More than 700 entries were received for the 87th Florida State Amateur Championship at The Club at TwinEagles on June 17-20. First, competitors must attempt to qualify for the Championship at one of 13 sites across the state.
From May 25 – June 7, the Florida State Golf Association will conduct 13 qualifying tournaments of 18holes of stroke play for golfers trying to advance to the2004 Championship at The Club at TwinEagles in Naples. Designed by Jack Nicklaus and his son Jack, TwinEagles is host to the Champions Tour ACE Group Classic as well as last year's State Four-Ball Championship and this year's Southeast Challenge Cup Matches.
In the Championship, participants will play 18 holes each at The Club at TwinEagles and Bonita Bay East Cypress Courses on June 17-18. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the low 70 and ties. The final 36 holes of the Championship will be played at TwinEagles on June 19-20.
Defending Champion, Richard Maddox, of Panama City, carded a 73-72-69-72--286 to win the 2003 Amateur at Arnold Palmer's The Bay Hill Club in Orlando. Maddox, as well as other former State Amateur Champions, are exempt from the qualifying. Maddox will try to defend his title this year as well as the 2002 Champion Ty Harris, of Tampa, will also be competing at TwinEagles.
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 25 - PGA GC, Port St. Lucie
May 25 - Timacuan G & CC, Lake Mary
May 26 - Orange County Nat'l, Winter Garden
May 26 - Killearn CC, Tallahassee
May 26 - Southern Dunes G & CC, Haines City
May 26 - Lake Jovita CC, Dade City
May 27 - The GC at Fiddler’s Creek, Naples
May 27 - Tiger Point G & CC, Gulf Breeze
June 1 - University Park CC, University Park
June 2 - Baymeadows GC, Jacksonville
June 3 - Emerald Dunes GC, West Palm Beach
June 7 - TPC at Eagle Trace, Coral Springs
June 7 - CC of Ocala, Ocala
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 21 Championships for amateur golfers in the state, the FSGA is responsible for 41 qualifying tournaments for USGA National Championships and the new Florida Junior Tour. The FSGA also maintains the USGA Handicap System, performs course ratings throughout Florida and assists in junior programs and scholarships.
