Former Ohio State golfer Neal Shipley defeated Seungtaek Lee with a birdie on the fifth hole of a sudden-death playoff to earn his first Korn Ferry Tour win at the LECOM Suncoast Classic on April 19 in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.
Shipley finished with 30 birdies in the tournament and finished with 64 on Saturday to force a playoff. Both Lee and Shipley finished at 18-under-par.
“Unfortunately, I have a tendency to let my anger out, sometimes in good ways, sometimes in bad ways, I’ll admit,” Shipley told the East County Observer. “I feel like that helps me. It’s like a release valve and you’re taking some pressure out. If you hold it in, you’re like a pipe that’s ready to burst at some point, and then it bursts in bad ways, so I’d rather let that air leak a little at a time, stay calm and move on.”
Let it out, Ship! 🗣️
Neal Shipley birdies the 5th playoff hole from DEEP to win the LECOM Suncoast Classic 🏆 pic.twitter.com/eGdnB0GrEG
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) April 19, 2025
Shipley and Lee missed par putts on the first playoff hole to bogey and each went on to par the hole three straight times after.
It was Shipley’s first professional win. He earned $180,000.
He entered the week with two made cuts in seven previous Korn Ferry Tour starts.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Former Ohio State golfer Neal Shipley sinks 38-foot birdie putt to win 1st pro tournament
Former Ohio State golfer Neal Shipley defeated Seungtaek Lee with a birdie on the fifth hole of a sudden-death playoff to earn his first Korn Ferry Tour win at the LECOM Suncoast Classic on April 19 in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.
Shipley finished with 30 birdies in the tournament and finished with 64 on Saturday to force a playoff. Both Lee and Shipley finished at 18-under-par.
“Unfortunately, I have a tendency to let my anger out, sometimes in good ways, sometimes in bad ways, I’ll admit,” Shipley told the East County Observer. “I feel like that helps me. It’s like a release valve and you’re taking some pressure out. If you hold it in, you’re like a pipe that’s ready to burst at some point, and then it bursts in bad ways, so I’d rather let that air leak a little at a time, stay calm and move on.”
Let it out, Ship! 🗣️
Neal Shipley birdies the 5th playoff hole from DEEP to win the LECOM Suncoast Classic 🏆 pic.twitter.com/eGdnB0GrEG
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) April 19, 2025
Shipley and Lee missed par putts on the first playoff hole to bogey and each went on to par the hole three straight times after.
It was Shipley’s first professional win. He earned $180,000.
He entered the week with two made cuts in seven previous Korn Ferry Tour starts.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Former Ohio State golfer Neal Shipley sinks 38-foot birdie putt to win 1st pro tournament
