Perry’s Clutch Birdie on 17 Seals Florida Senior Open Victory
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – In a final round filled with nonstop leaderboard shifts it was Rod Perry of Crane Lakes Golf & Country Club who stayed steady amid the storm to emerge victorious at the 48th Florida Senior Open Championship.
The day began like any other final round, with the leaders going off in the final group. But it didn’t take long for the leaderboard to unravel. Players rose and fell with nearly every hole, creating a whirlwind of momentum shifts that made it nearly impossible to keep track of who was actually in control.
Miles McConnell, who started the day with the lead, stumbled early with a double bogey on the 4th, falling to 2-under. First-round leader Timothy Cantwell also faltered, dropping three shots on holes five, six, and eight to sit at 1-under by the turn. Meanwhile, Frank Bensel surged into contention with three front-nine birdies to briefly grab the lead.
As players made the turn, the lead changed hands so rapidly it seemed like every hole produced a new frontrunner.
Perry, starting the day in second, posted a 3-over front nine. But then came the spark. Back-to-back birdies on the 10th and 11th holes put him right back in the mix.
Also making noise was Jonathon Kaye, who clawed his way into contention after a 76 in the opening round with a gritty comeback in round two.
The first sign of clarity came on the 14th when Cantwell birdied to take solo possession of the lead at 3-under. But Perry was lurking just one shot back. McConnell and Kaye were still within striking distance, turning the final stretch into a high-stakes showdown.
By the end of the 16th hole, the original leaders had clawed their way back to the top, and Cantwell and Perry were tied at 3-under with just two holes to play. Then Perry struck. A clutch birdie on the 17th pushed him to solo first, the decisive blow that sealed his win.
Perry’s consistent play across all three rounds, 70-70-71--212, earned him the title and a $12,000 payday as the 48th Florida Senior Open Champion. It was a wild finish, but in the end, calm and composure carried the day.
Timothy Cantwell of PGA National Resort & Spa finished in second place with rounds of 69-73-72--214. Third place was a tie between Jonathan Kaye and Miles McConnell who both finished at 1-under total. McConnell earned Low-Amateur Honors after rounds of 71-69-75--215.
