Gasparilla Invitational: Derek Busby jumps out to 5-shot lead
2/21/2020 | by Pete Wlodkowski of AmateurGolf.com
see also: View results for Gasparilla Invitational Mid-Am, Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club
Florida temps dropped 30 degrees overnight and sent scores skyrocketing, except for Busby, who posted 65 for a 5-shot lead
The thing about Central Florida winter weather that some people don't understand is that it can change in a heartbeat, dropping from shirts and shorts to freezing your you-know-what off in the span of a day.
That's exactly what happened in Tampa at the Gasparilla Invitational, where the practice rounds and first round on Thursday saw temperatures in the low 80s before a major shift brought in winds and low the thermometer dropping to the low 50s. That brought out the sweaters, and caused the birdies to hide out (from the scorecards that is).
Thursday, there were 16 scores in red-numbers. Today? Only three.
One of those scores, a 5-under 65 by Derek Busby,, is even more amazing given that it tied the low round of the tournament and bested his first round 67 by two.
"Definitely tough conditions," said Busby in an exclusive phone interview with AmateurGolf.com.
And if you wonder if equipment makes a difference, think of what's important on a day like Friday, when control is key. Busby credited his new wedges with helping him make the key shots he needed in the 100 yard range. (And while we didn't get the brand he's playing, our detectives are on it for tomorrow - stay tuned.)
"I made some equipment changes in the offseason," explained Busby, "most notably to my wedges I put in a lot of time getting the soles and bounces just right, this new setup has enabled me to have more shots from inside 100 yds and today that was the major difference."
Busby is a proven winner with USGA experience. He won the 2017 Crane Cup wire-to-wire. At The Floridian, Busby took at two stroke lead into the final round and closed the deal with a 69.
If he gets off to the kind of start tomorrow that he did today, it's going to be hard to catch the Ruston, Louisiana resident. His scorecard today? Eagle-birdie-birdie and a 31 on the front nine. And the first hole is a par four.
"I hit a driver downwind to 50 yards, then played a nipping spinner lob wedge, (a shot I just learned how to play) that two-hopped into the hole," said Busby, before explaining his strategy going forward.
"When you get out to a fast start you want to make sure you continue to think well," said Busby of his round today. "The conditions were so tough it forced me to continue to think and focus on every shot."
The Gasparilla field has improved quite a bit in the past few years, and trailing Busby is the fifth ranked Mid-Amateur in the U.S. (and 2019 U.S. Mid-Am runner-up), Joe Deraney (68-69). Deraney is capable of posting low numbers, like his final round 66 that led to a Stocker Cup title in Carmel in October -- nearly a course record. New Jersey's Michael Stamberger is tied with Senior leader Jimmy Jones at 2-under 138.
SENIOR DIVISION
Playing from the same tees as the Mid-Ams, the seniors are eligible for the overall title -- a format this website approves of especially when many of the "young seniors" can play with the younger guys.
After 18 holes, Richard Kerper and Jones were tied after rounds of 3-under 67 while AmateurGolf.com's 2019 Senior Player-of-the-Year Doug Hanzel was a shot back at 2-under 68.
But thanks to hanging close to par with a 71 on Friday, the veteran Florida player Jones has a 5-shot lead heading into the final round. Jones stands at 2-under 138 while Kerper trails at 3-over 143 and Hanzel is tied with 2019 U.S. Senior Am champion Bob Royak at 144.
There are 35 seniors in the field, and just over 100 mid-ams. The 54-hole tournament continues Friday, with the final round being played Saturday.
Could any of the chasers make things interesting? With weather dropping into the low 30s overnight in the Tampa Bay area, anything is possible. We know the sweaters and hand warmers will be out in the morning.
That's exactly what happened in Tampa at the Gasparilla Invitational, where the practice rounds and first round on Thursday saw temperatures in the low 80s before a major shift brought in winds and low the thermometer dropping to the low 50s. That brought out the sweaters, and caused the birdies to hide out (from the scorecards that is).
Thursday, there were 16 scores in red-numbers. Today? Only three.
"Definitely tough conditions," said Busby in an exclusive phone interview with AmateurGolf.com.
And if you wonder if equipment makes a difference, think of what's important on a day like Friday, when control is key. Busby credited his new wedges with helping him make the key shots he needed in the 100 yard range. (And while we didn't get the brand he's playing, our detectives are on it for tomorrow - stay tuned.)
"I made some equipment changes in the offseason," explained Busby, "most notably to my wedges I put in a lot of time getting the soles and bounces just right, this new setup has enabled me to have more shots from inside 100 yds and today that was the major difference."
Busby is a proven winner with USGA experience. He won the 2017 Crane Cup wire-to-wire. At The Floridian, Busby took at two stroke lead into the final round and closed the deal with a 69.
If he gets off to the kind of start tomorrow that he did today, it's going to be hard to catch the Ruston, Louisiana resident. His scorecard today? Eagle-birdie-birdie and a 31 on the front nine. And the first hole is a par four.
"I hit a driver downwind to 50 yards, then played a nipping spinner lob wedge, (a shot I just learned how to play) that two-hopped into the hole," said Busby, before explaining his strategy going forward.
"When you get out to a fast start you want to make sure you continue to think well," said Busby of his round today. "The conditions were so tough it forced me to continue to think and focus on every shot."
The Gasparilla field has improved quite a bit in the past few years, and trailing Busby is the fifth ranked Mid-Amateur in the U.S. (and 2019 U.S. Mid-Am runner-up), Joe Deraney (68-69). Deraney is capable of posting low numbers, like his final round 66 that led to a Stocker Cup title in Carmel in October -- nearly a course record. New Jersey's Michael Stamberger is tied with Senior leader Jimmy Jones at 2-under 138.
Playing from the same tees as the Mid-Ams, the seniors are eligible for the overall title -- a format this website approves of especially when many of the "young seniors" can play with the younger guys.
After 18 holes, Richard Kerper and Jones were tied after rounds of 3-under 67 while AmateurGolf.com's 2019 Senior Player-of-the-Year Doug Hanzel was a shot back at 2-under 68.
But thanks to hanging close to par with a 71 on Friday, the veteran Florida player Jones has a 5-shot lead heading into the final round. Jones stands at 2-under 138 while Kerper trails at 3-over 143 and Hanzel is tied with 2019 U.S. Senior Am champion Bob Royak at 144.
There are 35 seniors in the field, and just over 100 mid-ams. The 54-hole tournament continues Friday, with the final round being played Saturday.
Could any of the chasers make things interesting? With weather dropping into the low 30s overnight in the Tampa Bay area, anything is possible. We know the sweaters and hand warmers will be out in the morning.
Results: Gasparilla Invitational Mid-Am
| Place | Player | Location | Pts | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ruston, LA | 400 | 67-65-74=206 | |
| 2 | Lakeland, FL | 300 | 69-71-69=209 | |
| 3 | Belden, MS | 200 | 68-69-73=210 | |
| T4 | San Antonio, TX | 200 | 70-72-70=212 | |
| T4 | Nashville, TN | 200 | 69-70-73=212 |
About the Gasparilla Invitational Mid-Am
54-hole individual stroke play championship with a cut after 36 holes to the low 60 and ties. Good mix of Florida players and national competitors looking for an early season tune up. Played on a traditional, tree lined golf course that isn't very lo...
Most Popular Articles
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Guide: Sites, Scores, and Who Advanced
Dec 5, 2025Second Stage is complete and Final Stage awaits at Sawgrass — follow every Q-School leaderboard and the players still chasing
2025 LPGA TOUR Q-Series: Final Qualifying Stage FINAL SCORING
Dec 8, 2025Helen Briem earns medalist honors, 31 players headed to the LPGA next year
Australian Open at Royal Melbourne: Preview, amateur bios, and how to watch
Nov 30, 2025Rory McIlroy headlines one of the championship's top fields in years - at least four amateurs will have their chance at glory
Luke Ringkamp Cruises to Rolex Tournament of Champions Title at TPC San Antonio
Nov 26, 2025One week after committing to Pepperdine, Luke Ringkamp won the Rolex Tournament of Champions by nine shots.
Inside Gil Hanse’s Restoration of Baltusrol’s Upper Course: A Return to Tillinghast’s
Dec 11, 2025Renowned architect Gil Hanse reveals how he brought Baltusrol’s Upper Course back to life by honoring A.W. Tillinghast’s original