Florida (FSGA) Amateur Championship

TAMPA, FL (April 5, 2006) -- The top amateurs in the state will compete at Pine Tree Golf Club and Hunters Run Golf and Racquet Club in Boynton Beach on June 22-25 in the 89th Amateur Championship. First, competitors must attempt to qualify for the Championship at one of 13 sites across the state. Register online at www.fsga.org as entries close for the Amateur on May 10. From May 31 – June 12, the Florida State Golf Association will conduct 13 qualifying tournaments of 18 holes of stroke play for golfers trying to advance to the Amateur Championship at Pine Tree. In the Championship, participants will play 18 holes each at Pine Tree and Hunters Run on June 22-23. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the low 70 and ties. The final 36 holes of the Championship will be played at Pine Tree on June 24-25. Defending Champion, Ryan Abbate, of Fort Lauderdale, fired a 66-69-72-70—277 to win last year at Bear Lakes. Abbate, as well as other former State Amateur Champions, are exempt from the qualifying. Started in 1914, the FSGA State Amateur is the oldest continuous sporting event in the state as well as the largest amateur event in Florida. Past Amateur champions include Bob Murphy, Jerry Pate, Buddy Alexander, and PGA Tour players David Peoples, Chris Couch, and Barry Cheesman. Florida State Amateur Championship Qualifiers: May 31 - Red Tail GC, Sorrento June 1 - The Club at Eaglebrooke, Lakeland June 1 - The Club at Emerald Hills, Hollywood June 3 - Shalimar Pointe CC, Shalimar June 5 - River Hills CC, Valrico June 5 - Bear Lakes CC, West Palm Beach June 7 - Lakewood Ranch G & CC, Bradenton June 7 - The Club at the Strand, Naples June 9 - PGA Golf Club, Port St. Lucie June 12 - GC at North Hampton, Fernandina Beach June 12 - CC of Ocala, Ocala June 12 - Southwood GC, Tallahassee June 12 - Orange Tree GC, Orlando To register for a qualifying site for the Amateur Championship, please visit www.fsga.org.