Trevor Hulbert needed extra players to hoist the First Coast tophy

The East Tennessee State senior birdied 18 to force a sudden-death playoff with first and second round leader Logan Sowell of the College of Charleston. Instead of going wire-to-wire, Sowell made bogey at the 17th and couldn't find a way to birdie the final hole as Hulbert did. So the two headed to extras and it was Hulbert making par to capture the title.

The trophy was Hulbert’s after he chipped to two feet for par from off the green on the first extra hole and Sowell missed a five-foot putt for par.

Son of three-time PGA Tour winner Mike Hulbert (who was also an East Tennessee State Buccaneer), Trevor had one blunder to overcome midway through his final round as he double-bogeyed the par-4 11th — the hardest 4-par for the 96-player field over the three-day weekend. He even bogeyed the following hole, but composed himself and closed the day with two birdies in his final six holes.

It didn't look like he would be holding the trophy during a rugged first round.

Hulbert opened a 76 in Saturday’s cool and very blustery conditions at the 7,081-yard Tom Watson layout. He came back Sunday with a a tournament-record 65, taking advantage of the calmer (and warmer) conditions..The Orlando, Fla. native closed with a 71 on Monday in similar conditions to post a three-day total of 212 (4 under).

For the Cougar senior Sowell, it's the second runner-up finish at this event in three years and he's placed in the top-10 in each of his last four tries.

Making a back-nine charge was third-place finisher and Ole Miss freshman Brett Schell, who made four birdies on the inward nine to post the lowest final round of the tournament at 67. But he fell just one stroke shy from joining Hulbert and Sowell in the playoff. Also tying for third was Samuel Anderson, a University of Wisconsin senior who would have had a shot at the win had he not bogeyed the 17th.

University of Toledo junior David Amm shared lowest final-round honors with Schell, and used an eagle at the par-5 18th to jump into the top-10 with his 67.

Players from 21 states and 30 colleges participated and 14 countries were represented. The College of Charleston topped the field with 12 current or committed players in Palm Coast, followed by Purdue with eight, East Tennessee State with seven, and Miami of Ohio with four.

According to organizers the Jacksonville Area Golf Association:

"With The Conservatory hosting the First Coast Amateur for the second year, interest among players grew again this year in spite of the coronavirus situation. The waiting list grew to 65 names vs. 36 last year."

We're happy to see competitive golf continue to be played, and played safely.