Indiana Professional Golf Association, INDIANAPOLIS, IN (May 13) –
Steady play, smart decisions, and a clutch birdie on the 16th hole propelled Matt Vogt to his second consecutive Indianapolis Open title this week at The Fort Golf Course. Vogt finished at 10-under-par, holding off a late charge from Nick Benz to secure the win.
After carding a 5-under 67 on Monday, Vogt entered the final round two shots off the lead. Tuesday’s conditions were far from easy — wind swept across the course and two separate weather delays halted play. Despite the interruptions, Vogt methodically worked his way up the leaderboard.
“It was really steady,” Vogt said of his play. “I had a couple bogeys in a row today, but otherwise just tried to keep the ball in play and salt things away. There’s some spots you can get in trouble, so I just tried to be really steady — and I knew that would ultimately help me accomplish what I needed to do.”
Nick Benz made things interesting down the stretch. Starting the day at 3-under, Benz fired a 5-under final round to reach 8-under and momentarily tie Vogt for the lead.
The defining moment came on the par-5 16th hole. Vogt, relying on a conservative but confident approach throughout the round, capitalized with a birdie — nudging him back into sole possession of the lead. He held steady through the final two holes to finish two strokes clear of Benz.
“I was really pleased with the game plan,” Vogt said. “If I ever got in between clubs, I just played it safe. Heck, I hit an 8-iron off the tee on 10 today — 8-iron, wedge — just because of how short it was and how downhill. Overall, a really conservative game plan off the tee worked well.”
While Pete Dye’s signature visuals and optical illusions can rattle even the most seasoned players, Vogt embraced the challenge.
“I like Dye courses,” he added. “They generally give you a lot of width off the tee as long as you don’t force it into spots you shouldn’t. It was very stress-free off the tee this week, which is always a good thing.”
Vogt’s win at The Fort follows his come-from-behind victory at Holliday Farms in 2024, cementing his back-to-back status at the Indianapolis Open — one of Indiana’s most competitive fields.
Full Tournament Results: https://iga.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/iga25/event/iga256/contest/17/leaderboard.htm
Round 1 Event Photos: https://adobe.ly/3Syj60Q
Round 2 Event Photos: https://adobe.ly/4313WaG