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| Edward Kenny
and Paul Melson |
Edward
Kenny and Paul Melson made par on the first
playoff hole to clinch the 57th Florida State
Four-Ball Championship at the Westin Innisbrook
Golf Resort’s Copperhead Course in Palm Harbor on
July 8-9, 2006.
After 36 holes, Edward Kenny and Paul Melson
and defending champions Andy Purnell and
Steve Carter were tied with a two-round total of
7-under par 135 to force a playoff. Playing the par 4
18th hole, Kenny chipped the ball just three inches from
the hole to make par to secure the title. “I thought it
was going in,” said Kenny. “It feels really good to
win.”Kenny, of
Lake Worth, and Melson, of Plantation, posted a 69 in
the first round to trail the leaders by three strokes.
In the first round, the pair was 2-over after four holes
but rebounded with three birdies on the back for a 32 to
remain in contention. Playing their second tournament as
partners, Kenny and Melson fired a 66 in the final round
to jump in front of the field. Melson birdied holes one,
four and eleven as Kenny made three consecutive birdies
on holes five, six and seven to post a 32-34 for the
final round. Going into the final round, Kenny said, “If
we shoot 66 or better in the final round, we have to
play together next year.” Now they will be the defending
champions earning exempt status into next year’s
Four-Ball Championship at Jupiter Hills Club in
Tequesta. Kenny recently finished second in the Amateur
Championship while this adds to Melson’s list of
Championships. Melson won the 1990 Four-Ball
Championship with Steve Saterbo as well as the 2001
Public Links Championship and 2003 Mid-Senior
Championship.
The 2005 Champions Andy Purnell, of Jacksonville,
and Steve Carter, of St. Augustine, shot 68-67 to
make the playoff and take second place. Purnell made
three birdies and Carter one to shoot 33-34 in the final
round. Last year, the pair set a tournament record
firing 64-59—123 at Grand Cypress Golf Club in Orlando.
Three teams finished with a tournament total of 137
including first round co-leaders Doug Snoap, of
Apopka, and Robert Parker, from Sanford.
From June 14-28, teams attempted to advance to the
Championship through one of eight qualifying
tournaments. In qualifying, teams of two played 18 holes
of four-ball stroke play in hopes of advancing to the
Championship. The Championship also featured exempt
teams who earned exempt status through different
categories. In the Championship, participants played 36
holes of four-ball stroke play in the two-day event. 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. The Championship is
played on the Copperhead Course, home of the PGA Tour’s
Chrysler Championship.
For complete results,
click here. |
