Toni Hakula captures New Year's Invitational
Toni Hakula
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Jan. 6, 2013) -- Toni Hakula fired a final-round 68 and took home the top prize at the 2013 New Year's Invitational at St. Petersburg Country Club by four shots.
Hakula, a junior at the University of Texas and a native of Espoo, Finland, took the lead on Friday with a second-round 65 and never looked back.
Joshua White rallied with a final-round 67, which was good enough to propel him into second place. But in the end, it wasn't enough to upend the winner, Hakula.
Michael Miller and David Lee were tied for third place while first-round co-leader Lee McCoy finished fifth. McCoy was in the lead after first-round play alongside Blake Morris, who tied for sixth with Michael McGowan and Shotaro Ban.
The event featured many of the country's top NCAA and upcoming elite amateur golfers.
Joe Alfieri prevalied in a two-horse race to win the Mid-Am division. Alfieri entered the final round tied with Matt Giovanelli but shot a final-round 72 to win by four shots.
Kenny Cook was third.
In the Senior division, Tom Hyland shot a final-round 68 to win by an impressive 10 shots. Stuart Sierra was second.
ABOUT THE New Year's Invitational
Historic invitational golf tournament that
originated
on the Lakewood golf course in 1927. This
same
amateur invitational tournament -- which
attracts
top Florida amateurs and a strong group of out-of-
state players as well --
continues,
unbroken, each year although the club
name was
later changed to St. Petersburg Country
Club.
View Complete Tournament Information