Amateur Public Links Championship

Donegan Seizes Amateur Public Links 

Richard Donegan, of Okeechobee started day one with a bang by posting the course record, ten-under par 62! Donegan led the field by five strokes after round one with Drew Cooke in second place. T J Shuart, 2014 Public Links Champion, lingered close by tied for third place with Devin Suri, Kevin Reilly, and Jessel Mohammed who all shot 68. Donegan held onto the lead during round two after shooting a two-under par 70. Joe Alfieri, 2015 Mid-Amateur Stroke Play Champion, moved up the leaderboard to third place with a five-under par, 67. Devin Suri, of Saint Augustine finished the second round two strokes behind Donegan, in second place, with a two-day tournament total 134. Shuart fell to fourth place after a round two score of 71.

Sunday’s final round was a fight between Alfieri, of Lutz and Donegan. After the front-nine Alfieri was only two strokes behind Donegan who still remained in the lead. Alfieri opened with a three-under par, 33 while Donegan posted an even par 36. Playing hard, Donegan posted two birdies on holes 10 and 12 to finish his final round one-under par, 71. Alfieri fired three birdies on the back-nine and stood on 18 tee box one stroke behind Donegan.  Alfieri missed his birdie putt on 18 to force a playoff and Donegan was crowned champion. With rounds of 62-70-71—203, Donegan seized a victory and an exemption into the State Amateur. Alfieri finished one stroke behind in second place (70-67-67—204) and Devin Suri moved down to third place after a round three score of 73, tournament total 207. Donegan, who plays golf for the University of Florida, earned his first FSGA win at the Amateur Public Links Championship.

The Amateur Public Links Championship is open to bona fide public course players who are not members of a private club and also do not have a handicap index any higher than 6.4. Competitors play 18 holes of stroke play on each of the three days.

Click here for Full Results

Entries Close Wednesday, May 27, 2015
$235 per competitor ($225 with GHIN handicap)

**Mandatory** read the eligibility Questions below prior to entering to verify you are eligible.

The Amateur Public Links Championship, at Celebration Club located in Celebration, is a weekend packed with great competition between a list of very successful champions. Although the competition is fierce, the format is as simple as it gets - 54 holes of stroke play with no cut. Plan a weekend vacation with three rounds of golf at Celebration Golf Club and stay a couple extra days to enjoy the amusement parks in the Celebration area, such as Disney, Sea World, or Universal Studios to name a few! For a look at the 2014 Championship results click here. 

Eligibility

Male amateurs must be bona fide public course players, since January 1, 2015, and have not held privileges at any course that does not extend playing privileges to the general public, or privileges at any private club maintaining its own course. 

A bona fide public course player may hold incidental privileges at a course not open to the public when such privileges are provided by: an educational institution at which he/she attends, a federal armed service at which he/she is a member, or an industry by which he/she is employed.

If you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions, you are NOT ELIGIBLE for this year's FSGA Public Links Championship:

1. Private Club Access - Have you had privileges at a private club (not open to the public) at anytime during the current year (since January 1st)?
2. Social Memberships - Do you maintain a social membership at a private club that allows you to play the course sometime during the year?
3. Dependents of Members - Does your spouse or parent/guardian belong to a private course and as a result you are allowed to play the course without a guest fee?
4. Golf Course Employees - Have you been an employee of a private course during the year, where you are allowed to play golf more than one day per week?
5. Resort Courses - Do you have a membership at a resort that restricts which days resort guests can play?
6. Golf Team Members - As a member of a scholastic golf team, are you allowed to play a private course not owned by the school at times other than your regular golf season including playoffs and championships?

Permitted Exceptions:

• Military Courses - A player, because of his military service may hold privileges at a facility from which the general public is excluded.

• County and City Courses - A player may be a member at a course open to county or city residents even if it is closed to nonresidents.

• Handicap - There is no restriction where a player maintains his handicap. (This is the one exception that the FSGA allows that is not permitted for the USGA Public Links Championship).

Players must be a member of the FSGA.

Championship Format

• 54 holes of individual gross stroke play (no handicaps)
• Maximum 84 player field size

Entry Fee

• $225 Active FSGA/GHIN handicap or Foundation Member
  
• $235 Non active FSGA/GHIN handicap

 Late entries will be accepted subject to a $10 late entry fee should the entrant gain acceptance into the field

Entry Priority

Entries will be accepted based upon the order of receipt. Entries received after the competitive field is full or after the close of entries, will be placed on an alternates list. Alternates will be contacted in
the order of receipt of entry, if and when, a spot becomes available.

Handicap Limit

• Must have a Handicap Index no higher than 6.4

Course Set-Up

Schedule of Events

Friday, June 12th

•  7:30 AM - 9:27 AM - Round one tee times off of #1 and #10

Saturday, June 13th

• 7:30 AM - 9:27 AM - Round two tee times off of #1 and #10

Sunday, June 14th

• 7:30 AM - 9:27 AM - Final round tee times off of #1 and #10
• Awards ceremony immediately following the completion of play

Practice Rounds

Practice rounds are available one week prior to the championship.  Practice rounds may be played after 12:00 PM on the weekend.  The price for a practice round is $35.00 + tax.  Please call (407) 566-4653 to arrange your practice round. The proper place to practice your golf swing is on the driving range, hitting multiple shots on the course is unacceptable.

Defending Champion

TJ Shuart, of Coral Springs, fired a seven-under par 209 to win the 2014 Amateur Public Links Championship that was held at Southern Dunes Golf and Country Club. Shuart played three solid rounds of golf to win the Championship by one stroke over Don Bell. This was Shuart's second Public Links Championship win in the past three years. 

Exemptions Earned from this Tournament

Winner

• Current year's Amateur Championship
• Current year's Amateur Match Play Championship
• Current year's Mid-Amateur Championship

Other Policies

• Spectators and Spectator Cart Policy - Click here.
• Caddies - If a player employs a caddie, the caddie MUST walk and player's clubs must remain on the golf cart.
• Championship Pace of Play Policy - Click here.
• Local Rules and Conditions of Competition - Click here.
• Championship Policies - Click here to read the withdrawal, dress code, and other policies.
• Procedures for Alternates - Click here for information on how alternates may gain entry into this Championship.
• Conditions/ Schedule - The FSGA Championships Committee/on-site Rules Committee reserves the right to alter any of the conditions, provisions and/or schedules. The decision of the Championships Committee/on-site Rules Committee in any matter will be final.

Host Hotel and Accommodations

Currently, there is no host hotel for this event.

Payment

Celebration Club accepts Cash, Visa, and MasterCard for method of payment.

Directions

Celebration Golf Club 
701 Golf Park Drive 
Celebration, Florida 34747
(407) 566-4653

Click here for directions 

Click here for more information on Celebration Golf Club.