The top 168 junior golfers in the state will compete from July 8-10, with hopes of winning the 60th Florida State Boys’ Junior Amateur Championship at Belleair Country Club in Belleair.
Before reaching the Championship, over 300 participants attempted to qualify at one of 6 sites across the state. In all, 51 players earned exempt statues through a variety of different means. In the Championship, all players will play eighteen holes each on the West Course and East Course on Tuesday, July 8th and Wednesday, July 9th. After 36-holes, the field will be cut to the low 51 players and ties in the Boys 16-18 Division and 21 and ties in the Boys 13-15 Division. The final eighteen holes will be played on the West Course.
Players to watch at the 60th Boys’ Junior Championship include:
- Defending Boys’ Junior Champions - Ryoto Furuya (13-15) - playing in the 16-18 Division for 2014 and Jacob Kline (16-18)
- 4 Past Florida Junior Tour (FJT) Points Champions - Tyler Bakich (2012 - 13-15 division), Jacob Kline (2013 - 16-18 division), Sawyer Shaw (4 times), and Tyler Strafaci (2013 - 13-15 division)
- 1 Player that has qualified for the 2014 U.S. Amateur Public Links - Donald Gabrelcik
- 7 Players that have qualified for the 2014 U.S. Junior Amateur - Tyler Bakich, Chase Cutshall, Blake Dyer, Ryoto Furuya, Tim Graham, Michael Mattiace and Anton Serafini
- 25 Players that qualified for the 97th Amateur Championship at Quail Valley Golf Club
- 12 Players made the cut at the 97th Amateur including: Gabriel Lench - 97th Amateur Champion & Jacob Kline - Runner-up
- 5 Players that played in a 2013 USGA Championship - Alex Blue, Ryan Celano, Sawyer Shaw, Jackson Shoenfelt and Kyler Tate
- 2013 FJT Tour Championship Winners - Timothy Colanta (16-18) & Andrew Kozan (13-15)
- 3 Past Junior Match Play Champions - Tyler Bakich (2012 - 13-15), Gabriel Lench (2013 - 16-18) and Tyler Strafaci (2013 - 13-15)
- 59 Total FJT Victories by 32 players, including 12 multi-time winners; lead by Sawyer Shaw (10), Tyler Strafaci (5), Ryan Celano (3), Jack Comstock (3), Jacob Kline (3) & Zachary Smith (3)
Spectators and media are welcome to watch the state’s best junior golfers compete at Belleair Country Club, Florida's first golf club.
