Processing your payment, please wait.

Registration Closed:
29th Amateur Match Play Championship

Higgins Captures 29th Amateur Match Play Crown with 19th Hole Drama

NAPLES, Fla. – Robbie Higgins prevailed after a back and forth battle against Jake Sherwin to win on the 19th hole with an eagle . Higgins raised the Match Play trophy at The Club at Mediterra. 

The 29th Amateur Match Play began with all 64 players, who advanced to the championship through qualifying and exempt players, playing three matches in group play on Thursday and Friday. The 16 group winners advanced to the Round of 16 on Saturday, with single elimination match play to determine the Champion. 

Tough competitors advanced to the Round of 16 including 2015 Match Play champion, TJ Shuart. In the Round of 16, Nick Solimene, of Naples, defeated Reid Bedell after 19 holes to face Jake Sherwin, of Estero, in the Quarterfinals. With a 1-up win against Solimene, Sherwin would move on in the match play bracket. Vying for his second Match Play win, Shuart, of Fort Lauderdale, advanced to the Semifinals where he would go head-to-head against Sherwin. 2021 U.S. Four-Ball champion, Kiko Francisco Coelho, faced Robbie Higgins, of Bradenton, in the Quarterfinal match. Higgins, who recently advanced to the Quarterfinals in the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, defeated Coelho, 3-and-2, to reach the Semifinals. Past FJT winner, Jude Kim, of Plantation, would face Higgins in the Semifinal match. 

Sherwin continued with his strong play by defeating Shuart, 6-and-4, in the Semifinal match on Sunday morning. Higgins prevailed against Kim, advancing to the Finals with a 4-and-3 win. Sherwin and Higgins would face off in the Final match, both playing for their first FSGA Championship victory. 

The Final match began with Sherwin taking the early lead with a birdie on the first hole. Sherwin continued to win the second and fifth hole to be 3-up. Higgins fought back with a birdie on the sixth hole followed by two pars on holes eight and nine to tie the match heading into the back-nine. Sherwin and Higgins tied the next four holes and after a three-putt on 14 Sherwin fell to 1-down. Higgins hit the green in two on the par-5 15th hole, making birdie to lead 2-up. Both Higgins and Sherwin went for the 18th green on their second shot. Higgins fell short of the green and chipped to 8 feet making par while Sherwin hit the green in two. With a birdie from Sherwin, the match was tied. On the 19th hole, Sherwin hit his approach shot in the bunker short of the green. Higgins hit the center of the green, 25 feet from the hole. Sherwin stuck his bunker shot to 8 feet. Higgins clenched the victory by sinking his eagle putt to raise the trophy. 

Results

~ NEW FORMAT AS OF 2021~

The Club at Mediterra - South Course 

All 64 Players Qualifying for the Championship are guaranteed three matches
Follows PGA Tour's WGC Match Play Championship Format

The Amateur Match Play Championship is an exciting event that utilizes golf's original match play format. There are six qualifiers slated throughout the state to provide over 350 players the opportunity to qualify for this prestigious Championship. New for 2020, all players advancing to the Championship proper will play three matches in group play on Thursday & Friday. The 16 group winners advance to the Round of 16 on Saturday, with single elimination match play until the Champion is crowned!

Tournament Summary

FormatThree rounds of group round-robin match play; followed by single elimination bracket match play

Eligibility FSGA member

Handicap:  Florida GHIN 7.0 or less

Entry Fees:  Qualifying - $70 | Exempt - $185

Qualifying:  Six local qualifying sites

Exempt Players

Schedule of Events

Past Results

Championship Format & Seeding

  • Championship field size - 64 players
  • Full seeding information - click here

Group Play

  • 16 groups of 4 players
    • Three eighteen hole round-robin matches in group play
  • Scoring
    • Players winning a match will receive 1 point in the standings
    • If the match ends in a tie, each player will receive a half point in the standings
    • The player with the most points in each group will advance to the 16 player bracket
      • In the event of tie after three matches, the tied players will have a sudden death stroke play play-off

Bracket Play

  • Once the 16 group winners advance - eighteen hole individual gross match play in single elimination brackets
    • In the event of a tied match, the stipulated round is deemed to extend to as many holes as are required for a match to be won

Eligibility 

  • Male amateur golfer with Florida GHIN of 7.0 or less
  • Entrant is required to be an FSGA member

Entry Fees

Qualifying Fee Championship Fee  Exempt Fee
$70.00 $155.00 $185.00
  • Qualifying Fee: Qualifying Fee includes entry fee and cart fee.
  • Championship Fee: Fee paid by those individuals who advance to the Championship through qualifying. Includes at least three competitive rounds of golf, with course and cart fees, range balls, tee gifts and lunch between rounds 1 and 2 on Thursday
  • Exempt Fee: Exempt Fee includes Championship Fee and Entry Fee for those individuals eligible for exemption.

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

Pre-Registration

Those individuals who advance to the Championship through qualifying must pre-register and remit an additional $155 online at the FSGA website at www.fsga.org. Payment must be received by Thursday, July 22nd by 3:30 pm, or the individual will be withdrawn from the Championship. Championship Fee includes cart fees for all competitive rounds.

To Pre-Register:

  • Log on to the FSGA website at www.fsga.org using your email address and password
  • Click on "My Account" in the upper right hand corner of the homepage
  • Under "My Tournaments", click on the "Pre-Register" button to the right of the tournament name
  • Enter your credit card information and then click the "Charge My Card" button on the bottom right hand corner of the page

Refunds, Notice of Withdrawals

Qualifying Entry Fees - Requests for qualifying entry refunds received prior to entry closing date will be honored (less $20 per entry administrative fee). Requests received after the closing date will be honored (less 50% of entry fee). No requests will be honored within two days of the scheduled start date of the qualifier.

Championship Fees & Exempt Entry Fees - Requests for refunds of Exempt or Championship fees prior to the pre-registration deadline will be honored (less $20 per entry administrative fee). No requests will be honored after the pre-registration deadline (See pre-registration date displayed on this page).

Course Set-Up

  • The golf course will be set-up at approximately 6,900-7,200 yards.

Fine for Withdrawing

Due to the nature of this match play event, and to ensure that all players have a match to compete in and in fairness to the field in group play, a player who withdraws during the group play rounds will be assessed a $100 fine. It is unfair to your fellow players who spend their own time and money to travel to the Championship, and are subsequently left to sit in their hotel room because another player has chosen to withdraw out of frustration or first round loss. When entering the Championship, please take this into consideration. If you believe you cannot fulfill the tournament schedule, please leave the spot open for another player.

Schedule of Events

Thursday, July 29th

  • 7:45 AM - 9:15 AM - Group play matches round 1 off #1 and #10 tees
  • Complimentary Boxed Lunch between rounds 1 & 2
  • 12:00 PM - 1:48 PM - Group play matches round 2 off #1 

Friday, July 30th

  • 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM - Group play matches round 3 off #1 & #10 tees
  • 1:00 PM - Sudden death play-off for group winners if necessary

Saturday, July 31st

  • 8:00 AM - 8:56 - Match play round of 16 off tee #1
  • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM - Match play quarterfinals off #1 tee

Sunday, August 1st

  • 8:00 AM - 8:15 AM - Match play semifinals off #1 tee
  • 12:00 PM - Match play final off #1 tee

Local Qualifying

  • 18 holes stroke play at 6 qualifying sites.
  • During qualifying, each player must use a golf cart.
  • Players are responsible for cart fees for all practices rounds.

Defending Champion

The Match Play Championship was not played in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Past two-time Florida Junior Tour - Tour Championship Winner, Andrew Kozan, a sophomore at Auburn University, captured his first FSGA Championship at the 28th Amateur Match Play in 2019. Kozan started by earning co-medalist honors in stroke play, and ran through his bracket, eventually defeating Adam Hofmann in the semifinals, and Jordan Batchelor in the finals. Click here for the 2019 results. 

Carts

Carts are included for all competitive rounds of the Championship. Players are responsible for practice round cart fees.

Practice Rounds

Practice rounds are available one week prior to the championship on a space available basis and after 12:00 PM the weekend prior. The price for a practice round is $35.00 + tax. Please call 239-254-3030 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.

Exemptions

Players in the following categories will be eligible for exemption provided they meet all entry and eligibility requirements:   

NOTE: Blank entries will be filed by the FSGA for players who become exempt after the close of entries. 

  • Last three year's Amateur Match Play Champions
  • Last year's Amateur Match Play Semifinalists
  • Last year's Amateur Player of the Year
  • Last three year's Amateur Champions
  • Current year's top five and tied Amateur Championship finishers
  • Current and last two year's Mid-Amateur Champions
  • Current year's Mid-Amateur Championship Semifinalists
  • Last year's Mid-Amateur Stroke Play Champion
  • Last year's Junior Amateur Player of the Year
  • Last year's Junior Amateur Match Play Champion (16-18 Age Division)
  • Last year's Mid-Senior Champion
  • Current year's Amateur Public Links Champion
  • Last year's Florida Open Low Amateur
  • Current and last year's Boys' Junior Champions (16-18 Age Division)

Exemptions Earned from this Tournament

Winner

  • Next three Amateur Match Play Championships
  • Next year's Mid-Amateur Championship
  • Next year's Florida Open

Semi-Finalists

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

Other Policies

  • Spectators and Spectator Cart Policy -  Click here.
  • Caddies - Caddies are allowed in all FSGA Championships except Junior events. However, a player must not use a parent, step-parent or guardian as a caddie. The caddie MUST walk and the player's clubs must remain on the golf cart. - Click Here
  • Championship Pace of Play Policy - Click here.
  • Local Rules and Terms of the 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

Ritz Carlton Golf Resort, Naples
2600 Tiburon Drive
Naples, FL 34109
(877) 557-3092

Click here for rates.

Payment

The Club at Mediterra will accept Visa, MasterCard, and Amex as forms of payment.

Directions

The Club at Mediterra - South Course
15755 Corso Mediterra Circle
Naples, FL 34110

Click here for directions