What Happened
The Inaugural Florida Adaptive Open Championship got underway on Monday at Innisbrook Resort. The historic championship featured 57 players competing in seven different impairment categories. Eli Villanueva took the first-round lead in the Men’s Division at 3-over 74, while Bailey Bish sits at the top of the Women’s Division at 4-over 75.
Villanueva, a 56-year-old veteran who broke his left elbow while serving in the U.S. Army and has limited range of motion in his left arm, began playing golf as a form of therapy. The North Carolina native has found success on the golf course recently, winning the U.S. Disabled Golf Association Open in 2022 and competed in the U.S. Adaptive Open Championship in 2022 and 2023. Villanueva, competing in the Arm Impairment category, finished the first round with one birdie to take a one-shot lead over the field.
Bish, 23, had complications from surgery leading to dystonia, causing her to lose movement in her right side. The Arizona native finished third overall at the U.S. Adaptive Open earlier this year and looks to add another win this week. Competing in the Neurological Impairment category, Bish posted a 1-over on the front side with a birdie on the eighth. She finished the day with a 75 to hold the first-round lead.
In the Men’s Division, John Bell sits one shot back of Villanueva at 4-over 75, while the reigning U.S. Adaptive Open champion, Ryanne Jackson is one shot back of Bish in the Women’s Division.
What’s Next
The inaugural Florida Adaptive Open champions will be crowned tomorrow with the final round taking place on Tuesday with an 8 a.m. shotgun start.
