Kevin Jorden Wins Amateur Match Play

Kevin Jorden defeated Philip Knowles in the final match to win the 23rd Florida State Amateur Match Play Championship at Timuquana Country Club in Jacksonville, on August 1-4.
 
In the finals, Kevin Jorden, of Juno Beach, secured the title beating Philip Knowles, of Bradenton, in 21 holes. After a back and forth battle through 11 holes on Sunday afternoon, Knowles took control of the match by winning holes 12 and 13 to take a commanding 2 up lead with five holes to play.  After halving the 14th hole, Jorden swung the momentum his way by winning holes 15 and 16 to square the match. After Jorden’s 15 foot birdie putt just slid by the edge of the cup on the 18th hole, the match would head for extras. Jorden and Knowles would halve the 19th and 20th holes with pars and would head for the 21st hole. Knowles hit a great greenside bunker shot to secure his par, giving Jorden an opportunity to win the title. After surveying the putt from many angles, Jorden drained the 18 foot birdie putt to win his first State Championship.

En route to the finals, Jorden and Knowles each won five matches to meet Sunday afternoon. Jorden, who earned the 14th seed after posting a 71 in the seeding round, defeated Osten Waite, from Ocala, 2 and 1 in the round of 64. Jorden defeated joseph Trey Aguirre, of Navarre, 3 and 2 to advance to the round of 16 and then defeated Shane Convery, of Ponte Vedra, in 19 holes to earn his spot in the quarterfinals. Playing Jamey Salmon, from Jacksonville, Jorden won 4 and 3 to advance to the semifinals. On Sunday morning, Jorden ousted Austin Powell, from Jupiter, 2 and 1, to face Knowles in the final match.

More than 300 players attempted to qualify at one of seven sites across the state. In the qualifying stage, players competed in 18 holes of stroke play in hopes of reaching the Championship at Timuquana Country Club. The Match Play Championship begins with an 18-hole seeding round to seed the 64 player field. Single elimination match play follows to determine the Match Play Champion.