Ibbotson Goes Wire-to-Wire at Forty & Over
NAPLES, Fla. – Chad Ibbotson's final round three-under par, 69, was enough to seal the victory at the Forty and Over Championship. The Sandford native took the lead after the first round and was able to keep that momentum and go wire-to-wire to claim his first Forty & Over Championship.
Ibbotson began his final round tied for the lead with Tiger Godwin. There were nine other players within striking distance just hoping to have a chance. The final pairing included Ibbotson, Godwin, and Tommy Villani and the round started out steady for the soon-to-be champion as he went out in three-under par, 33.
Godwin birdied two of the first holes to keep himself within reach of the lead. After a birdie on the eigth hole Ibbotson was able to extend his lead to two shots as the final pairing made the turn. In the second to last group quietly making his move up the leaderboard was Thad Hudgens who went out in two-under par, 34. Going into the back nine Hudgens knew he needed something special and would go on to post six-under par, 66. Hudgens would utimately fall short finishing in solo-third.
After a bogey on the fourteenth hole Ibbotson would find himself tied for the lead with Godwin. When Ibbotson and Godwin made it to the seventeenth hole they found themselves tied for the lead and both feeling the pressure of the moment. Godwin found himself in a tough spot on the hole and would miss his chip for bogey. Ibbotson burried his ten foot birdie putt to have a two shot swing going into the final hole.
The final group made their way to the eighteenth green and knowing what he needed to do Godwin made is birdie putt to put pressure on Ibbotson. Ibbotson just needed a two putt par to secure the title. After his first putt he was left with a nerveracking three foot putt Ibbotson took his time and went through his routine. Ibbotson would go on to sink the putt dead center to be crowned our 2025 Forty & Over Champion.
All in all, it was another great championship with a well-deserved champion.
