Sam Horsfield posted a two round total of three-under par 139 to take a four stroke lead heading into the weekend of the 96th Florida State Amateur Championship at Jupiter Hills Club, on both the Hills and Village courses. The Championship continues with 74 competitors advancing to play the final 36 holes on the challenging Hills course, June 22-23.
Sixteen year-old, Sam Horsfield of Davenport, stands alone atop the leader board after 36-holes of play, and with a small cushion heading into the weekend. In the first round Horsfield carded an even par 72 on the Village course, to trail the first round leader by six strokes heading into the second round of play. Horsfield mastered the difficult Hills course in the second round, firing a three-under par 67, which included four birdies with only one bogey. Horsfield is looking to add his first Florida State Amateur Championship to his impressive resume. As only a fourteen-year-old he won the 2011 Boys’ Junior Championship with a 15 under-par three day total of 201 to win by five shots. He also recently set a course record at Fox Hollow Golf Club in Trinity, Florida, when he shot a 61 en route to qualifying for the US Amateur Public Links.
Alex Gates, of Clermont, and Nick Brothers, of Crystal River, currently sit tied for second place after 36-hole totals of one-over par 143. Both Gates and Brothers have remained consistent during the first two rounds. Gates fired one-over par 71 after his first day on the Hills course, and then was able to follow it with an even-par 72 on the Village course in round two. Gates recently qualified for the Four-Ball Championship with his brother, Zach Gates. Nick Brothers also shot an even-par 72 on the Village course like Gates, but on the first day. He then stayed strong and finished at only one-over with a 71 on the difficult Hills course. Brothers recently won the 2013 Amateur Public Links Championship at Lake Jovita Golf Club.
Both courses played extremely difficult to the best amateurs in the state the first two days, with the par 70 Hills course playing to an 80.4 stroke average and the par 72 Village course playing to a 78.3 stroke average. Clearly a superb venue for championship golf, Jupiter Hills Club was host to the 1987 US Amateur Championship.
Started in 1914, the Florida Amateur Championship is the oldest continuous sporting event in the state as well as the largest amateur event in Florida. Past Amateur champions include Bob Murphy, Jerry Pate, and PGA Tour players David Peoples, Chris Couch, and Barry Cheesman.
