year’s Dixie, NFPGA and SFPGA Section Senior (Regular Division) Player of the Year
• Last year’s top five and tied on the final Dixie, NFPGA and SFPGA Section Player of the Year Points List

AMATEURS

• Last five year's Florida Open Champions
• Amateurs finishing in the top ten and tied of last year’s Florida Open
• Current Year’s Amateur Champion
• Last two year’s Amateur Champions
• Last year’s top five and tied Amateur Championship finishers
• Last year’s top five and tied on the final FSGA Player of the Year Points List
• Last year’s Junior Amateur Player of the Year
• Last year’s Senior Amateur Player of the Year
• Last year’s Boys Junior Champion (16-18 age division)
• Last year’s Amateur Match Play Champion
• Last year’s Mid-Amateur Champion

On-Site Registration

There will a registration table set up at the Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club to pick up your tee gift and player information the day before the Championship from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM.  This is NOT a mandatory registration.  Tee gifts and player information will be available for pick up before the competitive rounds for players not playing a practice round on Wednesday. If we have received your payment for your Championship fees by Monday, July 16 by 12:00 PM you have pre-registered for the Championship.

Championship field will receive Lunch and Range Privileges all 3 days.

Alternate Procedures

Click here here for alternate procedures.

Accommodations

Please click the hotel icon for hotels in the Bradenton area.

Dress Code

• Proper attire for competitors and caddies is required at all times at the golf facility.  Failure to comply may result in withdrawal of entry. 
• All hats must be worn properly.
• Collared shirts or shirts specifically designed for golf must be worn and tucked in at all times.
• This code supplements any course or club guidelines, which shall take precedence.

Refunds, Notice of Withdrawals

Requests for entry refunds received prior to entry closing date will be honored (less $20 per entry administrative fee.  Requests received after the closing date will be honored (less 50% of entry fee). No requests will be honored within 48 hours of the first scheduled tee time. Requests for refunds or Exempt or Championship fees prior to the pre-registration deadline will be honored (less $20 per entry administrative fee).  No requests will be honored after the per-registration deadline.

Publicity and Promotion; Broadcasting

By participating in FSGA Events you grant the FSGA and those acting with the FSGA, permission, authority and the permanent rights to use your name or likeness for publicity and promotional purposes.  Participants understand that all Media, including film, photographic prints, audio or digital files are the exclusive property of the FSGA.  Participants in FSGA events waive their rights to inspect or approve all media produced by the FSGA and those acting on the FSGA's behalf.  Participants waive their permanent rights to compensation for use of their name and likeness by the FSGA. 

Method of Payment

The Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club & Sara Bay Country Club accepts cash, Visa/MasterCard and American Express for payment.

Directions

Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club
15150 70th Terrace East
Bradenton, FL 34202
(941) 309-2900

Click here for directions

Sara Bay Country Club
7011 Willow Street
Sarasota, Florida 34243
941-355-7658

Click here for directions