ORLANDO, FLORIDA (July 23, 2006) -- Jon Veneziano fired a three-round tournament total of 1-under par 215 to win the Florida State Public Links Championship at Grande Pines Golf Club in Orlando on July 21-23.
Jon Veneziano, of Mount Dora, played steady golf to post scores of 73-71-71 to win the Championship by six strokes. Veneziano’s back-to-back scores of 71 were the only under par rounds of the tournament. With threatening weather on the final day, Veneziano jumped ahead of the field holing out for eagle on the par four 9th hole. This is Veneziano’s second state title as he won last year’s Mid-Amateur Championship. Jimi Brindell, the first and second round co-leader, recorded a 77 in the final round to fall to second place. Brindell, of Tequesta, shot a pair of 72’s in the first two rounds to give him a share of the lead after each round. Brindell’s second round even par included a two stroke penalty. Devin Patel, of Celebration, posted scores of 76-72-75—223 to take third place while the 2001 Public Links Champion Paul Melson, of Plantation, placed fourth with a 226 total. The 2004 and 2005 Public Links Champion Robert Parker, of Sanford, tied for 14th place. Another Mount Dora resident, Curt Madson, won the first flight shooting a 231 total and Kenneth Roy, of Jacksonville, and Robert Cupper, of Hollywood, shared top honors in the second flight with a 242 total.
The Public Links Championship is open to bona fide public course players who are not members of a private club and also do not have a handicap index any higher than 6.4. Competitors played 18 holes of stroke play on each of the three days with the field flighted after 36 holes.
ABOUT THE FSGA
Organized in 1913, the Florida State Golf Association is a not-for-profit organization that governs amateur golf in the state of Florida. In addition to conducting 22 championships for amateur golfers in the state, the FSGA is responsible for over 40 qualifying tournaments for USGA National Championships and the Florida Junior Tour. The FSGA also maintains the USGA Handicap System, performs course ratings throughout Florida and assists in junior programs and scholarships.
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Final results from The FSGA Public Links Championship: Grande Pines GC, Orlando, July 21-23, 2006
Championship Flight
Jon Veneziano, Mount Dora, 73-71-71--215
Jimi Brindell, Tequesta, 72-72-77--221
Devin Patel, Celebration, 76-72-75--223
Paul Melson, Plantation, 75-78-73--226
Judson Eustaquio, Lake Worth, 78-73-76--227
John Hewlin, Bradenton, 75-73-79--227
Clayton Gamber, Miami, 77-74-77--228
Kelly Gosse, Inverness, 75-72-81--228
Michael Muller, Vero Beach, 76-78-75--229
Brandon Smith, West Palm Beach, 75-73-81--229
Todd Schmitt, Orlando, 78-77-75--230
Andrew Pressentin, Palmetto Bay, 76-77-77--230
Don Sciotto, Palm Valley, 76-77-77--230
Robert Parker, Sanford, 75-78-78--231
Danny Day, Winter Springs, 74-77-80--231
Douglas Jones, Brandon, 79-73-79--231
Scott Turner, Palm City, 72-79-80--231
Samuel Martinez, Miami, 77-78-77--232
Chris Toomy, Parkland, 75-75-82--232
Marais Lombard, Pompano Beach, 75-77-81--233
Doug Snoap, Apopka, 81-74-79--234
Donnie Lowe, Saint Augustine Beach, 82-72-82--236
Jose Novo, Miami, 77-76-84--237
Joseph Latowski, Port Saint Lucie, 78-76-85--239
Michael Rafalowicz, Key Biscayne, 79-74-87--240
Todd Elliott, Bradenton, 77-77-NS--NS
First Flight
Curt Madson, Mount Dora, 81-75-75--231
Jacob Richard, Melbourne, 81-78-76--235
Brian Friederichs, Boca Raton, 86-77-72--235
Brett Marinelli, Tampa, 75-82-80--237
Taylor Welch, Fort Lauderdale, 74-83-82--239
Tom Miller, Daytona Beach, 75-83-81--239
Paul Sullivan, Maitland, 79-84-76--239
Johnny Pak, Wellington, 76-80-83--239
Lance Capozzoli, Ocoee, 79-81-80--240
Mark Beckworth, Jacksonville, 84-77-80--241
Juan Aller, Miramar, 83-77-81--241
Scott Bell, Pensacola, 83-77-81--241
Justin Onorati, Tamarac, 79-80-82--241
Kurt Murphy, Fort Lauderdale, 74-87-82--243
Michael Payne, Orlando, 81-77-86--244
Michael Frederick, Homestead, 77-80-87--244
Kevin Belza, Gainesville, 80-82-84--246
Kevin Steakin, Wellington, 85-78-84--247
Ed Trinidad, Miami, 82-77-91--250
Brian Mills, Orange Park, 78-83-89--250
Justin Bell, Jupiter, 84-79-87--250
Sam Schafer, Jensen Beach, 83-81-90--254
Louis Bell, Orlando, 85-76-NS--NS
Chris Leggett, Green Cove Springs, 82-80-NS--NS
Jim Hammons, Port Orange, 85-79-NC--NC
Nick Pincket, Davie, 79-77-NC—NC
Second Flight
Kenneth Roy, Jacksonville, 81-85-76--242
Robert Cupper, Hollywood, 91-75-76--242
Logan Toskey, Renton, 86-82-77--245
Scott Stowell, Royal Palm Beach, 86-80-81--247
Vic Morelli, Oldsmar, 86-79-84--249
Eric Grutka, Jensen Beach, 84-84-81--249
Billy Gregory, Clermont, 85-84-81--250
Courtney Ashburn, Tallahassee, 88-79-84--251
Leigh Fessenden, Miramar, 82-87-84--253
Tom Bergman, Jacksonville, 90-86-79--255
Daniel Cabrera, Parkland, 80-86-92--258
Whit Watson, Winter Park, 86-82-90--258
Roger Flaherty, San Antonio, 81-88-89--258
Robert McNaughton, Bradenton, 88-90-83--261
Steve Geisler, Sarasota, 87-89-85--261
Frank Denallo, Independence, 82-91-89--262
Jerry Brigance, Jacksonville, 89-86-87--262
Bruce Harris, Ocala, 82-88-93--263
John Richardson, Mount Dora, 89-90-88--267
William Marsh, Orlando, 86-98-83--267
Hank Porter, Naples, 87-91-91--269
Tom Reeder, Orlando, 98-86-91--275
Craig Gustavson, Vero Beach, 102-90-86--278
Sean McNaughton, Bradenton, 97-93-98--288
Marty Gonzalez, Palm Beach Gardens, 99-98-94--291
Daniel Fulmer, Marianna, 88-90-NS--NS
Chase Mills, Orange Park, 81-93-NS--NS
Scott Schwartzberg, Plantation, 91-93-NS--NS