University of Florida golf coach J.C. Deacon made a 3-foot birdie putt at the 18th hole of the Quail West Country Club in Naples on July 20 to force a playoff, then birdied the first hole of sudden death on a 17-foot birdie roll to beat former Gator player Joseph Pagdin and win the Florida Open for the third time.
Deacon (67) and Pagdin (68) both finished at 16-under 200, one shot ahead of Allin Crouch (70) of Jacksonville, who also played for Deacon at the University of Florida and is a two-time Florida Times-Union high school player of the year from Bolles.
Deacon began the day two shots behind former University of Central Florida player Brad Schneider (73) and eagled the first hole. Deacon gave both shots back with a double at No. 8 but beginning at the ninth hole, birdied four of his next seven.
He hit a wedge to 3 feet at the last and made the putt. Pagdin needed to make a 7-footer for par to assure a playoff spot, and rolled the ball in. However, his drive found a penalty area to the left of the fairway and Deacon needed only a two-putt to win.
Deacon earned $20,000 in becoming the first player to win three Florida Opens since the late Don Bisplinghoff in 1962.
J.C. Deacon has won three Florida Opens in nine years
Deacon previously won the Florida Open in 2017 at Black Diamond and in 2020 at Pine Tree. He has shot in the 60s in all nine rounds of the Florida Opens he’s won.
Crouch was even par through 15 holes and birdied Nos. 16 and 18. Justin Hicks of West Palm Beach (64), Hunter Fry of Bonita Springs (66) and Brant Peaper of West Palm (66) tied at 13-under.
Schneider, of Valrico, was 17-under with three holes to play but bogeyed Nos. 16 and 17 and triple-bogeyed No. 18 to fall into a tie for seventh at 12-under.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Florida Gators golf coach J.C. Deacon turns back two former players to win third Florida Open
Reporting by Garry Smits, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
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