PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (Dec. 9, 2025) – It had been a slow start to the 48th PGA Tournament Series for Bob Sowards. Just a pair of top-five finishes.

Sowards’ game finally warmed up in Event No. 3. And how.

Sowards capped off another brilliant performance Tuesday, firing a 5-under 66 on the Ryder Course to cruise to a four-shot victory over Scott Berliner at PGA Golf Club. It came on the heels of Monday’s 63 that gave Sowards a two-shot lead entering the final round.

“I just did everything well,” said Sowards, the PGA Director of Instruction at Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club in Powell, Ohio. “Made one bogey in 36 holes and that’s always a positive. I didn’t miss many shots and was in control of my ball all day.”

Sowards took his two-shot lead and expanded it with three birdies on his first six holes. The closest he came to making a bogey was a 5-foot par putt at No. 11, enabling him to post 13-under 129.

“I was nervous most of the day and kept hitting good shots,” Sowards said. “That’s the ultimate, being nervous and still hitting good shots. I was rusty when I first got here, but I played my way into it.”

The 57-year-old Sowards has won a record nine PGA of America Player of the Year Awards – five as a senior – and has always been one of the dominant players in the Tournament Series.

Berliner started Tuesday six shots back, but the Vero Beach resident got within three of Sowards after he made seven birdies. Berliner’s hopes ended when he failed to birdie the par-5 17th and he settled for a 64.

“I played better on the back nine yesterday and that momentum kind of trickled into today,” Berliner said. “I wasn’t thinking about winning. I played with Bob (Monday) and I knew he wasn’t going backward. It was the easiest 63 I’ve seen.”

Sowards became the first senior player (50-and-older) to win a PGA Tournament Series event since the PGA of America adjusted its rules to give seniors a 5 percent distance advantage. Tuesday’s yardage for players 50-and-older was 6,455, compared to 6,825 for the younger players.

“It’s a little weird watching some of the guys go to the back tees, when I feel I can still compete against them,” Sowards said. “It’s definitely a help to go up 5 percent.”

Berliner, who turned 50 this year, said there are a lot of factors that go into the seniors playing at 95 percent.

“It’s tricky to quantify how to make it equal for guys over 50 who don’t hit it that far,” Berliner said. “If you hit it far, it’s definitely an advantage. The good thing is we’re getting some older players coming back to these events.”

Omar Uresti of Austin, Texas, shot 66 to tie Tracy Vest (68) of Iowa City, Iowa, and University of Illinois coach Mike Small (70) for third place at 7-under 135.

Event No. 4 starts Thursday on the Dye Course. The PGA Tournament Series is presented by GolfPass.

For more information about the 2025 PGA Tournament Series, visit the event website.

By Craig Dolch

Special to the PGA of America