Michael Visacki has won more than 50 professional mini-tour events and is the all-time leading money winner on the West Florida Tour.
He added his biggest victory to date on July 19, on his home course.
Visacki, a 32-year-old Sarasota native and former University of Central Florida star, outlasted two rain delays, a double-bogey on the 54th hole and a bunched field to win the 80th Florida Open on the first playoff hole vs. former Florida State All-ACC player Chase Seiffert, at the Longboat Key Club Harbourside Course.
Visacki earned $20,000 for the victory, from a total purse of $125,000.
Known on golf courses throughout Florida as “Big Mike,” Visacki had a one-shot lead over Seiffert with one hole to play, but doubled No. 18 to shoot 71 and finish at 7-under-par 207. Seiffert (69) had a chance to win his second Florida Open with a par on the last hole, made a bogey.
Visacki found the putting surface at No. 18 on the playoff hole, then two-putted for par from 40 feet. Seiffert missed the green and failed to get up and down.
Rain delays make it a long day at Longboat
There was a rain delay starting the round, then a three-hour delay after Visacki had played 10 holes. He birdied No. 11 coming out of the delay for a one-shot lead but played the last four holes of regulation 3-over.
Seiffert birdied No. 17 to give himself a chance to win.
Nine players finished within three shots of the playoff.
Andrew Riley logs day’s low round with a 65
Parker Bell of Tallahassee (66), Michael Kartrude of Jupiter (69) and Tyler Stachkunas of Palm Beach (70) tied for third at 5-under. Creekside High and University of North Florida graduate Andrew Riley (65) had the day’s low round and tied for sixth at 4-under. Riley birdied five of eight holes during one stretch.
Also tying for sixth was another former UCF player, Chase Haygood, who shared the 36-hole lead with Visacki. Haygood took an early lead when he birdied his first three holes, but he didn’t make another birdie the rest of the round and absorbed six bogeys to post a 74.
Former UNF player Kevin Aylwin (70) tied for 11th at 2-under. A group tying for 18th at even par included the tournament’s low amateur, former UNF assistant golf coach Tyler Gulliksen (76), Moses Compaan of Jacksonville (73) and two-time PGA Tour winner Ted Potter of Ocala (71).
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Mike Visacki, ex-UCF golf star, wins Florida Open in sudden death
Reporting by Garry Smits, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Garry Smits, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union | USA TODAY Network
