State Amateur sets record with 892 entries filed |
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TAMPA, Fla. - More than 890 entries were received for the 91st Florida State Amateur Championship at Jupiter Hills Club in Tequesta on June 19-22 setting a new tournament record for entries filed. First, competitors must attempt to qualify for the Championship at one of 13 sites across the state.
From
May 27 – June 10, the Florida State Golf Association will conduct 13
qualifying tournaments of 18 holes of stroke play for golfers trying to
advance to the Amateur Championship at Jupiter Hills. In the
Championship, participants will play 18 holes each on the Village and
Hills Course on June 19-20. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to
the low 70 and ties. The final 36 holes of the Championship will be
played on the Hills Course on June 21-22.
Defending
Champion, Matthew Galloway, of Valrico, fired a 69-70-70-71--280 at
the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club to win the 90th Amateur
Championship. Galloway, as well as other past Amateur Champions, are
exempt from the qualifying. Galloway will join 2006 Champion Jeff
Dennis, from Parkland, and 2005 Champion Ryan Abbate, of Fort
Lauderdale, in the Championship. Richard Maddox, from Panama City, won
the 2003 Amateur to earn exempt status as did 1995 and 1997 Champion
Mark Leetzow, from Sarasota, and 1990 Champion Robbie Davis, of
Lakeland. In all, 25 players are exempt from qualifying.
The
average age of participants is 30. Evan Byrd, from Ocala, is the
youngest competitor at 13 years of age, and Aldo Butera, from Boynton
Beach, is the oldest at 77. More than 300 of the entries filed are from
current or past Florida Junior Tour Members with 188 participants 18
years of age and younger.
Started
in 1914, the FSGA State Amateur is the oldest continuous sporting event
in the state as well as the largest amateur event in Florida. Past
Amateur champions include Bob Murphy, Jerry Pate, Buddy Alexander, and
PGA Tour players David Peoples, Chris Couch, and Barry Cheesman.
Florida State Amateur Championship Qualifiers:
May 27 - Ironhorse, West Palm Beach
May 28 - The Bayou Club, Largo
May 28 - Victoria Hills, DeLand
May 29 - Club at Renaissance, Fort Myers
June 2 - North Hampton, Fernandina Bch
June 2 - CC of Ocala, Ocala
June 2 - Sara Bay, Sarasota
June 3 - Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa Beach
June 5 - GC at Bridgewater, Lakeland
June 6 - Legacy Golf & TC, Port St. Lucie
June 9 – Shula’s, Miami Lakes
June 9 - Grande Pines, Orlando
June 10 - Southwood, Tallahassee
For tee-times, pairings and complete results, please see www.fsga.org.
Organized
in 1913, the Florida State Golf Association is a not-for-profit
organization that governs amateur golf in the state of Florida. In
addition to conducting 25 Championships for amateur golfers in the
state, the FSGA is responsible for more than 40 qualifying tournaments
for USGA National Championships and the Florida Junior Tour. The FSGA
also maintains the USGA Handicap System, performs course ratings
throughout Florida and assists in junior programs and scholarships.
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