PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – The stage is set for the 2025 Florida Women’s Open & Senior Open, taking place August 1 - 3 at PGA National Golf Resort & Spa. A field of 168 professionals and amateurs will tee it up over three days of 54-hole gross stroke play. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the low 60 and ties, who will battle for the trophy in Sunday’s final round.
PGA National Golf Resort & Spa
The event, which features a $65,000 estimated total purse, will take place across two of PGA National’s courses for the first two rounds. All players will play 18 holes on the Champion Course, as well as 18 holes at the Fazio Course. After the field is cut following the second round, the final round will take place on the Champion Course where, fittingly, a champion will be crowned for both the Open Division and the Senior Division.
Inside the Field
Now in its ninth year, the Florida Women’s Open continues to draw top talent. Defending champion Lauren Clark returns to defend her title, this time as a professional. Clark turned pro in June following her graduation from the University of Kentucky. In her professional debut at the Women’s Open of Virginia, she finished T2 and earned low professional honors.
Clark isn’t the only past champion in the field. In fact, 12 of the 16 past champions since the event’s inception in 2017 are back in action:
- Lauren Clark, 2024 (Open Division)
- Christa Johnson, 2024 (Senior Division)
- Jordan Fischer (a), 2023 (Open Division)
- Tammie Green, 2023, 2020 (Senior Division)
- Jackie-Gallagher Smith, 2022 (Senior Division)
- Jackie Stoelting, 2021 (Open Division)
- Kim Keyer-Scott (a), 2021 (Senior Division)
- Jessica Porvansnik, 2019 (Open Division)
- Cheryl Fox, 2019 (Senior Division)
- Sandra Angulo Minarro, 2018 (Open Division)
- Mary Jane Hiestand (a), 2018 (Senior Division)
- Sandra Changkija, 2017 (Open Division)
- Barb Bunkowsky, 2017 (Senior Division)
Notably, Sandra Changkija, winner of the inaugural Florida Women’s Open in 2017, still holds the tournament scoring record with a three-day total of 66-65-68--199.
Players to Watch
In the Open Division:
- Laura Sluman of Panama brings EPSON Tour experience, including a win at the 2019 Guardian Championship.
- Kaitlyn Schroeder, a redshirt junior at UNF and First Team All-ASUN in 2025, is one of the top amateurs to watch. She was named UNF Female Newcomer of the Year and is ranked 505 in the WAGR.
In the Senior Division:
- Leta Lindley, reigning U.S. Senior Women’s Open champion, returns after firing a record-setting 64 in the final round at Fox Chapel.
- Michelle McGann, a seven-time LPGA Tour winner, adds star power and veteran presence.
- Vicki Goetze-Ackerman, an LPGA professional with two U.S. Women’s Amateur titles (1989, 1992) and a Curtis Cup appearance, brings a decorated resume.
The Championship Test
After a look at the talent, let’s look at the test. The Champion Course is famed for its toughness, including the notorious Bear Trap stretch. In fact, it is considered one of the toughest tests on the PGA TOUR. Meanwhile, the Fazio Course offers a more forgiving layout with subtle challenges throughout. Together, they’ll demand precision, patience, and poise from players seeking the title.
Don’t Miss a Moment
As the only women’s event hosted by the FSGA that welcomes professionals, the Florida Women’s Open is always a fun three days mixed with a great challenge for all competitors. We can’t wait to see who the 2025 champion will be, as well as who takes home the big check. Don’t miss out on the action and be sure to follow along with live scoring!
