Florida Azalea: Lance LaCombe takes a one shot lead with 18 holes left

March 16, 2024 | by Justin Golba of AmateurGolf.com

LaCombe holds a two shot lead over Ty Capps, while only nine golfers are under par through 36 holes

Lance LaCombe of Jacksonville, Fla., finds himself holding the solo lead with one round of golf remaining at the 2024 Florida Azalea Amateur at Palatka Golf Club in Palatka, Fla.

LaCombe holds a two-shot lead at 7-under after a first-round 3-under 67 and a second-round 4-under 66. He recorded four birdies, two bogeys, and an eagle on the par-5 No. 10. He started his round with three birdies on the first five holes but cooled off after that.

The Jacksonville native finished T9 in the 2023 Florida Azalea Amateur.

Ty Capps of Palm Coast, Fla., is in solo second place at 5-under after a second-round 1-under 69. Capps held a share of the first-round lead with Camden Goldknopf of Ponte Vedra, Fla., an 18-year-old William and Mary commit.

Goldknopf, Troy Vannucci of Marlton, N.J., and Giuseppe Puebla of West Palm Beach, Fla., are T3 at 4-under. Alejandro Ramos of Jacksonville, Fla., Justin Burroughs of Pensacola, Fla., and Justin Sui of Lake Orion, Mich., are T6 at 3-under.

Vannucci is a golfer to watch, as he finished in solo second place at this tournament last year and in 2022, so he will be looking to get the job done this time around.

He also finished T6 at the 2023 New Jersey State Amateur and made the match play portion of the 2023 U.S. Mid Amateur.

Capps, who played his college golf at the University of Nebraska, 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.

Results: Florida Azalea

Place	Player	Location	Pts	Scores
1	Lance Lacombe	Jacksonville, FL	300	67-66-70=203
2	Giuseppe Puebla	W. Palm Beach, FL	200	68-68-69=205
3	Troy Vannucci	Marlton, NJ	100	71-65-70=206
T4	Justin Burroughs	Pensacola, FL	100	68-69-71=208
T4	Ty Capps	Palm Coast, FL	100	66-69-73=208

View full results for Florida Azalea

About the Florida Azalea

Florida Azalea: Lance LaCombe takes a one shot lead with 18 holes left

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, w...