Gary Koch Wins Florida Senior Open

Gary Koch posted a tournament total of 13-under par 202 to capture the Florida Senior Open Championship at the Breaker’s Rees Jones Course and Mayacoo Lakes Country Club, in West Palm Beach on August 8-10.

Gary Koch, of Tampa, fired a final round of four-under par 68 on Sunday to win by an impressive seven strokes and take home his first Florida Senior Open Championship. Koch opened up the Championship playing Mayacoo Lakes Country Club, where he would post a five-under par round of 66 to trail the leader by only one stroke. Koch would take control of the Championship in the second with a four-under par round of 68 at The Breaker’s Rees Jones Course. After 36-holes of play Koch would hold a five stroke heading into the final round.

In the final round at The Breaker’s Rees Jones Course, Koch got off to a solid start making birdies on four of his first seven holes to get to 13-under par for the Championship. After making a rare bogey on the eighth hole and a par on the ninth, Koch would take a commanding seven shot lead into the final nine holes of play. With the Championship in control, Koch would play his final nine holes in one-under par for a final round of four-under par 68 to cruise to a seven shot victory. Koch has now captured the Florida Open Championship and the Florida Senior Open Championship. Tim Balmer, of North Lauderdale, finished alone in second place posting rounds of 68-71-70 for a tournament total of six-under par 209. The Defending Champion, Peter Horrobin, of Miami, finished tied for 19th place with a tournament total of four-over par 219.

The Florida Senior Open is for players who are at least 50 years of age by the beginning of the event.  The Championship is conducted over fifty-four holes of individual stroke play.  At the Championship each player played 18-holes at The Breaker’s Rees Jones and Mayacoo Lakes Country Club, with a cut instituted after thirty-six holes to the low 60 players and ties.

Final Results