- April 23, 2024
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Paul Barjon hits his second shot on the No. 18 hole through the brush. Barjon would par the hole to finish three over par on the day, three under par for the tournament.
David Kocher, Paul Barjon and their caddies walk down the fairway on the No. 18 hole at Lakewood National Golf Club.
Roberto Diaz hits onto the green on the No. 11 hole from just off the cart path. Diaz would par the hole.
Albin Choi (red), Braden Thornberry (pink) and their caddies examine Thornberry's ball, which landed in a waste bunker, on the No. 17 hole. Thornberry would par the hole.
Brandon Wu tees off on the No. 17 hole at Lakewood National. Wu would par the hole and finish the day two under par, eight under par for the tournament.
Brandon Wu putts for a bogey on the No. 16 hole at Lakewood National. Wu would finish the day two under par and eight under par for the tournament.
Taylor Montgomery shot 13 under par at the 2021 LECOM Suncoast Classic, but lost in a playoff to Hayden Buckley.
File photoPeter Uihlein stares down his putt on the No. 17 hole at Lakewood National Golf Club. Uihlein would par the hole and finish six over par on the day, even par for the tournament.
Greg Yates laughs as he plans a shot from outside the ropes on the No. 17 hole. Yates would par the hole and finish four over par on the day, two under par for the tournament.
Billy Kennerly tees off to begin his round on the final day of the 2021 LECOM Suncoast Classic.
Hayden Buckely won the 2021 LECOM Suncoast Classic.
File photoHayden Buckley, a graduate of the University of Missouri, reps his alma mater on his golf bag.
Ollie Schniederjans hits his tee shot on the No. 16 hole at the LECOM Suncoast Classic. He finished eight under par for the tournament.
Billy Kennerly takes his tee shot on the No. 16 hole at the 2021 LECOM Suncoast Classic. He would par the hole, then go three over par on the next two holes. He finished 12 under par.
Billy Kennerly missed a putt for par on the No. 18 hole that would have landed him in the playoff. He finished 12 under par.
Hayden Buckley missed a birdie putt on the No. 18 hole at the 2021 LECOM Suncoast Classic, but par was enough to get him in a three-person playoff. He would win the playoff.
The golfers get read the rules prior to the three-person playoff at the 2021 LECOM Suncoast Classic.
Taylor Montgomery made the three-person playoff at the 2021 LECOM Suncoast Classic, but missed a birdie putt that would have extended the tournament.
Taylor Montgomery reacts after he missed a birdie putt during the three-person playoff at the 2021 LECOM Suncoast Classic.
Hayden Buckley sank a 10-foot putt to win the 2021 LECOM Suncoast Classic in a three-person playoff.
Hayden Buckley lets out a scream after sinking his putt to win the 2021 LECOM Suncoast Classic in a three-person playoff.
File photoHayden Buckley lets out a scream after sinking his putt to win the 2021 LECOM Suncoast Classic in a three-person playoff.
Hayden Buckley shot 13 under par and won a three-person playoff on the No. 18 hole at the 2021 LECOM Suncoast Classic. It is Buckley's first Korn Ferry Tour win.
Hayden Buckley and his girlfriend, Feleysa Nguyen, tried putting their three-year-old dog Macy in the LECOM Suncoast Classic trophy. She didn't quite fit.
Hayden Buckley gives a kiss to his dog, Macy, following his win at the 2021 LECOM Suncoast Classic.
Hayden Buckley puts on the "White Jacket" after winning the 2021 LECOM Suncoast Classic.
Brian Mahoney, Hayden Buckley and Feleysa Nguyen (plus Macy the dog) celebrate Buckley's win at the 2021 LECOM Suncoast Classic.
The 2021 LECOM Suncoast Classic at Lakewood National Golf Club was a literal last-to-first story.
Hayden Buckley, 24, was the last golfer in the field, starting the week on the alternate list. He tried getting in through the Monday qualifier at Sarasota's Laurel Oak Country Club and failed. But by Thursday morning, Buckley was first on the alternate list. He showed up to the course around 6 a.m., hoping he would get the call that his time was here.
If he was, his tee time was 7:17 a.m. He got the call at approximately 7 a.m. Buckley had five minutes to gather himself before getting to his tee.
Then he won the whole thing.
Buckley shot 13 under par for the tournament — one under par on Sunday — and defeated Taylor Montgomery and Dawson Armstrong in a three-person playoff on the No. 18 hole to win the tournament, sinking a 10-foot birdie putt after Montgomery and Armstrong missed their attempts. He will receive $108,000 of the tournament's $600,000 purse as a prize, along with the tournament trophy.
"To get up there [in the playoff] and to do what you know you have to do, knowing it's going to change your life, it's tough to put into words," Buckley said. "Now that it has happened, it's a lot of relief. It's knowing that I can plan a schedule. I've got a whole year no matter what, and I'm chasing a [PGA] Tour card now, too. It's not going to be living cut to cut anymore."
A few holes prior to the playoff, Buckley didn't appear to have a chance at winning. He and Billy Kennerly entered the day tied for the lead at 12 under par, but through 14 holes, Kennerly had taken a commanding three-stroke lead at 16 under par. Then Kennerly started to falter. He bogeyed No. 15, then parred No. 16 before collapsing on No. 17, recording a double bogey. While this was happening, Buckley remained steady, parring all three holes.
Entering No. 18, Kennerly and Buckley were tied at 13 under par — and so were Montgomery and Armstrong. Buckley made par to remain in the potential playoff, but Kennerly missed his putt for par, ending his hopes at a win. He finished 12 under par.
"With four to play, I kind of felt out of it," Buckley said. "Billy [Kennerly] was playing so well all day … then, suddenly, we're tied going into [No.] 18. I was lucky to get in that playoff."
Once in it, though, there was little doubt in Buckley's mind what would happen next. Buckley said he's had a lot of experience with playoffs, both good and bad. That helped him keep his mind where it needed to be.
"I did not want to play two holes," Buckley said. "I'm tired. My legs hurt. I have to drive a few hours to a Monday qualifier tomorrow for the Puerto Rico Open. I think we were all ready to get out of there. It was nice to get it done."
Rounding out the top five were Brent Grant and Dan McCarthy, who both finished 11 under par.
Buckley, a University of Missouri graduate, was joined by his girlfriend, Feleysa Nguyen, and their three-year-old dog, Macy. Buckley said Sunday was Macy's first time at one of his tournaments and joked that he might need to bring her to a few more.
The win was Buckley's first Korn Ferry Tour win.
"Getting it done is something you dream about," Buckley said. "I think we have all sat on a putting green and thought about winning a golf tournament with a 10-footer. It's an incredible story, and I'm really happy it's me."
