Kaeli Jones celebrates first FSGA championship
(FSGA Photo)
PALM COAST, FL (July 10, 2016) -- Not many people
can play 56-holes of golf with one sleeve of three golf
balls like Women’s Amateur Stroke Play Champion, Kaeli
Jones, of Sumterville. Jones, who was an avid Florida
Junior Tour player captured her first FSGA
Championship win after posting three consistent under-
par rounds of 71-69-70.
After round one, Jones sat one-stroke back from
Teresa Conroy, of Tallahassee, who posted a 2-under-
par, 70, to take the early lead. Jones moved up the
leaderboard to tie Anastasia Carter for first place, after
round two. Conroy fell from the top after struggling to a
second round 76, while Carter, of Saint Augustine,
carded an impressive four under-par, 68 to advance to
first place. Jones shot her low round of the tournament
in the second round, 69, to tie Carter heading into the
final round.
The final round was far from uneventful as Carter
and Jones battled to capture first place alone. Jones
carded birdies on holes three and five with one bogey
on the eighth hole to turn at 1-under-par, 35.
Carter played steady golf to start her round with all
pars until a bogey on the ninth hole for a 1-over-par,
37. Carter birdied holes 14 and 15 on the back nine as
Jones had only one birdie on the 16th hole. The two
teed up on the final hole with Kaeli holding onto a one
shot lead.
Both women hit less than perfect drives, Kaeli
would play her second shot from a water hazard and
Anastasia would be hitting from a waste bunker. With
no fear Jones took off her shoes and entered the hazard
to hit her second shot. Anastasia struck her second shot
into the hazard leaving a difficult third shot. Kaeli hit
her third shot just over the back of the green and got
up and down for bogey as Anastasia carded a seven to
finish.
Jones finished the Championship with a 6-under-par
201 and a three-stroke victory. Jenny Kim, Nicole
Aurtrique, and Anastasia Carter tied for second place at
231 (-3). Alyssa Lamoureux finished in fifth place after
an exceptional final round of 69 for a 214 (-2) total.
First round leader, Conroy took sixth place at even-par
216.
Reflecting on her first Championship win, Jones
stated that the most difficult part of the tournament was
“the greens. You could hit a really good putt but it could
slip the greens and not drop”. At the young age of 19,
Jones has a strong future of golf ahead of her. What
does this win mean for her? Jones says, “This means
that my game is competitive enough to compete with
the best in Florida. This is a big confidence boost for my
fame. I feel great”.
View results for Florida Women's Stroke Play
ABOUT THE
Florida Women's Stroke Play
Championship Format
• 54 holes of individual stroke play
• 84 total players
• The overall Champion will be the individual with
the
lowest 54 hole aggregate score
Eligibility
• Female amateur golfer
• Florida residency required
• A valid USGA Handicap Index not exceeding
18.4
• Entrant is not required to be a member of the
FSGA
View Complete Tournament Information