Sean Dale, 20, of Jacksonville, prevailed over the field of 168 players to capture the 93rd Amateur Championship. In the first round, Dale carded a two-under par 70 at Orange Tree Golf Club and a 73 in the second round at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge to sit just two strokes back heading to the weekend. Playing the final 36 holes of the Championship at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge at 7,371 yards, Dale shot a one-over par 73 in the third round to trail by two strokes going into the final day of play.
In the final round, playing the par five 4th hole, Dale holed out his greenside bunker shot for an eagle. Dale said “The eagle on number four really calmed me down and jump started my round”. Dale would go on to make a key par putt on the ninth hole after coming off a bogey on the difficult eight hole to turn at one-under par 35. After making the turn, Dale came out firing on the back nine with birdies on holes 10 and 11 to take the lead with seven holes to play. Dale, with a three shot lead heading into the par five 16th hole would hit his second shot into the water. Dale stated “It was too good of a lie not to go for the green”. Dale hit his fourth shot to 20 feet and made his putt for par. Dale stated ”the par on 16 really saved my round and I felt comfortable heading into the last two holes with a three shot lead”. Dale would go on to make a par on 17 and two putt on the 18th hole to card an two-under par 34 on the back nine for a three-under par 69 and a three stroke victory.
This is Dale’s first career Florida State Golf Association title. Dale stated, "This victory is the biggest of my career." Dale, a University of North Florida golfer, was named a Division I PING Second-Team All-American. He joined nine other golfers around the nation receiving second-team recognition for the 2010 season. Dale tied for 25th at the NCAA Division I Men’s National Championships, scoring a 1-under 215 (72-74-69) while leading the Ospreys to a 14th place team finish. Dale finished his season ranked 11th in the Golfstat Index and 19th in the Golfweek/Sagarin standings.
Zachary Primavera, of Lynn Haven, finished in second place three strokes back of Dale with a tournament total of even par 288. Primavera carded a 1-over par 73 at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge in the final round. Tyler Hock, of Ocala, and Brad Brunner, of Tampa finished tied for third place with a tournament total of four-over par 292. The low round of the tournament was provided by Alexander Medinis, of Fort Myers with a final round six-under par 66.
Dale receives a crystal vase and his name inscribed on the Clarence Camp Championship Trophy. The top fifteen plus ties receive an exemption into next year’s Florida State Amateur Championship at Doral Golf Resort & Spa.
Started in 1914, the FSGA State Amateur is the oldest continuous sporting event in the state as well as the largest amateur event in Florida. Past Amateur champions include Bob Murphy, Jerry Pate, and PGA Tour players David Peoples, Chris Couch, and Barry Cheesman.
