Playoff Needed at Public Links

T J Shuart prevailed in a three man playoff to win the Florida State Public Links Championship at Jacaranda Golf Club, in Plantation on June 8-10.

T J Shuart, of Coral Springs, captured the Public Links Championship on Sunday with a tournament total of one-under par 212. Shuart was the model of consistency posting rounds of 71-71-70, on the East Course at Jacaranda Golf Club, a place where he has captured two Broward County Amateur titles. Shuart found find himself tied with the 2012 Mid-Amateur Stroke Play Champion, Don Bell, of Port Orange, and Kevin Altenhof, of Melbourne. Altenhof played his way into the playoff with an impressive final round of three-under par 68 on Sunday.  The three players would head for a sudden death playoff where Shuart would make birdie on the second playoff hole to capture the title. By winning the Public Links Championship, Shuart will be awarded an exemption to play in the 95th State Amateur Championship at the Bear’s Club in Jupiter, on June 21-24.

Paul Henderson, of Longwood, finished alone in fourth place after rounds of 68-74-71.  John Wegmann, of Southwest Ranches, finished in fifth place with a tournament total of 214 and the Defending Champion, Billy Anderson, of Deltona, finished tied for 19th place with a tournament total of 221.

The Public Links Championship is open to bona fide public course players who are not members of a private club and also do not have a handicap index any higher than 6.4. Competitors play 18 holes of stroke play on each of the three days.