PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. - Teenager Kevin McGavock parred the first playoff hole Sunday to win the 20th annual Palm Beach Classic. McGavock, 16, a junior at Palm Beach Gardens High School and a resident of PGA National, outlasted Craig Watson of Hobe Sound after they tied at four over par 148 on the Squire course at PGA National.
It was McGavock's first victory against adult competition and he follows Chappell Brown and Robbie Wight, two19-year-old freshmen on the University of Florida golf team who won the Classic in 2002 and 2003, respectively.
In the playoff, McGavock hit driver and 3-iron right of the green, chipped on and two-putted for par. Watson had a 5-iron second shot to the middle of the green, he said, but "I hit it thin and into the water," enroute to a bogey-6.
In regulation, McGavock made double bogey at the first hole, adding three birdies and six bogies for 77. He opened with 71 to trail first round leader Tim Howard by a shot. Howard added 82-152 to tie for fifth, last money in the championship flight.
Watson, a former New York area club professional, closed with 73 on five birdies, one at the first hole, four bogies and a double bogey at the par-4 eighth hole. Watson regained his amateur status in 1997, moved to Hobe Sound last November and is playing his first season of Palm Beach County Golf Association competition.
The Classic is for PBCGA members who failed to qualify for the County Amateur in July. In June, Watson shot 85 on the adjacent Haig course. McGavock did not return after rain interrupted a qualifier at the Boca Country Club, opting instead to head for Tampa and an American Junior Golf Association tournament. There were 57 first round scores posted from some 70 entries.
Next on the PBCGA schedule: Friday, Bobby Bryant Memorial Mid-Senior, Turtle Creek Club, and Sept. 30-Oct. 1, Senior Amateur, Martin Downs CC, Osprey Creek course. For membership information and tournament entry, call the PBCGA, 561-625-0400, or go to www.pbcga.org.
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Palm Beach County GA
Palm Beach Classic
PGA National, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Squire course, 6,439 yards, par 72
Championship Flight
Kevin McGavock, Palm Beach Gardens, 71-77-148
Craig Watson, Hobe Sound, 75-73-148
McGavock won playoff, par-5 on first extra hole.
Cab Hargrave, West Palm Beach, 74-76-150
Barrett Sandefur, West Palm Beach, 74-77-151
Joe Tirado Jr., West Palm Beach, 75-77-152
Jack Mansmann, Boca Raton, 73-79-152
Tim Howard, Palm Beach Gardens, 70-82-152
First Flight
Craig Slocum, Port St. Lucie, 81-74-155
Chris Buchanan, Palm Beach Gardens, 80-75-155
Paul Brinkman, Palm Springs, 80-76-156
Mike Vied, Palm Beach Gardens, 84-74-158
David Greenburg, Delray Beach, 81-77-158
John Payton, Lake Worth, 80-78-158
