The First Coast

Junior Amateur

Jax Beach Golf Club

Jacksonville Beach, Florida

January 2-3, 2020

Remembering Edwin Watts Employee - Rich Floyd

 

January in Florida can be questionable at times when it comes to the weather, but in 2020 it was nothing but ideal conditions for the running of the 3^rd Annual “First Coast Junior Amateur” (FCJA).

What an exciting event it was and it all came down to just a couple strokes as it always does in the game of golf. This annual event is one of twelve MAJOR events on the North Florida Junior Players Tour (NFJPT) which consist of 36-hole or more. All 12 major events lead to fully paid higher level golf exemptions in many of the areas TOP AMATEUR events.

The 12 NFJPT events accompanied with 24 single day events spread out over three Tournament Series called the Fall, Spring and Summer Tournament Series encompasses the NFJGTOUR.

This event, established for the first time in 2018 was called the “Ponte Vedra Open” and was designed to be played exclusively at Ponte Vedra Inn and Club on the Ocean and Lagoon courses during the Christmas Holiday break, just weeks prior to the JAGA Amateur.

In 2019 the event was relabeled the “First Coast Junior Amateur” when the NFJGTOUR partnered with the Jacksonville Area Golf Association (JAGA). The partnership was to afford our top tier junior players a higher level golf opportunity through exempt status via playing on the tour.

Last year Jacksonville’s Alexander Waller playing out of San Jose Country Club represented the NFJGTOUR and after round one was among the leaders by firing a spectacular round of one under par 71. He would struggle in round two, but so would 70 other top local and collegiate players. We are grateful to the leadership of JAGA for their outstanding support in recognizing our area ELITE Junior Players.

This year, with the closing of the Ocean Course the FCJA was moved to the newly renovated JAX Beach Golf Club. The field dropped from 84 players in 2019 to nearly 60 players in 2020, but with the holidays and a great economy, one never knows as many folks are away on vacation. If you missed us this year, but this one on your tournament schedule.

What I can tell you is that JAX Beach Golf Club is not the club of the past. It is a refreshed open community golf course which is frequented by most of the areas elite players. It is in outstanding condition and a joy to play. PGA TOUR Players are observed weekly striping the ball down the fairway and a “Friday Game” brings out the best and entices the rest.  Jim Furyk recently visited the club giving golf tips to anyone who would listen. My kind of guy!

Hey, if you haven’t gone to JAX Beach to play the course after the redesign you are missing out on some great golf. Head Golf Professional and General Manager Bruce Mohler and his cast of professional assistants run a tight ship and genuinely display open arms for a warm welcome and a nice waive for a fond farewell. Many thanks to the entire staff for hosting a great event.

 

Again, what a great two days of golf! 

This year, with the newly designed Champions Belt, the TOUR Championship ring and some very important exemptions on the line we kicked things off with a double tee start and before you knew it the scores were coming in. It happened that fast! As many know, the course, is not that easy, especially when it’s blowing. It’s not that short either, but it does give opportunity for low scores after some risky chance, if you dare.

In the opening round St. Augustine’s Charlie Kurtz would be the first to post red numbers for the Boys, posting a fantastic one under round of 70. He would have three of the 56 birdies on the day.

Jacksonville’s Carson Brewer would slap in six birdies during his opening round to match Kurtz at 70 and Easton Johnson visiting us from Kansas City, MO would card five birdies and come in one behind at 71. Jacksonville’s Chase Carroll would be hot on the heels of the leaders posting a one over par 72.

 

In the Girls Deland’s Lisa Colee would take a comfortable five stroke lead over St. Augustine’s Elizabeth Kondal (79) and Fleming Island’s Alyzabeth Morgan (79) posting a leading score of 74. Nashville’s Belle Huang visiting us from Tennessee would be one back from there at 80.

Round two pairings would be packed with some awesome junior talent and packed with a punch. The punch really could have come from anywhere. For the Boys Brewer, Kurtz and Johnson would be the leaders and the final group of the day while Nolan Harper, Chase Carroll and Adam Vermut who would lead the way with visons of applying early pressure, so the leaders could look on. 

The weatherman predicted light winds, but at the beach it was gusting and at times hard to tell from which direction and no one in the last two groups could make a move. The best play was by steady Nolan Harper who had eight pars in his first nine holes against a lone bogey to stay in touch with the final group who were all neck-n-neck.

On the way out Kurtz would blink first with three bogeys in his first five holes of play, but he birdied the ninth hole to turn at 37. Brewer would be next to blink, opening the door with a bogey at the par-4 5th followed by a double bogey at the par-4 6^th. He would bounce back and slam the door shut with birdies at the 7^th and 9^th holes to turn at 36.

Johnson would turn at 36 to move one stroke closer. After the turn, no one would challenge Brewer shot for shot. Brewer would birdie the last hole of play to bag another five birdies for a total of 11. Johnson would end up two back in the overall, but would claim the Boys 16-18 title outshining Kurtz by two strokes.  Brewer would latch on to the Overall Award and the Elite Tour Boys.

Nolan Harper with his strong play would capture the Elite Tour Boys Runner-up award and Charlie Kurtz would be presented as the Boys 16-18 Runner-up.

 

For the Girls Lisa Colee, Elizabeth Kondal and Alyzabeth Morgan would be the premier pairing and like the Boys, the challenges would only come from within the lead group and that it did as Elizabeth Kondal birdied three of her opening nine holes of play to apply the tourniquet and get within two of Colee.

Colee would respond with a trio of birdies on her 7^th, 8^th and 9^th holes to regain her comfortable lead. Kondal would again apply some pressure posting four more birdies on her final nine, but a couple double bogeys on her round would turn out to be costly.

Kondal would have seven birdies on the day to fire a one under par round of 70 besting her opening round by some nine shots. 

Colee would play steady par golf bringing it home to capture the Elite Tour Girls Championship by two strokes over Kondal. Kondal would receive the Elite Tour Girls Runner-up Award.

 

For the Rising Girls Jacksonville’s Emma Wells would best her opening round one score of 91 by four shots posting a score of 87 to nip Yulee’s Alanis Santiago by three shots. Santiago would better her opening round by five shots with a score of 88 to secure the Runner-up spot.

 

Happy New Year JAX Beach Golf Club!  You performed brilliantly and we are so thankful for your support.

 

Many thanks to our Foundation and Tournament Sponsor Mr. Phil Mak and our Food and beverage Sponsor Dr. Daniel Schellhase.  Your support is greatly appreciated.

 

Next up is the Palencia Adult-Junior on January 12^th.  Sign up early

 

See you on the links!

 

Jack Aschenbach, PGA