TAMPA, Fla. – This week, 64 players are set to compete in the Amateur Match Play Championship at Old Marsh Golf Club, Palm Beach Gardens.
Here are five things to know before the championship begins.
Championship Outlives most of Field
In it's 28th playing, the Amateur Match Play Championship is the newest in terms of introduction to competition of any of the Men's Qualifying Majors. With an average age of 24, only 20 of the 64 players in the field were born when the 1st Amateur Match Play Championship was contested in 1992.
- Youngest Competitors:
- Nicholas Estrada (16)
- Cooper Smith, Nicholas Gabrelcik, Alec Nachmann and Thomas Salanito (17)
- Most Experienced Competitors:
- Chris Howell (52)
- Miles McConnell (53)
- Matthew Avril (58)
Past Champions Look for Another One
Four past champions are in the field, including the defending champion. All have already found success in 2019 at other FSGA championships.
- 2019 - Nicholas Gabrelcik - 2019 Amatuer Public Links Champion and 2019 Florida Open Low Amateur
- 2015 - T J Shuart - 2019 Mid-Amateur Champion
- 2001 - Joe Alfieri - Top-10 finish in both the Amateur Championship and Amateur Public Links
- 1999 - Matthew Avril - 2019 Florida Senior Open Low Amateur and Runner-Up
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| Nicholas Gabrelcik |
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| Defending Champion |
Player of the Year Points Race Heats Up
Amatuer Champion, Ben Reichert presently leads the Player of the Year points race heading into the final major, but Reichert is not competing this week. However, seven of the current top-10 players are playing this week at Old Marsh.
TJ Shuart (2), Devon Hopkins (3), Nicholas Gabrelcik (4), Colin Kresl (5), Joseph Latowski (7), Jordan Batchelor (8) & Rhett Pooley (9) are all in the field competing and could pass Reichert with a win down in Palm Beach Gardens.
See Full Points Lists & Rankings
Match Play Visits Old Marsh For First Time
Old Marsh Golf Club played host to the 2011 Mid-Amateur Championship and will host the Match Play Championship for the first time this week.
Unique Format
The Amateur Match Play Championship is unlike any of the other Men's Match Play Championship in terms of format of the championship. Over 350 players entered qualifying, with a championship field of 64. At the Championship, all 64 competitors are guaranteed two rounds of golf. On Thursday, all 64 competitors tee off in the Stroke Play Seeding Round. As long as the player returns an 18 hole score, the player advances to single elimination match play.
The two players advancing to the finals will have played seven rounds of golf in four days.
Follow the FSGA:
The championship will begin on Thursday with tee times beginning at 8 a.m. A complete recap with full results will be posted on FSGA.org following the day's play.
Twitter: @FSGA
Instagram: @FSGA1913
Facebook: Florida State Golf Association
