- April 30, 2025
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Neal Shipley didn’t try to hide his emotion when shots didn’t go his way during the LECOM Suncoast Classic at Lakewood National.
So it was only fitting he erupted in a raucous celebration April 19 when he drained a near-40 foot putt to win the Korn Ferry Tour event in a five-hole playoff against Seungtaek Lee.
“Unfortunately, I have a tendency to let my anger out, sometimes in good ways, sometimes in bad ways, I’ll admit,” Shipley said. “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.”
The LECOM Suncoast Classic became Shipley’s first professional win — one that he said was simply a matter of time. He earned $180,000 of the $1 million purse for his first-place finish.
Shipley's win came at what LECOM Suncoast Classic Tournament Director Justin Kristich called the highest-attended day in tournament history despite the schedule being shifted to end a day earlier due to Easter Sunday.
The atmosphere of the playoff — featuring one of the biggest names in the event on an 18th hole surrounded by grandstands — gave fans some extra bang for their buck, something this tournament has become known to provide.
"We've had that a few times now," Kristich said. "Out of the seven years we've hosted this event, four have gone to playoffs, so it's kind of something we just expect in the back of our heads. I don't know if I want five hole playoffs in the future, but it was good overtime for the spectators. They really enjoyed it. And if you're picking from a list of the 156 guys pre-tournament on who you want to win, (Shipley) is a guy who would be on top."
The 2024 Ohio State grad made his mark on the world of golf last year on the sport’s biggest stage. He won the Low Amateur award at both the Masters Tournament (T53) and the U.S. Open (T26) before going on to play in eight more PGA Tour events.
This year didn’t get off to nearly as good of a start.
Shipley finished T-47 at the Valspar Championship — his only PGA Tour event this year — and had mixed results on the Korn Ferry Tour leading into the LECOM Suncoast Classic, missing the cut in five of seven events, but placing T15 or better in the other two.
Despite that slow start to 2025, Shipley said he wasn’t discouraged.
“I figured it would come just based on the type of quality player I am, not to pump my own tires,” he said. “I know that I can compete with these guys out here. I knew that before coming here. It’s about having the right opportunity and having the stars align, and I had that happen this week. I think the important thing is that I was going to stay patient regardless of what happened this week and in prior weeks.”
Shipley came from behind during Saturday’s final round, shooting a 7-under-par 64 that was tied for the low round of the day.
After opening with three straight pars, Shipley birdied seven of the next eight holes to put himself into contention. However, there were moments when it looked as if his late charge wouldn’t be enough.
Shipley bogeyed the par-4 12th hole, but responded with back-to-back birdies on the par-5 14th and par-3 15th to get to 19-under-par and in sole control of the lead. That proved to be momentary, though, as Shipley’s third shot on the par-4 16th — a downhill putt from the fringe — rolled well past the hole and resulted in a bogey.
Shipley remained at 18-under from there, and admitted he wasn’t sure if his final score would be enough to win.
“It was a little nervy,” he said of waiting for the rest of the field to finish. “When I finished, I didn’t think it would be enough. I was pretty happy just to be in a playoff, and to be in just a one-man playoff was a blessing because when I was on the golf course there were four other guys at 18-under at one point. I definitely got a little lucky that some guys slipped coming in, but I took advantage of the opportunity and I’m super happy about that.”
The two-man playoff included high-pressure shots and some dramatics from Shipley.
Both 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 — including a long par save from Shipley on the third playoff that gave him a spark of adrenaline that was soon one-upped by his long birdie putt that clinched the win.
“When you see a putt that long go in, that gets you pumped up,” Shipley said of his par save. “I’m one of those guys that when I have my back against the wall, whether it’s in a playoff like that or on the cut line, I tend to always go down swinging. That’s just my mentality, and I’m not afraid to make those putts in those moments.”
Fans who enjoyed the LECOM Suncoast Classic — or any who missed out on this year's dramatics — can rest assured knowing that the event is contracted to return for 2026, and Kristich said that conversations for a renewed contract should begin soon.
"We're good to go with both our title sponsor LECOM and the club through next year," he said. "We'll start to have discussions with both of those entities within the next few weeks to hopefully extend the title sponsorship and the contract with Lakewood National well before the 2026 event rolls around."
