3-Players Crowned Champion at IRO

The 57th Annual Indian River Open was played this past weekend at the New Smyrna Beach GC. Cold temperatures, Wind and Rain greeted the field of 112 players upon their arrival Saturday morning for the start of round one. Opening rounds of -6 under par 66’s came from Tyler Gray, Pete Kellermann, Ben Kishigian, and Danny Walker. The group held a two-shot overnight lead heading into Sunday’s final round. Though conditions did improve on Sunday, it left the field without a single glimpse of any Florida sunshine. At days end, 5:45pm to be exact, 3-players emerged from the field after finishing in a 3-way tie at -11. It included overnight leader Pete Kellermann (66-67), Kyle Wilshire (68-65), and Andrew Dorn who had the tournaments low round on Sunday (70-63). With daylight fading fast the trio headed to Hole #1 for a Sudden-Death play-off, all three men made par 4’s and headed to the par 5 ninth. Again all made birdie 4’s and desperately hurried to the par 4 first again and again all 3 players made par. With pretty much all daylight gone, the trio left the 2nd tee box in the dark as the staff and spectators helped locate the players tee-shots, all three hit great approach shots, and all three men two putted in almost total darkness, I don’t know how they did it, I could not see 10 feet in front of me. Congrats to all three men, they deserve to be called co-champions.