AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE FLORIDA STATE GOLF ASSOCIATION ~MAY 2024~
94TH WOMEN’S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
THE BEAR’S CLUB JUNE 13- 16
FLORIDA STATE GOLF ASSOCIATION
12630 Telecom Drive - Tampa, FL 33637
Main: (813) 632-3742
Championships & Rulings: (813) 868-5850
Club Services: (813) 868-5855
JOIN THE FSGA
Foundation Memberships
$1,000 ............................................. Chairman’s Level
$500 ................................................. President’s Level
$275 ................................... Director’s Level (Couple)
$170 Director’s Level
Regular Memberships
$60 ............................................... Adult Regular Level
$45 FJT/Junior Level
$30 Patron Level
All membership dollars received above the regular membership will go towards the Future of Golf Foundation.
FOLLOW THE FSGA
Twitter: @FSGA
Instagram: @FSGA1913
Facebook: Florida State Golf Association
FOLLOW THE FLORIDA JUNIOR TOUR
Twitter: @FloridaJrTour
Facebook: Florida Junior Tour
2023 UPCOMING MEN’S COMPETITIONS
CHAMPIONSHIP DATE ENTRIES CLOSE LOCATION
Forty & Over Four-Ball (North)
June 1-2
May 22
Forty & Over Four-Ball (South) June 1-2 May 22
107th Amateur June 6-9 April 24
Super-Senior Match Play June 10-13
May 29
Club Adena, Ocala
Mayacoo Lakes CC, West Palm Beach
Quail Valley Golf Club, Vero Beach
PGA National Resort, Palm Beach Gardens
Senior Amateur Match Play June 16-19 May 15 The Legacy G&TC, Port St. Lucie
27th Amateur Public Links June 28-30 May 22
Dubsdread GC, Orlando
70th Boys’ Junior July 6-8 June 5 Club Adena, Ocala
75th Four-Ball July 12-14
78th Florida Open July 19-21
Junior Match Play (16-18) July 22-25
Junior Match Play (13-15) July 22-25
June 12
Conservatory at Hammock Beach
June 5 Golden Ocala G&EC, Ocala
July 3
July 3
Streamsong Resort, Bowling Green
Streamsong Resort, Bowling Green
Parent-Child July 27-28 July 3 Orange County National, Falcon’s Fire CC
Parent-Child July 27-28 July 3 ChampionsGate Country Club, Orlando
32nd Amateur Match Play August 1-4 June 26 PGA National Resort, Palm Beach Gardens
Junior Team Championship August 3-4 July 10 Indian Spring CC, Boynton Beach
Two-Man Scramble August 10-11
Summer Mixed August 17-18
July 31
Mission Resort + Club, Howey-in-the-Hills
July 31 Lemon Bay GC, Englewood
18th Junior Florida Cup TBD Invitational TBD, TBD
Forty & Over August 23-25 August 7 Lakewood National GC, Lakewood Ranch
Mid-Amateur Four-Ball (North) September 7-8
August 21 Santa Rosa G & B Club, Santa Rosa Beach
Mid-Amateur Four-Ball (South) September 7-8 August 21 TBD, TBD
Senior Four-Ball September 16-17 September 4 Legacy Club at Alaqua Lakes, Longwood
Mixed Shoot-Out September 21-22 September 4 Heritage Oaks G & CC, Sarasota
Super-Senior Four-Ball September 23-24 September 11 Panther Run GC, Ave Maria
Men’s Net Amateur September 28-29 September 11 Lakewood National GC, Lakewood Ranch
Legends Championship (70+) October 8-9 September 4 BallenIsles CC, Palm Beach Gardens
Mid-Amateur Stroke Play October 11-13 September 4 Hammock Dunes Club - Creek, Palm Coast
Senior Two-Man Shoot-Out October 25-26 October 16 PGA National Resort, Palm Beach Gardens
2024 UPCOMING WOMEN’S COMPETITIONS
CHAMPIONSHIP DATE ENTRIES CLOSE LOCATION
Women’s Four-Ball June 1-2 May 22
ChampionsGate CC, ChampionsGate
95th Women’s Amateur June 13-16 May 8 The Bear’s Club, Jupiter
Women’s Senior Match Play June 24-26 June 12 Sugar Mill CC, New Smyrna Beach
65th Girls’ Junior June 27-29 May 29 Pelican Golf Club, Belleair
Florida Open & Senior Open July 12-14 June 5 The Forest CC, Fort Myers
Parent-Child July 27-28 July 3 Orange County National, Falcon’s Fire CC
Parent-Child July 27-28 July 3 ChampionsGate Country Club, Orlando
Women’s Southeastern Challenge August 9-11 Invitational TBD
Summer Mixed August 17-18 July 31 Lemon Bay CC, Englewood
Mixed Shoot-Out September 21-22 September 4 Heritage Oaks G&CC, Sarasota Women’s Net September 28-29 September 11 Royal Palm GC, Naples
2024 UPCOMING USGA QUALIFIERS
MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIPS
U.S. OPEN FINAL QUALIFIER
June 3 ..................................................................................... The Bear’s Club
U.S. JUNIOR QUALIFIERS
ENTRIES CLOSE MAY 15
June 10 River Strand G&CC
June 17 Heathrow CC
June 19 Eagle Trace GC
U.S. AMATEUR QUALIFIERS
ENTRIES CLOSE MAY 29
June 12 Eagle Creek G&CC
June 13 Buckhorn Springs G&CC
June 26 Conservatory at Hammock Beach
U.S. AMATEUR FINAL QUALIFYING
July 23 PGA National Resort
July 29 Cabot Citrus Farms (Karoo)
U.S. SENIOR AMATEUR QUALIFIERS
ENTRIES CLOSE JUNE 26
July 8 Sara Bay CC
July 13 ............................................................................. PGA National Resort
July 15 Cypress Lake GC
U.S. MID-AMATEUR QUALIFIERS ENTRIES CLOSE JULY 17
July 26 PGA National Resort
August 6 Southern Hills Plantation Club
August 26 .................................................................................... San Jose CC
U.S. FOUR-BALL QUALIFIERS (2025)
ENTRIES CLOSE AUGUST 7
October 14, 2024....................................................................... Lago Mar CC
November 11, 2024 Golden Ocala G&EC
December 9, 2024 Bradenton CC
WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIPS
U.S.
U.S.
U.S. WOMEN’S FOUR-BALL QUALIFIER (2025) ENTRIES CLOSE AUGUST 7
ADAPTIVE CHAMPIONSHIP
2024 CHAMPIONSHIP RECAPS
WOMEN’S SENIOR AMATEUR
Terrill Samuel and Joy Passalacqua left Lexington Country Club as champions. Terrill Samuel captured the victory for her third consecutive year after a comeback on her final nine hole to seize the victory by one stroke over the field.
SENIOR/MID-AMATEUR FOUR-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Miles McConnell and Jay Halverson raised the trophy and captured the victory of the first men’s championship of the 2024 season. It was a tight leaderboard all throughout the final round, but after firing a final round score of 63 and making a birdie on the first playoff hole, the duo secured yet another win.
77TH WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL FOUR-BALL
Gaby Coello and Alexa Hammer captured the victory at the 77th Women’s International Four-Ball Championship in exciting fashion. The duo came from three shots back, birdieing the final hole of the championship to win by one shot at 5-under 139 at The Wanderers Club.
WOMEN’S SENIOR FOUR-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP
The Women’s Senior Four-Ball Championship ended in style
with the team of Tama Caldabaugh and Kim Keyer-Scott claiming the trophy. In addition, the team of Taffy Brower and Kathie Westlund grabbed the victory in the Super-Senior Division.
47TH FLORIDA SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
David Schuster who overcame a two shot deficit to capture the victory and raise the well-deserved trophy. Schuster fired a seven-under par, 29 on his final nine holes to finish with a tournament total of 11-under par, and outlast the field by four strokes. Schuster takes home a $12,000 check along with his victory.
MEN’S INTERCLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
Windsor Parke Golf Club was able to go wire to wire to capture the 2024 Men’s Interclub Championship. Last crowned in 2015 at Lake Jovita G&CC, this marks the club’s second state title.
WOMEN’S INTERCLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
Lake Jovita emerged victorious as the 2024 Women’s Interclub Champions. Lake Jovita captured the victory by eight points over The Palencia Club to earn the title and raise the trophy.
WOMEN’S SHOOT-OUT CHAMPIONSHIP
Mary Jane Hiestand and Susan Temple made up the winning pair on Sunday at the Women’s ShootOut Championship which took place at Plantation Golf & Country Club. Hiestand and Temple carded a tournament total of 5-under par with rounds of 68-71 to capture the victory.
TWO-MAN SHOOT-OUT
Tyler Gulliksen and Ty Capps raise the Two-Man Shoot-out trophy for the second year in a row. The duo posted rounds of 70-61-62 to secure the victory by two strokes over the field.
43RD MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Jake Sherwin overcame Ty Capps in the championship match 2 & 1 to be crowned the MidAmateur Champion. Not only did Sherwin only trail for one hole, he went wire-to-wire to become the medalist. This week was a true performance of dominance by the Estero native as he went on to win his first FSGA Championship.
SUPER-SENIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
David Anthony raised the trophy at Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club and captured his fourth SuperSenior Amateur victory in the past five years. He fired a four-under-par, 68 in the final round and a tournament total of eight-under-par to grab the victory and outlast the field by eight strokes.
Tyler Gulliksen and Ty Capps at the 43rd MidAmateur.
Alexa Hammer at the 77th Women’s International Four-Ball.
Kathie Westlund, Taffy Brower, Kim Keyer-Scott, and Tama Caldabaugh at the Women’s Senior FourBall Championship.
Miles McConnell at the 63rd Senior Amateur Championship.
2ND FLORIDA ADAPTIVE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
Innisbrook Resort & Club Copperhead Course| Palm Harbor, Fla. October 28-29, 2024
The FSGA will hold its second Adaptive Open Championship on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook from October 28-29.
The championship will be contested over 36 holes of stroke play at Innisbrook Resort. It is open to males and females, professionals and amateurs, with either physical impairment, sensory impairment (vision), or intellectual impairment, who have an authorized World Handicap System (WHS) Handicap Index of 36.4 or lower. A WR4GD or Access pass is required.
Entries Close: July 31
Eligibility: Male & Female golfers, professional or amateur
Handicap Index: WHS GHIN of 36.4 or lower required
Entry Fees: $170
Championship Format: 36 holes of individual stroke play
INNISBROOK
AGAINST ALL ODDS
In the realm of sports, sibling connections are not uncommon. The Williams sisters dominated the tennis courts, the Manning brothers etched their names in NFL history, and of course, the Korda name reverberates loudly throughout the golf world. Yet, within the realms of the FSGA, another sibling pair, Layla and Marley Pedrique, are carving their own remarkable path.
Layla Pedrique, a 2025 grad, is the older of the two sisters. Layla has verbally committed to Florida State University in which she will compete as a member of the Women’s Golf team. This commitment to a top golf program comes only after hard work and success as a junior player. Layla has already captured a win on the Florida Junior Tour this season to add to her five other career wins. She also competes in FSGA Championships, and advanced to the Round of 16 at the 94th Women’s Amateur championship last season.
Marley, a 2028 grad, is following closely in her older sister’s footsteps. She has captured two Florida Junior Tour victories this season coming less than a month apart. In total, Marley has won twelve times on the Florida Junior Tour, and she was also one of the youngest competitors in the Junior Florida Cup last year. She competed as a member of the South Team, and helped her team to defend the cup for another year. Marley held a record of (2-1-1). She also holds several FJT records after her win at the 2021 Futures Championship which include, lowest final round of a 69, and largest winning margin of 17 strokes.
Layla explains how the FSGA has been a vital part of their junior golf careers, “The FSGA has done an incredible job supporting us through Team Florida. Not only does it allow us to play in their events, but also all the USGA events that we have qualified for.” Layla further added, “Playing on the FJT has really helped our game develop and it’s great to play against the best junior golfers in Florida. We are extremely grateful for everything they have done for us.”
Both sisters are members of Team Florida, which is our awards program that identifies the top-40 junior golfers around the state. These players have not only demonstrated exceptional playing ability in local, state, and national tournaments, but also display sportsmanship and etiquette. This program provides funding support to players that can be used to offset costs of traveling and competing in competitions. Team Florida members are also provided access to additional services from golf centric training programs to data analytics.
Marley is going through her first season as a member of Team Florida and she described it as, “Already so far, it has been extremely helpful and very supportive. I love seeing the emails from Team Florida every month, and it is just really cool to see how everyone else is doing.” She further explained, “Being on the team with my older sister is super cool. We are provided with financial support, but it goes further than that. The community
support through Brian and Emily have put us in a lot of great connections with people, and we just feel so fortunate.”
Furthermore, Layla has played on the National stage at USGA events. She qualified for the U.S. Girls’ Junior in 2022 and 2023, as well as the 2023 U.S. Women’s Four-Ball Championship with partner, Kayla Bryant. Marley has not competed in a USGA event yet, but that is sure to come in her future. Last year, she was an onsite alternate for the Girls’ Junior, and the duo is currently preparing for qualifier season in hopes of making a National appearance this year.
When asked about her favorite USGA event, Layla described, “The Girls’ Junior in 2022. We played at the Club at Olde Stone in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It is one of my favorite courses that I have ever played, and the whole event was just amazing.” Layla explained how her time competing on the Florida Junior Tour and FSGA championships helped her to prepare for events played on the national stage. “The FSGA has 100% helped me to prepare for USGA events. Not only do I see a lot of my friends and familiar faces that I grew up competing with, but they’re also some of the best players in the country. It helps me to feel more comfortable at the USGA events because it is a lot of the same players and competition that I have with the FSGA.”
Everyone’s ride through golf is unique, however not many are able to experience it with a sibling by their side. Having a sister to go through the ups and downs of the sport make the journey particularly special. Layla explained it as, “It’s amazing having a sister that competes at the same level as me. Going through all the tournaments, the journey, and the process together is definitely really cool.”
Marley added in, “I always have a practice partner, and a friend in the tournament. You know, there is always someone there for me, which is just really cool. It has helped my game, and helped me to grow.”
The pair played in the 94th Women’s Amateur last season and are preparing for the 95th Women’s Amateur Championship at the Bear’s Club June 13-16. They have yet to wind up in match play against each other, but that is still a possibility. One thing is for sure, even if they competed against each other, they would still be sisters at the end of the day. Layla described it best as, “Golf is such a lonely sport, and it’s great to go through it with my sister. It is nice to always have someone on your team, even if you are competing against each other.” However, that is not the last of the Pedrique’s that will come through the FSGA. Marley and Layla have a little sister, who is preparing to start playing in Florida Junior Tour (9-12) events. The pair explained through laughter that the FSGA, “Won’t be getting rid of us for a while.” Their youngest sister, Taylor, has some great role models to look up to. Layla’s advice? “Play as many events as you can and build up your experience. Ultimately, it will build your confidence and that is really what this sport is about. Always believing in yourself. So I think that playing in a lot of events and testing yourself, proving to yourself that you can do it is critical in building up your game.”
The FSGA certainly welcomes another Pedrique to come through the organization, and we look forward to watching Marley continue to develop her game through the Florida Junior Tour. And as for Layla, who is on the tail end of her junior career, the FSGA is excited to watch her develop in college and return in the summers to compete in our championships. At every stage of a player’s career, regardless of age or experience level, the FSGA offers a tournament tailored to match the player. Witnessing players develop, and transition from one stage to the next, even stepping away only to return with renewed vigor and experience, while simultaneously watching siblings and families craft enduring memories, that is the true heart of the FSGA.
FLORIDA JUNIOR TOUR
UPCOMING FLORIDA JUNIOR TOUR EVENTS
18TH JUNIOR FLORIDA CUP
Bent Pine Golf Club
Vero Beach, Fla.
August 4 - 6
Held annually, the Junior Florida Cup is one of the most fun and exciting golf events in Florida. Each year the state’s top junior players are invited to participate in a North Florida versus South Florida team competition similar to the Ryder Cup.
COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS
FSGA Foundation Scholars
FSGA Scholars is a scholarship program made possible by the FSGA Foundation. In the Spring each year, the FSGA Foundation selects a minimum of five golfers from the FJT’s graduating class to be awarded a renewable four-year scholarship. A total of $10,000 in college scholarships will be awarded each year, resulting in $40,000 granted to each graduating class.
James E. Demick Scholarship
One annual scholarship of $10,000 per year, renewable and available for a student’s graduate and undergraduate studies. The scholarship is named in honor of Jim Demick, who has spent the last 24 years of his life dedicated to the FSGA and the game of golf. Demick retired from the FSGA in December 2020 after 24 years as the Executive Director.
A native Floridian, Demick joined the FSGA as the Executive Director in 1997. During his tenure, the organization grew into the largest and most active golf association in the country. He remains a part of the FSGA family, serving as an adviser to the Association and as President of the FSGA Foundation.
RULES OF GOLF - ADVICE
Darin Green, Senior Director of Rules & Competitions
Normally, when a ball is in motion after a stroke, no one should move anything that might affect the ball, or place anything down that might affect the ball in motion. However, there are exceptions. When a ball is in motion, people may move themselves, any equipment of any player, and a removed flagstick. If a player removes something else, or places something down, to attempt to effect a ball in motion, the player earns the general penalty (loss of hole in match or two strokes in stroke play). The penalty applies even if the ball in motion is not effected by the placement or removal of the object. (We call this an “intent based rule” rather than “outcome based rule”)
An example of this rule breach is when a player chips a ball up a hill and notices the ball rolling back towards the area the player just played from. While the ball is rolling back towards the player, the player steps on a divot hole to flatten it and flicks away some loose grass (loose impediments). The act of stepping on divot hole and flicking away the loose impediments is a breach of Rule 11.3 and the player receives one general penalty (loss of hole in match play or two strokes in stroke play).
When a ball is in motion, you must not purposely deflect or stop the ball. If a ball is motion and a person purposely stops or deflects a ball in motion, the person that did the stoppage or deflection receives the general penalty. If the person was acting on instructions by the player that made the stroke, then the penalty would apply to the player that made the instruction. For instance, if a player hits a chip shot too hard and the ball is rolling towards the water and the player says “stop that ball” and another player stops it from rolling into the water, the player that played the stroke would receive the general penalty.
The next question you might be wondering is what does the player do if their ball in motion was stopped or deflected by someone. If a ball in motion is stopped or deflected by someone, the player must estimate the point where the ball would have come to rest and drop a ball within one clublength no nearer the hole than that spot. If the stroke was made from the putting green, then the player must cancel the stroke and replay it.
At a junior tournament recently, a group of players were walking across a road from a putting green towards the next hole. A player in the group behind them made a stroke and the ball was rolling towards the group that was walking to the next hole and a spectator mistakenly thought the ball fell out of one the kids bag, so he stopped the ball and picked it up. He then became aware that the ball was actually a ball in motion from the group behind them. A rules official was called and asked the spectator, and others, where the ball was likely going to come to rest. Everyone agreed that the ball would have rolled on to the street and be out of bounds. Since the ball would have gone out of bounds, the ball must be treated as out of bounds and the player must return to where he just played from and play under stroke and distance (the stroke counted, add a penalty stroke and drop a ball within one club-length no nearer hole from where he previously played).
To be safe, when a ball is in motion, don’t do anything.
Enjoy this nice weather and play some golf!
PRESERVING & PROTECTING THE GAME OF GOLF SINCE 1913
