The 1987 Florida Open Championship at Innisbrook Golf Resort.

Bruce Fleisher

^{St. Petersburg Times

July 28, 1987}

When play was suspended for more than an hour because of lightning Sunday, Bruce Fleisher looked troubled. And it had nothing to do with the threatening weather.

Fleisher was creating some thunder of his own, birdying three holes on the front nine in the final round of the Florida Open to catch tournament leader Steve Lowery. Despite the dangers, Fleisher didn't want to quit. He had too much momentum.

And when he finally returned to the Island course at Innisbrook, there was plenty of spark left in Fleisher's game. He went on to shoot a 6-under-par 66 to tie a course record and win the tournament by five shots.

"I don't play a lot of competitive golf anymore," said Fleisher, a former PGA Tour pro who is now the director of golf at the West View Golf Club in Miami. "I was not comfortable. I was comfortable with a four-shot lead, but you really have to play a lot of golf. Experience is important."

"When the day began, I really didn't think I could catch him (Lowery). He played so well yesterday and was hitting the ball well. But he didn't get it going today."

Fleisher's winning four-day total was 277, 10 under par, and was worth $8,000. Clearwater's Greg Kraft and Orlando's Lowery finished at 5-under 282. Both made $4,237.50,

Lakeland's Lee Janzen and Jay Overton, the director of golf at Innisbrook, were another shot back at 283. First-round leader Jeff Grygiel was at 286 and second-round leader Karl Kimball was at 288.

Fleisher, 38, made an eagle, six birdies and two bogeys for his 66. He missed a 2-foot par putt on the 18th hole that would have given him the course record. It was the eagle at the par 5 11th hole that sent him on his way.

"It really pumped me up," said Fleisher, who also won the Florida Open in 1980 and had a distinguished amateur career before playing on tour for 13 years. "I think No. 11 was the big turning point. I eagled and he (Lowery) parred."

Fleisher left the tour in 1983 for his club pro job in Miami but has continued to do well in the Florida Open. He tied for second last year and finished in the top 10 in 1985. He was one of only 12 club pros to make the cut this year.

Lowery began the day with a three-shot lead over Fleisher but could not sustain it. He birdied two holes on the front nine and also bogeyed two. When Fleisher eagled the 11th hole and Lowery couldn't convert a good birdie opportunity at No. 13, his chances evaporated.

"I actually played pretty close to my game plan. I just didn't make any putts," said Lowery, who had a 74 Sunday. "I got off to a good start. I just didn't make any putts later in the round."

Kraft began the round four shots behind Lowery and quickly fell six back with a birdie on No. 2. But he made three more birdies for a final-round 70 and lipped a 4-foot birdie putt at No. 18 that would have given him sole possession of second place.

"There was no catching Bruce," said Kraft, who was the only player to break par in all four rounds. "He was always in the fairway and he didn't miss any greens. By the time he got in any trouble, it was too late."

Pos.	Name	Rd. 1	2	3	4	Total
1	Bruce Fleisher, Miami	70	71	70	66	277
T2	Greg Kraft, Clearwater	70	71	71	70	282
T2	Steve Lowery, Orlando	70	71	67	74	282
T4	Lee Janzen, Lakeland	70	70	72	71	283
T4	Jay Overton, Tarpon	72	71	69	71	283
T6	Andy Franks, Winter Haven	74	72	71	68	285
T6	Charlie Bowles, Orlando	71	73	71	70	285
T8	Jeff Grygiel, Orlando	68	73	76	69	286
T8	Mark Bucek, Winter Springs	73	71	72	70	286
T10	Thomas Cleaver, Tampa	74	70	74	69	287
T10	Gary Koch, Tampa	72	76	70	69	287
T10	Jay Townsend, Tequesta	72	74	68	73	287
T13	Carl Kalinke	74	75	69	70	288
T13	Bill Buttner	72	78	69	69	288
T13	John Huston	74	76	70	68	288
T13	Richard Woodson	71	75	71	71	288
T13	Mike West	75	70	71	72	288
T13	Karl Kimball	69	68	75	76	288
T19	Hunt Gilliland	73	75	70	71	289
T19	Dan Browne	76	72	71	70	289
T19	Dan Wood	77	71	71	70	289
T19	Brad Bryant	75	76	69	69	289
T19	Steve Hart	72	74	71	72	289
T19	Mark Gurnow	71	72	73	73	289
T19	Billy Tuten	74	74	68	73	289
T19	Jay Lumpkin	72	75	70	72	289
T19	Marco Dawson	71	68	74	74	289
T28	Richard Cromwell	74	72	68	75	290
T28	Greg Fletscher	71	74	73	72	290
T28	Bill Belk	72	72	74	72	290
T28	Keith Kulzer	75	72	72	71	290
T28	Randy Mullen	75	73	71	71	290
T28	Bob Royak	71	75	73	71	290
T28	Kim Young	73	72	74	71	290
T28	Mitch Adcock	74	73	73	70	290
T28	Tom Doozan	74	69	74	73	290
T28	John Morse	72	74	71	73	290
T28	Roger Kennedy	73	75	75	67	290
T28	Warren Jurkowitz	71	68	76	75	290
T40	Randy Maris	73	76	70	72	291
T40	Dean Hiers	72	76	74	69	291
T40	Ken Postlewalt, Jr.	74	75	72	70	291
T40	Hugh O'Neill	71	72	71	77	291
T40	Gary Wintz	76	71	68	76	291
T45	Bill Kennedy	76	75	67	74	292
T45	Jim Dent	70	74	73	75	292
T45	Ken Mattface	72	70	78	72	292
T45	Vito Seputo	76	72	72	72	292
T49	Barry Cheesmon	80	71	70	72	293
T49	Rick Stallings	73	77	71	72	293
T51	Christian DeMarco	71	74	68	76	294
T51	Lee Rinker	74	72	71	77	294
T51	Bill Sellers	72	78	74	70	294
T51	Steven Lamontagne	73	74	74	73	294
T55	Jeffrey Butler	69	80	72	74	295
T55	Lew Smither	71	74	75	75	295
T55	John Restino	75	73	73	74	295
T58	Stan Cooke	73	78	68	77	296
T58	Scott Halle	73	76	73	74	296
T58	Tim Graham	73	71	77	75	296
T58	David Banks	75	74	72	75	296
T62	Chuck Kletcke	74	73	79	79	297
T62	A. J. Weber	75	75	77	70	297
T62	Chip Hall	72	73	74	78	297
T62	Roger Rowland	74	77	74	72	297
T66	Mike Dopslaff	74	77	77	70	298
T66	James Weeden	78	73	77	70	298
T66	Lee Booker	74	74	75	73	298
T66	Martin Stanovich	72	76	76	74	298
T66	Alan Howell	79	79	78	74	298
T66	J. C. Goosie	72	76	75	75	298
T66	Larry Blanchard	77	72	74	75	298
T66	Rick Schuller	73	74	75	76	298
T74	John Bauer	73	77	77	72	299
T74	Tommy Tolles	76	74	78	71	299
T74	Bobby Benson	80	78	77	75	299
T74	Greg Cerulli	74	74	75	76	299
78	Michael Domalske	80	70	76	74	300
T79	Dean Prowse	74	76	77	74	301
T79	Paul Perini	74	73	75	79	301
T81	Bill Adams	75	76	78	73	302
T81	John Finster	73	75	76	78	302
T83	Scott Knights	72	79	77	75	303
T83	Donnie Green	74	73	78	78	303
T85	Phillip Carnsvale	73	73	83	75	304
T85	Robbie Gilmore, Jr.	75	75	75	79	304
87	Drue Johnson	75	76	76	78	307
T88	Doug LaCrosse	77	74	77	80	308
T88	Dennis Postlewalt	77	73	80	78	308
90	Mike Mangiaracina	76	74	80	83	313

Processing your payment, please wait.

1987 Florida Open - Innisbrook Golf Resort

Bruce Fleisher

Pos.

Name

Rd. 1

2

3

4

Total

Preserving & Protecting the Game Since 1913