Gasparilla starts on Feb. 13 (Credit: Gasparilla Invitational)

Originally, the Gasparilla was a professional event from 1932 to 1935. It drew players like Open Champion Denny Shute, Hall of Famer Paul Runyan, and 11-time major champion Walter Hagan. The event had the highest purse of any professional event of the time. Paul Runyan collected $962 in 1932 for his victory. It was handed to him in golf coins, befitting a pirate’s treasure.

Since 1956, when the Gasparilla was revived as an amateur event, it continued to draw exceptional players. 1960 champion, Downing Gray, was a three-time Walker Cup competitor. Gray also played in six straight Masters and won low amateur twice. The U.S. Amateur Champion Buddy Alexander won the 1976 Gasparilla, and Hal Sutton won the 1981 version before kicking off his heralded professional career.

The name of the event comes from an 18th and 19th-century Spanish-born pirate named Jose Gaspar. Every February, the Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla sponsors a “pirate invasion” and parade for the City of Tampa in honor of “the last buccaneer.”

This city-wide pirate event matches up with the timing of the original professional Gasparilla event. This is also why the winner of the event receives a trophy of a skull with golf clubs that evoke the image of a skull and crossbones. It is one of the most original trophies in golf.

Palma Ceia is a course tucked into just 90 acres of land—a tiny parcel considering modern designs needs at least 250-300 acres. It's highlighted by wickedly fast greens and closely mown green surrounds.

"That short grass can make chips very tough under pressure," said Joe Hodge, Palma Ceia's Director of Golf. 

One interesting quirk is that most of the trouble at Palma Ceia is on the left side of the holes. The routing runs clockwise, so houses on the edges of the property are all along the left side of the course. That has meant that playing the ball left to right is the safer way to get the ball around. The term "Palma Ceia Push" was coined to highlight players bailing out to the right in order to avoid the omnipresent out of bounds.

Last year, Canadian Charles Fitzsimmonsbirdied the final hole to force a playoff with Miles McConnell and Park Ulrich. Fitzsimmons shot rounds of 70-72-69 (+1) and then made a birdie on the first playoff hole to continue the playoff with Ulrich. A second birdie, and his third in a row, secured the title for Fitzsimmons. 

THE FIELD

Plenty of talented mid-amateurs are slated to tee it up at Palma Ceia. Last year's winner, Fitzsimmons, will try to be the first player to defend the title since Nick Mullhaupt in 2016 and 2017. The two runner-ups will return to Tampa. Also, 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur semi-finalist and 2023 Crump Cup champion Stephen Behr Jr. will compete for the trophy. NHL referee Garrett Rank is in the field, too. Newly named 2024 FSGA Player of the Year and Mid-Amateur Player of the Year Will Davenport will tee it up in his home state in hopes of starting off his year on the right foot. Nick Maccario has recorded two runner-up finishes in recent years and will return in hopes of making it over the hump. 

A few siblings of professionals are also in the field. Sep Straka's brother, Sam Straka, and Brent Snedeker's brother, Haymes Snedeker, will play this week, too.

Other past winners: Brendan Wilson (2023), Logan Blondell (2022) Chip Brooke (2021), Mike Finster (2019) are in the field.

No Laying Up's Chris "Soly" Solomon has been a staple of the event over the last few years. He joined our podcast a few years ago to talk about the experience of playing in the Gasparilla. 

On the senior side, Billy Mitchell, Bob Royak, and Jerry Gunthorpe headline the field.

THE COURSE

At 6,300 yards and par 70, the course still provides a challenge with its length; however, the scoring record has been set a few times in recent years.

Joe Hodge doesn't seem too bothered by the low scores, "I don't think we feel like that's a problem. I think we feel we got great players coming in here and it's a tribute to how good the golf course is. Carson Kamps, our superintendent, does a great job and you have to have a course in good condition to score like that as well, even though it's difficult."

Even as scores get lower, players certainly feel the pain if they aren't dialed in during the Gasparilla.

"One of the players came off, and he said he didn't play well," Hodge said. "And he goes, 'I feel like I just got beat up by a six-year-old.'"

Hodge, who grew up a member at Palma Ceia and won the club championship four times, including as a 15-year-old, believes that the 18th hole tends to be an important hole. The first two rounds are shotgun starts, so not everyone finishes their round there.Iit's a scorable par 5. The clubhouse bumps up close to the back of the green. Members hang out and watch the proceedings. 

"A birdie can turn into a double bogey really fast," Hodge said of the 18th hole.

The winner of the Gasparilla will have to pick the right times to attack the course and when to take his medicine.

We'll have daily recaps of the Gasparilla starting on Thursday evening once play has finished for the day.