Florida Azalea: Camden Goldknopf and Ty Capps share early lead
Camden Goldknopf of Ponte Vedra, Fla., and
Ty Capps of Palm Beach, Fla., lead a talented field after round one of the Florida Azalea Amateur at Palatka Golf Club in Palatka, Fla.
The two leaders shot rounds of 4-under 66 to take a one-shot lead at the top of the leaderboard. Goldknopf recorded five birdies and just one bogey, which came on his final hole of the day, No. 18.
Capps did the opposite, starting his day with a bogey on hole No. 3, then making five birdies on the remaining 15 holes, including a birdie on No. 18.
Goldknopf is a William and Mary commit, while Capps is a former University of Nebraska golfer. Goldknopf is 18 years old, while Capps is 40 years old, so this is a battle of two talented golfers in different stages of their careers. Capps played in the 2006 U.S. Amateur Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. The U.S. Amateur returns to Hazeltine in 2024.
Alejandro Ramos of Jacksonville, Fla., and Lance LaCombe of Jacksonville, Fla., are T3 after rounds of 3-under 67. LaCombe finished T9 at this tournament last year.
Goldknopf finished T4 at the 2023 St. Augustine Amateur and recently finished T25 at the First Coast Amateur.
Five golfers are T5 at 2-under and two shots back of the lead, while eleven golfers shot under par in round one, and 15 golfers are within four shots on the crowded leaderboard.
ABOUT THE Florida Azalea
The Florida Azalea was started in 1958 as a two-man
team tourney. The field has, over the years,
boasted players who have gone on to greatness at
the professional level. Tommy Aaron, who teamed
with Dan Sykes for the 1960 Florida Azalea team
title, went on to win the 1973 Masters. And Bob
Murphy, winner of back-to-back Florida Azalea titles
while playing for the University of Florida golf team
in 1965-66, was an 11-time winner on the PGA
Tour.
The 220-man Azalea field competes in one of six
flights. The first flight is Championship, with a cut
after 36-holes. The next five flights are Net.
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