The sun was scorching Sunday afternoon at the Earle May Boat Basin, causing anglers and spectators alike to sweat in exhaustion at the 2014 Lake Seminole Open.

Steve Phillips and Greg Jeter had giant smiles on their faces, though. They laughed together as they held up 25 pounds, 5 ounces worth of bass freshly reeled in that day. Saturday they had caught at total 23 pounds, 15 ounces.

Things were looking good for Boat No. 79.

“Maybe we won it, we don’t know,” Phillips said.

Half an hour later, the two were holding a check for $10,000, signed to the two tournament winners.

“It was awesome,” Phillips said about the way they fished. “We just hung in there and fished shallow and caught a bunch of fish.”

Phillips and Jeter also noted the sun was critical for their success.

The two anglers also weighed in the biggest fish caught in the tournament, a 7-pound, 7-ounce monster.

Coming in second place for the weekend was Brad Reynolds and Lance Reynolds with a total of 39 pounds even.

Third place was awarded to Matt Bady and Kyle Henderson, who weighed in a total of 38 pounds, 6 ounces over the two-day tournament.

“It was tough,” Baty said. “We were just flipping, using biting baits. That’s how we caught all of them today.”

Also competing was pro and Bainbridge sponsor JTodd Tucker of Moultrie, who reeled in a total of 29 pounds, 9 ounces worth of fish over weekend with teammate Allen Burkhalter.

The top 12 anglers went home with payouts.

“We just appreciate Bainbridge putting it on,” Jeter said. “Hard work goes into it.”