Tyler McCumber
2011 Florida State Amateur Champion
MIAMI, FL. (June 26, 2011) -- Tyler McCumber, of Ponte Vedra Beach, prevailed over the field of 168 players to capture the 94th Florida State Amateur Championship. In the first round, McCumber carded a two-over par 72 on the Jim McLean Course, and followed up with a second round two-over par 74 on the TPC Blue Monster Course to sit a four-over par for the championship heading into the weekend. McCumber moved up the leader board on Saturday with a four-under par 68 to trail by two strokes heading into the final 18-holes of play.
In the final round McCumber played a flawless front nine with birdies on 3, 8, and 9 to turn at three-under par. McCumber said “Once I made birdie on number nine I knew I was in the golf tournament, it was really the turning point of my round”. After playing the next seven holes at one-over par, McCumber headed to the 17th hole tied for the lead. His approach would sail over the green, and after an excellent pitch shot McCumber would make par on 17 to hold a one-stroke lead heading into the difficult 18th hole. “I finally looked at a leader board after 17, and I knew I had the lead”, McCumber stated. After his approach shot on 18 found the right greenside bunker, McCumber left his par putt short and was left with a difficult 6 footer to finish at one-under par on the day. “I knew I had to make my bogey putt, the last thing I wanted to do was lose two shots on the final hole”, McCumber stated. After making bogey to fire a final round one-under par 71, Ben Vertz and Ryan Abbate would go on to make bogey and triple bogey respectively for McCumber to capture the title.
This is McCumber’s second career Florida State Golf Association title. McCumber stated, "This victory is the biggest of my career." McCumber, a University of Florida golfer, captured the Boys’ Junior Amateur Championship (13-15 Division) in 2006, and helped his team advance to the National Championships this past season.
Kevin Aylwin, of New Smyrna Beach, Ben Vertz, of Coral Springs, and Jeffrey Walker, of Fort Lauderdale, all finished tied for second place with a tournament total of even par 286. The Defending Champion Sean Dale, of Jacksonville, finished tied for sixth place with a tournament total of two-over par 288.
McCumber receives a crystal vase and his name inscribed on the Clarence Camp Championship Trophy. The top fifteen plus ties receive an exemption into next year’s Florida State Amateur Championship at The Bear’s Club, in Jupiter.
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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.
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