VERO BEACH, Fla. – It was Jordan Fischer and Tammie Green who raised the trophies at the Florida Women’s Open and Senior Open Championship on Sunday at Grand Harbor Golf & Beach Club. Fischer becomes the first amateur to win the Florida Women’s Open, while Green takes home a $6,500 first-place check for the Florida Women’s Senior Open.
Fischer rolled in a 60-foot birdie putt on the 17th to secure the one-shot victory in the Open Division, finishing the championship at 8-under 206. Green took home the victory in the Senior Division at 12-under 202.
Beginning the final round one shot off the lead, Fischer birdied two on the front side to take the lead with nine to play at 6 under. Mariel Galdiano, who started with a one-shot lead, posted two bogeys and a birdie on the front nine to fall back one shot of Fischer in a tie for second.
Galdiano got it rolling after making the turn with back-to-back birdies on the 10th and 11th to take back the lead at 7 under. A bogey on the 13th brought Galdiano back into a tie at the top with Fischer. Both players birdied the par-3 16th hole to move to 7 under for the championship. The Cape Coral native rolled in the 60-foot putt for birdie to take back the outright lead at 8 under.
"I hit a pretty good drive and then tried to go for it in two, but ended up on the edge of the greenside bunker. So I just tried to get it out and onto the green and then I made in a really long birdie putt," Fischer said.
She secured the victory with a par putt on the final hole to post a final-round 69, ending the week with rounds of 70-67-69. It was a family affair for Fischer as she had her brother on the bag caddying for her.
"It helps a lot, especially on the putting greens. He was really helpful and it was really great to have him on the bag," she said.
This is the second FSGA championship victory for Fischer, who won the 2021 Girls’ Junior Championship. The incoming freshman at Louisiana State University is also the first amateur player to win the Florida Women’s Open.
Galdiano finished the championship with a runner-up finish, taking home the winner’s check of $10,000 for the professional purse in the Open Division. The 2022 Florida Women’s Open champion used rounds of 67-69-71 to finish the week at 7-under 207. Making her professional debut, Jacqueline Putrino finished third at 6-under 208 with rounds of 70-68-70.
Fischer, Galdiano and Putrino were the lone players in the Open Division to post three under-par rounds for the championship.
Beginning the final round in a tie for first with Leta Lindley, Green got off to a quick start with four birdies on the front side. She explained that making birdies early helped to give her some breathing room against two tough competitors, and ultimately it enabled her to relax and post a low round. She kept it rolling on the final nine with three birdies, including birdieing two of her last three holes. Green secured her second Florida Women’s Senior Open win in dominating fashion with a final-round 66.
The Legends of LPGA player secured the five-shot victory with a 12-under 202 for the championship. Green also become the first player in FSGA history to capture two Florida Women’s Senior Open titles, after winning at Bradenton Country Club in 2020. Green explains what this victory means to her,
"This is sort of a step going into the U.S. Open. We [senior division] don't have a lot of tournaments to play in, and to get this competition and this win under my belt feels great. I am looking forward to great things at the U.S. Open," Green said.
Lindley finished with a runner-up finish at 7-under 207, after rounds of 68-68-71. Jackie Gallagher-Smith took third place at 2-over 216. Tara Fleming and Tara Joy-Connelly shared Low-Amateur honors in the Senior Division, ending the championship 6-over 220.
