Jacob Huizinga after Florida Amateur win
(FSGA Photo)
FORT MEYERS, FL (June 26, 2016) -- Jacob Huizinga
finished strong at Fiddlesticks Country Club for a wire-
to-wire Florida Amateur Championship victory. Huizinga
started and ended his final round with a birdie. With
three other birdies on holes six, 11, and 12, Jacob
finished the Championship with a 1-under-par, 71.
Huizinga posted four rounds under-par to finish
with a tournament total 272, 16-under-par, and a five
strokes clear of the rest of the field.
Blake Dyer, of Saint Petersburg, carded four
consistent rounds to move up the leaderboard and finish
in second place. Dyer’s final round consisted of six
birdies en route to a 69 and tournament total 277 (-11).
Michael DeMorat and Logan Lanier tied for third
place at 10-under-par. Jimmy Jones, the 2015 Amateur
Champion, fell into a tie for sixth after a final round 73
and 2014 champion Gabriel Lench finished tied for
ninth.
ROUND THREE RECAP
Excitement
continues to build for the final round of the Florida
Amateur, as 2014 champion Gabriel Lench posted a
four under-par 68 to jump into a tie for second place.
Lench is tied with 2015 Amateur Champion, Jimmy
Jones at a total of nine under-par, 207 for 54 holes.
Both previous Champions chased Jacob Huizinga who
hasn’t let his lead slip away from him. Huizinga posted
a third round of 69 to move to a total of 15 under-par
and a six stroke lead.
Huizinga finished his third round strong with four
birdies on the back-nine. Tied for fourth were Logan
Lanier, of Saint Augustine, and Blake Dyer, of Saint
Petersburg, at eight under-par, seven strokes from the
lead.
ROUND TWO RECAP
One shot separates first from second and second
from third place
after round two of the Florida Amateur. Jacob Huizinga
carded another impressive round to remain in the lead
at 12 under-par, 132 total. Jacob birdied holes 15
through 17 at Miromar Lakes to finish his second round
at five under-par, 67.
Two consistent rounds, 66-67--133, propelled
Michael DeMorat into second place alone at 11 under-
par.
Jimmy Jones remained in contention, fighting to be
crowned the Amateur Champion for a second
consecutive year. Jones carded five birdies to finish his
second round at four under-par, 68, in third place,
three
strokes from the lead.
Austin Schultz, of North Port, made a scene by
starting his second round with five straight birdies en
route to a 67, 137 two day total, and fourth place
finish.
The field was cut at six over-par, 150, with 75
people advancing to the final two rounds of the
Championship.
Started in 1914, the Florida Amateur
Championship
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,
Barry
Cheesman and Blayne Barber.
ROUND ONE RECAP
The top 168 amateur golfers in the state began
round one of the Florida Amateur Championship
Thursday morning. The field was split between playing
their first round at Fiddlesticks or Miromar Lakes and
they will switch courses for round two.
Jacob Huizinga, 2015 Four-Ball Champion from
Orlando, took the early lead after an impressive seven
under-par, 65. Huizinga lit up the back-nine at
Fiddlesticks with four straight birdies from holes 13
to16
and a final birdie on the 18th hole.
Defending Champion, Jimmy Jones, of Tampa, did
not linger far behind with a six under-par, 66. Jones
shot the low round of the day at Miromar Lakes after
starting strong with four birdies in a row on holes three
through six. Jones sits one shot back tied for second
place with Mike Andre, of Fort Myers, and Michael
DeMorat, of Merritt Island.
Gabriel Lench, 2014 Amateur Champion, tied for
ninth after a first round three under-par, 69.
ABOUT THE Florida State Amateur
Started in 1914, the Amateur Championship is
the oldest continuous sporting event in the
state of Florida. The field will include exempt
players and players who have qualified
through
18 holes of stroke play at one of the qualifying sites.
The Championship features a field of 168
players split alternately on two golf courses
the first two days. The field is reduced to the
low 70 and ties after the first two rounds to
play an additional 36 holes of stroke play.
View Complete Tournament Information