Sarasota Golf News

The Southwestern Chapter of the North Florida PGA has named Sarasota’s Mark Leetzow as its amateur of the year.

Leetzow lost a sudden-death playoff at Sara Bay Country Club for the Florida State Golf Associations’s Mid-Amateur Stroke Play Championship. He is a two-time winner of the Florida State Amateur and a six-time winner of the City of Sarasota Men’s Championship.

A Sign of the Times

Another sign that the economy and the weather have taken a toll on golf in the area came in a recent announcement from Bobby Jones Golf Club.

The club is extending its hours and discounting the fees.

Lake City's Blayne Barber tamed the tough Stadium Course and dominated a talented field to take home the 92nd Florida State Amateur Championship.

The 19-year-old Barber finished the four-day event with an 11-under-par total of 277, nine strokes better than his nearest competitor.

Manatee County’s Tony Jacklin is a legend in Great Britain for winning the 1969 British Open and the 1970 U.S. Open.

Now, the transplanted Brit may have produced a son capable of following in his footsteps. Teenager Sean Jacklin won his first Florida Junior Tour tournament at Orange County National, blowing away the field by seven strokes.

Competing in the boys 16-18 division, Sean posted rounds of 68-69-70 for a nine-under par total of 207. He was the only player in the field to record all three rounds under par, playing from 7,093 yards. It was the final FJT tournament of the spring.

This Labor Day weekend, September 4th - 7th, will celebrate the third annual Patriot’s Day weekend. Join thousands of golfers nationwide to raise money for the families of soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Golfers are asked to donate a minimum of $1 at area participating courses to benefit the Folds of Honor Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to provide educational scholarships to families of those who have become disabled or lost their lives in the line of duty. In 2008, some 3,800 golf facilities nationwide participated in Patriot Golf Day, raising more than $2 million.

Where do the best area amateurs reside?

If this week’s 92nd Florida State Amateur Championship is an indication, most of them live in Manatee County. Led by Chris Kennedy of Lakewood Ranch, nine of the 13 area amateurs, who qualified for the State Am, are from Manatee County. 

Reg Ware came to the United States from London on July 4th 1959.  At 22, he was a printer by trade.

This Fourth of July, the affable general manager of Tatum Ridge Golf Club is throwing a gala celebration for two reasons. One, it is the Fourth, but it also marks his 50th anniversary of coming to America. 

Walters-Slocum Team Captures Bradenton 2-man Championship

Steve Slocum and Phil Walters set a record in the winning the City of Bradenton 2-Man Championship last weekend at River Run Golf Links. The Manatee County duo shot 126 for two rounds, eclipsing the old mark held by Jeff Partin and Gary Nagy by one stroke. The previous record was set in 2002.

The Venice team of Joe Clarkson and Billy Stevens finished four strokes back after getting to within one shot on Sunday. 

This is one of my favorite golf controversies, and it emerges around every major tournament.

Jack Nicklaus won 18 majors, and Tiger Woods has won 14. Woods is the overwhelming favorite to win his 15th this week at the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black on Long Island, N.Y.

Why?

Last year, Joey Lamielle of Sarasota represented the area in the U.S. Open. This year, te area has a number of ties to the second major of the year. Casey Wittenberg spent a number of years at IMG Academies in Bradenton, preparing for a pro career. He played many of the area courses. He still spends time at IMG in the off-season and has participated in the Paula4Kids First Tee fundraiser each year.

Prior to this year, Wittenberg’s claim to fame was finishing second in the U.S. Amateur. That got him an automatic invitation to the Masters and he made the most of it by finishing 13th, which got him an exemption the following year.