Floridian’s Set to Take Bandon Dunes by Storm

Host Facility

Bandon Dunes Resort is a golfer’s mecca on the Pacific Northwest Coast, with immaculate views of the Pacific Ocean from all reaches of the property. Celebrating it’s 20th anniversary in 2019, the vision of greeting card mogul, Mike Keiser; Bandon Dunes boasts four, eighteen hole layouts, with a fifth under construction, as well as two par 3 courses, and a putting course. This event will be the resort’s 6th USGA Championship, hosting the 2006 Curtis Cup, 2007 Mid-Amateur, 2011 Women’s Amateur Public Links, 2011 Amateur Public Links, and 2015 Women’s Amateur Four-Ball.

Championship History

It was announced on Feb. 11, 2013 that the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship is among the newest national championships to be conducted by the USGA. It, along with the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship, became the first additions to the USGA roster of national championships since the U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur in 1987.
Four-ball has become a widely popular format for State and Regional Golf Associations across the United States. In 2012, more than 150 championships, either strictly four-ball or as part of a competition format, were conducted in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. By 2019, it will mark the 5th time the Championship is contested.

• 2015: Nathan Smith and Todd White def. Sherrill Britt and Greg Earnhardt, 7 and 5; The Olympic Club (Lake Course), San Francisco, Calif.; Medalists -- 130, Viraat Badwhar and Maverick McNealy; Entries -- 2,234.

• 2016: Benjamin Baxter and Andrew Buchanan def. Brandon Cigna and Ben Warnquist, 3 and 2; Winged Foot Golf Club (East Course), Mamaroneck, N.Y.; Medalists -- 126, Brandon Matthews and Patrick Ross; Entries -- 2,432.

• 2017: Shuai Ming (Ben) Wong and Frankie Capan def. Kyle Hudelson and Clark Collier, 2 and 1; Pinehurst Resort & Country Club (Course No. 2), Village of Pinehurst, N.C.; Medalists -- 129, Will Grimmer and Clark Engle; Entries -- 2,412.

• 2018: Garrett Barber and Cole Hammer def. Marc Dull and Chip Brooke, 4 and 3; Jupiter Hills Club (Hills Course), Tequesta, Fla.; Medalists -- 129, Bobby Bucey and Brett Viboch; Entries -- 2,279

Notable Floridian Sides

• Chip Brooke & Marc Dull (pictured right) have found success the last two years at this Championship and look to continue it. In 2017 at Pinehurst, Brooke & Dull finished T3 in Stroke Play, and ran all the way to the semifinals in match play where they fell to eventual Champions, Frankie Capan & Shuai Ming Wong. In 2018, at Jupiter Hills, not far from home, and Dull fresh off capturing the FSGA Mid-Amateur Championship the week prior, the duo reached the finals. Dull and Brooke were ousted by junior pair, Cole Hammer, a current University of Texas Freshman and Garrett Barber, a current Louisiana State University Freshman. The pair boast a lot of confidence heading into Bandon Dunes. Chip has spent a lot of time there on the property as a former caddie, and both Marc & Chip previously caddied at Streamsong Resort, that boasts a similar style and feel to the links golf played at Bandon Dunes.

• Kasey Denesevich & TJ Shuart qualified last fall at Eagle Creek Golf & Country Club in Naples. The pair have both captured FSGA Championships in the past season. Denesevich partnered with Ronnie Davis, Jr. to capture the 2018 FSGA Two-Man Shoot-Out at PGA National. Shuart earned his 2nd FSGA Mid-Amateur Championship last week at Quail Valley Golf Club. Shuart has past USGA experience at Bandon Dunes, competing in the 2011 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.

• The Jacksonville duo of Devon Hopkins & Matt Kleinrock will make their first appearance at the US Four-Ball. Hopkins advanced to the Round of 16 at last week’s Mid-Amateur Championship, while Kleinrock advanced to the Round of 16 at the 2018 Amateur Match Play Championship]

• Current College Teammates at Florida Atlantic University, Brian Dolehide & Sully Zagerman will look to continue their collegiate success together in their first U.S. Four-Ball Championship. Zagerman, a junior, lead the team in scoring average with 72.5 for the season appearing in every tournament, while Dolehide, a senior, average 76.83 in six rounds for the owls.

• Kyle Roy, of Tampa will teamed up with his cousin, Connor Salanger, of Camillus, NY to qualify at Crag Burn GC in NY last fall, and will compete in their first U.S. Four-Ball Championship

• Tyler Gulliksen, grew up in Daytona Beach, playing high school golf with PGA Tour winner, Florida Boys’ Junior Champion, Matt Every. Rather than competing in college, Gulliksen entered the military. After his years in the service, Gulliksen competed collegiately at the age of 30 for the University of San Diego. Gulliksen will compete this week with Jack Townsend, of San Diego. He previously competed in the 3rd U.S. Four-Ball Championship at Winged Foot, in 2016, alongside Adam Horton, of Virginia.

Follow the FSGA:

Twitter: @FSGA
Instagram: @FSGA1913
Facebook: Florida State Golf Association