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see also: Florida Azalea Amateur, Palatka Golf Club
Jacksonville native edges Drew Miller in a final-round battle to claim Azalea title at Donald Ross classic.
PALATKA, Fla. — Lance LaCombe of Jacksonville, Fla., won the 69th Florida Azalea Amateur on Sunday at Palatka Golf Club, posting rounds of 72-66-69 to finish at 3-under-par 207 and secure the championship in one of the event’s tightest finishes.
LaCombe entered the final round in contention after a second-round 66 and held steady on Sunday, carding a 1-under 69 on the Donald Ross layout to finish on top. His three-day total was enough to edge a deep field and add his name to the long list of champions in one of Florida’s most respected amateur events.
Drew Miller of East Lansing, Mich., finished second after rounds of 65-69-73. Jack Irons of Naples, Fla., Micah Sheffer of Brownstown, Ind., and Ambrose Kinnare of St. Augustine, Fla., shared third place at 2-under-par 208.
LaCombe’s victory was built on consistency. After opening with an even-par 72, he surged into the mix with a second-round 66, one of the best rounds of the championship. He followed it with a composed final-round 69, managing Palatka’s small greens and strategic bunkering with the kind of patience the course demands.
That formula has long defined success at Palatka Golf Club. Though the course is short by modern standards, it remains a stern test because of its firm putting surfaces, classic green complexes, and the premium it places on precision over power. LaCombe handled those challenges better than anyone across the 54-hole championship.
Asher Katz of Winter Garden, Fla., finished sixth at even-par 210, while Hogan Blais of Port St. Lucie, Fla., was seventh at 1-over 211. Tyler Gulliksen of Flagler Beach, Fla., took eighth at 2-over 212. Jude Johnson of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., and Jaspreet Kondal of St. Augustine, Fla., tied for ninth at 3-over 213.
Charlie Fischer of East Aurora, N.Y., Jack Comstock of Jacksonville, Fla., and Justin Burroughs of Pensacola, Fla., tied for 11th at 4-over 214.
Founded in 1958, the Florida Azalea Amateur remains one of the longest-running amateur tournaments in the Southeast. The event has featured players who later found success at the highest levels of the game, and the 2026 championship added another memorable finish to that history.
For LaCombe, the win was the result of three steady rounds and a closing performance that stood up under pressure. On a leaderboard packed with contenders, he was the player who finished strongest when it mattered most.
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...
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