Neal Shipley gets first professional victory, wins LECOM Suncoast Classic on Korn Ferry Tour
Mt. Lebanon native and Pittsburgh Central Catholic graduate Neal Shipley has his first win as a professional golfer.
Shipley outlasted Seungtaek Lee of South Korea in a five-hole playoff on Saturday to win the LECOM Suncoast Classic in Florida on the Korn Ferry Tour, a developmental tour for the PGA Tour.
On the fifth playoff hole, Shipley sank a 38-foot birdie putt to get his first professional win.
"This is what we play for," Shipley said after the win. "We play for moments like that. We practice for moments like that. You know, we work really hard so that we have the opportunity to hit those putts to win. I'm really glad that I put myself in the position to do that this week."
The win on Saturday netted Shipley a $180,000 payout and helps get the Ohio State graduate one step closer towards being on the PGA Tour.
Currently sitting in third place on the tour's points list, if Shipley can finish inside the top 20 at the end of the season, he'll earn a PGA Tour card for the 2026 season.
Shipley, a fan favorite who turned pro last year after strong showings at the Masters and at the U.S. Open, earning low amateurs in both major championship tournaments.
Shipley became the sixth player in history to win low amateur honors at the Masters and U.S. Open in the same year, joining the likes of Ken Venturi (1956), Jack Nicklaus (1960), Phil Mickelson (1991), Matt Kuchar (1998) and Viktor Hovland (2019).
