Main Bracket, Purple Bracket, Pink Bracket, Women's Bracket

The 2025 Florida Open kicked off the National Golden Tee Tour season in spectacular fashion, delivering high-stakes drama, jaw-dropping performances, and unforgettable moments. With over 140 competitors battling for their shot at glory, the tournament showcased the sport’s elite while also highlighting the rise of young talent and the continued dominance of Golden Tee legends. From Andy Haas reaffirming his status as the best in the game to Joe Massara’s triumphant return to the winner’s circle, and Brittany Casper and Jamie Arrington’s ongoing rivalry in the Women’s division, the Florida Open had it all. As players set the tone for the year ahead, fans were treated to another exciting event!

The Florida Open qualifier did not disappoint, as the competition reached high heights with all top course qualifiers scoring -30 or better! Joe Massara made a statement with a massive -32 and 37,660 Great Shot Points on Rocky Hollow, while also securing the top spot at Bahama Isles with a -30 and 31,836 GSPs. Gary Sheldon dominated Sahara Dunes with a -30 and 51,723 GSPs, while Chris Juszczyk was the top on Lexington Stables, firing off a -31 and racking up 77,855 GSPs.

The top overall qualifier, however, was none other than Andy Haas. Taking Basin Lake with a -30 and 44,911 GSPs, Haas proved once again why he is arguably the best Golden Tee player today. His total qualifying score of -148 with 199,005 Great Shot Points left no doubt that he remains the one to beat.

Speaking of Haas, his son, AJ Haas—known as "Ship It! Two"—proved that talent runs in the family. The younger Haas put up scores that rivaled some of the top players in the game, signaling that a new generation is ready to shake up the sport. Historically, Golden Tee has been dominated by players between the ages of 35 to 50, but with rising stars like Christopher Wengler, Chris Juszczyk, Bryce Aubart, and now AJ Haas, the future is looking brighter than ever. It would be no surprise to see one of these young competitors hoist a World Championship trophy within the next 5 to 10 years.

Sean Gervais once again proved why he is one of the toughest competitors on tour, battling his way through the losers bracket after facing an early setback. Along his journey, he took down top-tier opponents like Gary Sheldon, Brad Stewart, Jason Loschiavo, and Golden Tee’s own Kevin Lindsay.

Lindsay’s 4th-place performance resulted in his first time podium finish to date, but it wasn’t enough to stop Gervais, who made it all the way to the losers bracket final against Joe Massara.

Meanwhile, Bryce Aubart continues to solidify himself as one of the best newcomers in Golden Tee. On his road to King of the Hill, he defeated powerhouse players like Andy Haas, Joe Massara, and CJ Wengler, showing his consistency and skill. However, it was Massara’s moment to shine. In the double-elimination final, Massara delivered a dominant performance, securing a commanding -32 on Bear Lodge with multiple hole-outs and a holes-in-one. In the second match, he kept his foot on the gas, closing out the championship with a -30 to -27 victory at Lexington Stables. With exception to his 2023 Top Gun Player of the Year victory, this marks Massara’s first National Golden Tee Tour win since the 2023 Missouri Open.

Championship Sunday’s Purple Bracket always demands endurance, with 64 players battling for a prize that many consider the best of all—a pass to the Golden Tee World Championship. Over the years, this bracket has drawn elite players, often making it just as difficult as the main event.

This year, Michigan’s own Pete Schmidt fought his way through a marathon of matches, earning a King of the Hill spot against Danny Scurlock. Earlier in the bracket, Schmidt had already taken down Scurlock, but the Indiana native clawed his way back through the losers bracket for a shot at redemption. Scurlock took the first match, setting up an all-or-nothing final where both players knew a World Championship pass was on the line. The two competitors delivered a match for the ages, tying at -30 on Lexington Stables and forcing overtime. In the end, Pete Schmidt won, cementing his place in the 2026 Golden Tee World Championship.

In the Pink bracket, it was a true battle between Mark Williams and Russ Layton. Each player took their winning streak straight to the King of the Hill match. Layton barely beat out Williams by one stroke. Williams dropped down to the loser bracket and with one win was right back in the finals verse Russ Layton. Mark Williams made sure he wouldn’t lose again. Williams took the first match in overtime and finishing off Russ Layton in the final match with a -24 to -21 victory at Palmetto Coast!

As has become tradition, the Women’s Tournament closed out the Florida Open with another thrilling showdown between Brittany Casper and Jamie Arrington. These two have now faced off in three of the last four Women's finals, and with two championships each, their rivalry continues to be one of the most competitive and friendly storylines in Golden Tee.

This year, Casper needed every bit of skill and determination to come out on top. After winning a dramatic overtime match, she secured her second title with a -26 to -24 victory, punching her ticket to the 2026 Golden Tee World Championship. Arrington, who has now reached the finals in all four Florida Open Women’s events, remains one of the fiercest competitors in both male and female brackets. With these two elite players continuing to push each other to new heights, we can expect even more epic battles in the years to come.

The 2025 Florida Open delivered everything fans could hope for from intense competition, breakout performances, and unforgettable moments.

Before signing off, we need to thank the people at Sidelines Sports Bar & Grill! Their staff not only takes care of all of the players and the IT team throughout the long tournament weekend, but they make the event even better by having the stream on TVs for fans and other customers to watch.

Another big thanks goes to Steve Sobel, Russ Layton and Paige Gossett from Power Events for all of their work in knocking another tournament out of the park.

As the National Golden Tee Tour continues, one thing is clear: the game has never been more exciting!