Gardner, 18, and Koch, 21, of Boca Raton, scored a 68 on the second day to add to their 65 for a two-day total of 133, 11-under par. Both students at Florida Atlantic University, Gardner and Koch went into the 18th hole thinking they needed to make birdie to win, par for a playoff, but really a par would clinch the Championship. After Gardner hit into the water on #18, Koch stepped up and two-putted for par to win the Championship. Koch says "I redeemed myself on 18 after missing a four foot putt on the 17th hole for birdie." Right behind the leaders were Brent Bush, of Palm Beach Gardens, and Vincent Cherrix, of Pompano Beach, and Bill Harvey, of Palm City, and John Sanford, of Jupiter, as both teams scored a 134 two-day total. Four teams finished with a 135 while two teams recorded a 136. A total of 38 teams scored par or better, 144 for the two days.
The Four-Ball Championship featured 52 teams of two playing 36 holes of four-ball stroke play over two days. In four-ball stroke play, two competitors play as partners, each playing his own ball. The lower score of the partners is the score for the hole. Forty-two teams qualified through one of the seven qualifying events and the other ten teams earned exempt status through one of five categories. The Club at TwinEagles, site of the Champions Tour event, the ACE Group Classic will also host the Florida State Amateur Championship in 2004.
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 20 championships for amateur golfers in the state, the FSGA is responsible for 39 qualifying tournaments for USGA National Championships. The FSGA also maintains the USGA Handicap System, performs course ratings throughout Florida and assists in junior programs and scholarships. The following are the final results for the Four-Ball Championship.
For more information, please log on to www.fsga.org.
