Thursday, July 15, 2010

The top 156 Professional and Amateur golfers in the state will compete this week, July 16-18, with hopes of winning The 64th Florida Open Championship at Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club in Palm Harbor.

Before reaching the Championship, more than 1,000 participants attempted to qualify at one of 16 sites across the state. In all, 28 players earned exempt status through a variety of different means. The oldest player in the field, Bob Dickson, of Ponte Vedra Beach is 66 years young, while the youngest player in the field is the 2010 Boys Junior (13-15) Champion, Jimmy Stanger, of Tampa is 15 years old. The field consists of 78 professionals and 78 amateur golfers.

In the Championship, participants will play 18 holes each on the Copperhead Course and the Island Course on July 16-17. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the low 60 and ties. The final 18 holes of the Championship will be played on the Copperhead Course on July 18.

The 2010 field features five past amateur State Champions including, Kevin Aylwin, of New Smyrna Beach who won the 2007, 2008 & 2010 Public Links Championship and is currently attending the University of North Florida. Aylwin will be joined by the 2009 Amateur Match Play Champion Ryan Black, from Port Saint Lucie, the 2009 Mid-Amateur Champion Steve Carter, of Saint Augustine, and Tim Hume, from Tampa, the 2009 Mid-Amateur Stroke Play Champion and the 2009 Four-Ball Champion. Jimmy Stanger, of Tampa rounds out the field of amateur champions by winning the 2010 Boys Junior (13-15) Championship. 

The professional field is highlighted by Rod Perry, of Port Orange, who returns as the low professional in the 2009 Florida Open, and was the 2009 North Florida PGA Player of the Year.  Ryan Garrity, of Jupiter was the 2009 South Florida PGA Player of the Year as well as, and Gary Rusnak, of Santa Rosa Beach, who captured the Dixie Section Player of the Year honors.

Started in 1942, The Florida Open Championship has produced past champions that include Willie Turnesa, Bob Murphy, Gary Koch, Bruce Fleisher, John Huston, Dudley Hart, and Bart Bryant.  This will be the second year the Florida State Golf Association will be conducting this great championship.

Spectators and media are welcome to watch the state’s best professionals and amateur golfers compete at Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club.