Justin Hicks added yet another highlight to his standout year on Oct. 26 at the 2025 Senior PGA Professional Championship. Hicks, from Wellington, Florida, hoisted the Leo Fraser Trophy for the first time after recording a final-round 1-under-par 71 on PGA Golf Club’s Wanamaker Course in Port St. Lucie, Florida, to finish the week at 8-under-par 280 and win by one.
His Senior PGA Professional Championship continues a strong run for Hicks (pictured above), a PGA Teaching Professional at Stonebridge Country Club in Boca Raton, Florida, who claimed a whopping seven victories at the South Florida PGA Section and Chapter levels earlier this year.
“It’s a really good group of players out there and to come out on top of it, I feel pretty good about it,” said Hicks. “I play against so many good players in our (South Florida) Section. I steamrolled it a little bit into continuing what I was doing this summer to beat the young guys.”
Alan Morin (pictured below right) of Royal Palm Beach, Florida, finished second at 7-under-par 281. Omar Uresti (Austin, Texas) took third at 6-under 282. Tim Cantwell (Palm Beach Gardens, Florida) finished fourth at 5-under 283, while Jeff Gove (Sandpoint, Idaho) claimed fifth at 4-under 284.
Hicks entered Sunday’s final round with a one-shot advantage. Following an opening par on the par-5 first hole, he went birdie-bogey on holes 2-3 then collected six consecutive pars on holes No. 4-9 to make the turn at even-par 36.
A bogey at the par-4 12th proved to be a mental turning point for the South Florida PGA Member when he three-putted from 20 feet.
“I tried to say ‘OK, it was one bad putt’ and really the rest of the way in I hit a lot of good putts,” explained Hicks. “I found a way to take a negative and learn from it and apply it. I knew that my tempo had gotten off with that putt, so the rest of the way in all I focused on was having good tempo with each stroke.”
Hicks’ adjusted tempo yielded immediate results when he made a 15-footer for birdie on the following hole at the par-5 13th. His third and final birdie of the day came at the par-5 16th, where he hit the green in two and guided his 19-foot eagle putt to within an inch before tapping in. Hicks parred the par-3 17th and par-4 18th to clinch the victory.
Hicks credited his community of PGA of America Golf Professionals consisting of Matt Messer, PGA (Bear Lakes Country Club), Steve Haggerty, PGA (PGA National Golf Club), and Jeremy Wells, PGA (Cypress Lake Golf Club), for aiding in his recent success.
“Jeremy and I are constantly trying to get better,” said Hicks. “Steve and Matt are more like mentors and instructors who I talk to on a daily basis as far as how do I teach better and also how do I play better. I have a really good community of people who I work with.”
Defending Champion Morin, a PGA Assistant Professional at The Club at Ibis, started the final round in second at 6-under. The South Florida PGA Member shot even-par 36 on the front nine, which included a bogey-birdie stretch on holes 6–7. After a bogey at the par-3 11th, Morin birdied the par-5 13th and par-5 16th to post a 1-under-par 35 on the back to finish 1-under-par 71.
“I was really trying to win it back-to-back this year, but with a field like that it’s so hard to accomplish something like that,” said Morin. “I’m pleased to be able to have a chance at it and play with a good friend like Justin Hicks. We’re both in the South Florida Section. It was a good battle out there. I was really trying to win it back-to-back, but overall I’m happy with how I played the week. I didn’t really make too many mistakes.”
Uresti, a PGA Life Member from the Southern Texas PGA Section, recorded his low round of the week, a 3-under-par 69 on Sunday. Cantwell, a PGA Teaching Professional at PGA National Golf Club, registered a 1-under-par 71. Gove, a PGA Life Member from the Pacific Northwest PGA Section, shot 4-under-par 68, which matched the low round of the day.
Hicks leads the Corebridge Financial Team of 35 PGA of America Golf Professionals set to compete in the 2026 Senior PGA Championship, taking place at The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Florida, on April 16–19.
“I’m really looking forward to having a chance to play against those guys and seeing what I can do with it and see how I measure up,” said Hicks. “Obviously I’m not looking at giving up my day job anytime soon, but it would be fun to have a really good week with those guys and see how competitive I can be.” —Greg Dillard
