Tyler Tarbet, Andrew Gastley, K.C. Colthart, Chris Louth, and John Seibold all won the 2025 Sunshine State Regional hosted by Cabot Citrus Farms in Brooksville, FL.
The name of the Karoo course is inspired by the distinctive call of the sandhill crane. Interestingly, during our Day 1 play, the sound of these cranes resonated across the course, evoking a sense of nostalgia. While there may be some debate about whether their call is accurately described as 'karoo-karoo,' there is no question about the exceptional experience we enjoyed at Cabot Citrus Farms for our inaugural Sunshine State Regional. The quality of the staff, courses, food, amenities, and recreational options was outstanding, and every participant we conversed with expressed their admiration for the event. A total of 82 players from 19 Tours Nationwide gathered to experience two destination courses.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to each player for contributing to the success of our first regional tournament. We are thrilled with your feedback and the generous compliments regarding the event.
In the Championship Flight, I had the pleasure of playing The Squeeze course with Tyler Tarbet (Charlotte, NC) last Thursday. This 10-hole course features a par 5 alongside a mix of par 4 and par 3 holes, providing an excellent introduction to the property’s landscape. Tarbet demonstrated impressive skill, making par on all but one hole, which indicated he would be a strong contender for the Crystal Skull Decanter Trophy that weekend.
Fresh off a Regional victory in A Flight at The PGA Club in Port St. Lucie, Robin Gomez was aiming for consecutive wins across two different flights within the South Florida tour. Tournament Director Steve was eager for a regional win, while Mason Coker considered this course a home advantage as part of the Tampa tour.
Tarbet's highlights were remarkable; he was 2 under par through his first eight holes until a double bogey on hole #9 on the Karoo. However, he rebounded with an eagle on hole #14, earning him seven rollover super skins valued at $532, as holes #8 to #13 were cut and no one recorded a birdie on hole #10. This performance left him as the overnight leader at even par, and he ultimately shot a 75 on The Roost to secure the victory.
Eric Kellough (Orlando) recorded the lowest score on Day 1 in the A Flight with a score of 78, although he might have performed even better had it not been for a setback on hole #18. Close behind him, Jason Ball (Tampa, FL) shot a 79, achieving the only birdie of the day and securing the closest-to-the-pin on hole #7, which earned him five super rollover skins along with the cash prize for the CTP, totaling $459.
Andrew Gastley (Tampa, FL) started with a bogey on his first hole but then managed to make par through to hole #9, tying the lowest nine-hole score of 37 with Jason. Although his back nine yielded only two pars, he entered Day 2 just three shots off the lead. Coach Thomas Vilardi (North Central Florida) recorded the best back nine score of 37, which included four birdies, an 8, and a double bogey.
Additionally, for the second consecutive event, an eagle was cut; Tampa's Mike Horn in the B Flight had his skin cut by A Flight's Blake Pipkin (Alabama) on hole #6.
Day 2 at The Roost showcased some impressive scoring! Ronnie Averett (Mississippi) participated exclusively in the CTP game, opting out of the super and flight skins. Remarkably, he achieved a total of six birdies, including four consecutive birdies from holes #8 to #11, finishing with a score of 80, despite incurring two triple bogeys—what an impressive round!
Eric Kellough (Orlando, FL) began his round strong, securing two birdies in his first three holes and finishing the front nine even par. However, he subsequently encountered difficulties on the back nine, experiencing the unfortunate bogey train.
Gastley recognized the need to accelerate his scoring to catch up. He started with three birdies in his first six holes but then had a three-putt on #7, ending the front nine with a score of 34. He continued his momentum by birdying #10 but faced a setback with a double bogey on #12. Gastley secured the CTP on #14 and converted that opportunity into a birdie. Aware that par was essential on holes #17 and #18, he executed a remarkable up-and-down on #17, navigating a challenging pin position tucked at the back with a steep slope to the right. On #18, he sank a 15-footer that found the center of the cup, clinching the victory. Gastley finished with a score of 73, earning the title of medalist for the day while demonstrating exceptional skill on a demanding course. Congratulations, Andrew! You truly deserve this victory and the opportunity to travel to Hilton Head in October!
K.C. Coulthart (Tampa) is currently on an impressive winning streak. He triumphed over the B Flight field at Black Diamond Ranch's Quarry course, finishing one stroke ahead of former National Champion Mike Ray (North Central Florida). Additionally, he was the overnight leader at Cabot with a score of 81, which included two birdies and three double bogeys. Tampa's Shane and I often remind players that failing to enter money games can represent a missed opportunity; for instance, Sonny Arashino (North Central Florida) recorded the only birdie on hole #10 at the Karoo but was not participating in the games. Had he been involved; he could have claimed three super skins. Colby Shull (Tampa, FL) and John Prano (Orlando, FL) closely followed Coulhart with scores of 83 and 84, respectively.
On Day 2 at The Roost, Andrew Nicholson (Tampa, FL) achieved the rare eagle on hole #11—an impressive feat given the pin placement—and secured ten super skins at $76 each, totaling $760. Scott Callahan (Tampa, FL) birdied the opening hole, winning a super right from the start. Shull remained competitive but fell short of the trophy, with only three holes undermining an otherwise clean scorecard. Mike Horn (Tampa, FL) surged up the leaderboard with the low round of the B Flight, posting an 80, a significant improvement over his score of 91 from the Karoo. The four players who entered the money in B Flight all finished with scores of 81, including James MacKinnon (Upstate New York) and Scott Johnson (South Florida). Both Michael Carr and Greg Burrell from Atlanta narrowly missed the payouts, falling victim to a scorecard tiebreaker with Horn and MacKinnon.
Ultimately, Coulthart secured victory by two strokes, earning his place at the Nationals. He is an exceptional player and currently leads the Tampa Tour Season Points Race ahead of Tampa's Shane.
There is much to be said about the captivating drama of the C Flight division, regardless of the tour or tournament. On Day 1 at the Karoo, Mike Valentine (Tampa, FL) recorded the lowest score for the division, shooting an impressive 80. Notably, he birdied the second hole, a feat that deserves commendation. The pin placement was particularly challenging, tucked behind a bunker on a lengthy hole with a vast green reminiscent of a giant wave pool frozen in time. His birdie earned him two super skins totaling $152. Despite beginning with a triple bogey and carding three doubles on the back nine, he managed to put together an extraordinary round of golf.
On the same day, Chris Gray (North Central Florida) shot an 82 at the Karoo, just one hole shy of breaking 80, showcasing a commendable back nine score of 39. Well done, Chris!
Transitioning to Day 2 at The Roost, Dan Kennedy (Tampa, FL) executed an impressive birdie on hole 15, a challenging green positioned around a tree with a tucked pin. This remarkable play earned him four super rollover skins, amounting to $304. However, the day ultimately belonged to Chris Louth (Cincinnati/Dayton) who shot a remarkable 79. His performance included back-to-back birdies on holes 8 and 9, as well as additional birdies on holes 13 and 16. He clinched victory by paring the notoriously difficult 18th hole, a feat accomplished by only 15 out of 82 players. Louth, a proud Bearcat, surely celebrated taking the trophy home after traveling from the Cincinnati/Dayton Tour. He finished strong despite a rocky start on the final day. Congratulations, Chris! We look forward to seeing you in October!
In D Flight, John Seibold was one of the first entrants into the field, on Christmas Day, who plays on our North Central Florida Tour. Although he has not had many opportunities to play this season, he approached each game with enthusiasm. Notably, he achieved a score of 88 on Day 1 at the Karoo, becoming the only player in the D Flight to break 90 on that course.
On Day 2, both Scott Luurtsema (Orlando, FL) and Tyrone James (Oralando, FL) also broke 90 at the Roost, with scores of 87 and 89, respectively. Bruce Copsey, representing the California Tour, recorded back-to-back birdies on holes #2 and #3, followed by a third birdie on the short par 5, #16. I, on the other hand, unfortunately four-putted on #2 from the middle of the green!
The competition intensified as Copsey and Seibold battled it out over the final four holes. Copsey made a birdie on the par 5, but then encountered two double bogeys. Seibold managed a par on #16, a bogey on #17, and ultimately finished with a triple bogey on #18. Despite the challenges, he clinched the victory by just one shot.
It is truly exciting to see one of our tour players earn their spot at Nationals. Congratulations, John! I look forward to seeing you there.
A heartfelt thank you to all the players who traveled across the country to participate in our inaugural tournament featuring a brand-new set of courses. We also extend our gratitude to the Florida players who made the daily commute to join us over the weekend. This event marked Cabot's first significant tournament, and they were thoroughly impressed by the professionalism and decorum you exhibited towards their staff. We have received an invitation to return next year, and we hope this event will become a cherished fixture in your golfing calendar.
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