Don Bell – Amateur Player of the Year
Don Bell, of Port Orange, earned 17, 638 overall points to be named 2014 Amateur Player of the Year. Bell began the year quickly with a first place finish at the Mid-Amateur Stroke Play Championship, held at Sugar Mill Country Club, with two under-par rounds of 66 and 69 for a tournament total 135. He continued his strong play in his second tournament of the year; the Amateur Public Links Championship. He recorded three under-par rounds to finish one shot back as runner-up. Next, Bell qualified for the U.S. Amateur as Co-Medalist and moved right on to successfully qualifying for the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship where he made it to the Round of 16 matches. Bell capped off the year with a runner-up finish in the Mid-Amateur Championship held at The Loxahatchee Club.
Pete Williams – Senior Player of the Year
The 2014 Senior Player of the Year, with 12,393 points, is Pete Williams from Juno Beach. Williams captured the Senior Amateur Championship with a tournament total of five-under par, 211. After securing the medalist honors with two under-par rounds at the Senior Amateur Match Play Championship, he went on to claim the crown. Next, Williams qualified for the U.S. Senior Open Championship, held at Oak Tree National in Edmond, Oklahoma, by shooting a strong two-under par score of 70. To round out the year, Williams placed in the top five three times with a tie for third at the Mid-Senior Championship and a fifth place finish at both the Senior Four-Ball and Senior/Mid-Amateur Four-Ball Championships.
Gabriel Lench – Junior Player of the Year
Lake Mary’s Gabriel Lench is the 2014 Junior Player of the Year. At the Amateur Championship, Lench hoisted the Amateur Trophy posting a six-under par total of 282 for a two shot victory. In the Boys’ Junior Amateur Championship, Lench recorded his season low of 64 in round one to finish in fourth place for the tournament. He added two Florida Junior Tour victories, in the 16-18 Age Division, at Amelia National Golf Club and Sugar Mill Country Club. Finally, Lench had the opportunity to travel to French Lick, Indiana to represent Florida in the USGA State Team Championship, registering the low total of the team, where Team Florida finished in second place.
Meghan Stasi – Amateur Player of the Year
Meghan Stasi, of Oakland Park, captured the 2014 Women’s Player of the Year with 21,980 points. Stasi has captured Player of the Year honors now for a fifth consecutive year. To start the season, Stasi claimed top honors at both the Women’s International Four-Ball and Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship. Stasi next advanced to the Round of 32 matches at the Women’s Amateur Championship. In the familiar territory of the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, she advanced to the Semifinals before falling to the eventual champion. In her last tournament of the season, Stasi finished first at the Mixed Shoot-Out with partner Kevin Hammer.
Mary Jane Hiestand – Senior Player of the Year
Mary Jane Hiestand, of Naples, claimed her fifth Senior Women’s Player of the Year honors with 11,020 points. Hiestand garnered first place honors at the Women’s Senior Amateur Championship at Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club in Ocala. She later finished in the top five in three championships beginning with a third place finish in the Women’s International Four-Ball, followed by fourth in the Women’s Four-Ball Championship, and second in the Women’s Senior North and South Championship. Capping off her season, Hiestand advanced to the Round of 32 matches in the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship.
Mary Janiga – Junior Player of the Year
The 2014 Girls’ Junior Player of the Year is Mary Janiga with 16,775 points. Janiga claimed the Girls’ Junior Amateur Championship, where she posted bookend rounds of 71 to capture the title. Mary also played in eight Florida Junior Tour events this season, posting victories at Bear Lakes Country Club and Banyan Country Club. She competed in the Women’s International Four-Ball and finished tied for sixth with partner Alexa Pano. Next, she finished tied for tenth at the Women’s Amateur Stroke Play Championship and completed her successful year by qualifying for the U.S. Girls’ Junior as medalist and advancing to the Quarterfinals.
