In the Championship flight, defending Champion Kelly Gosse, of Inverness, is the top seed and will face Philip Meng, of Orlando, in the round of 32. Gosse earned exempt status into the Championship winning last year at University Park Country Club. Brian Johnson, of Coral Springs, a 2005 Match Play semifinalist, was also exempt into this year’s Championship and will play Michael Hirsch, of Orlando, in the first round. Paul Melson, of Plantation, and Tyler Rucarean, of Gainesville, each fired a 4-under par 68 in the seeding round to secure a spot in the Championship flight. Melson will play Bryce Voisin, of Orlando, while Rucarean is up against Jacob Richard.
The Match Play Championship takes a field of 96 players to make up five flights. All players are guaranteed an 18-hole seeding round and at least one round of match play. After the seeding round, the field is broken into a Championship flight of 32 players and four additional flights of 16 players. A winner will be decided in each of the five flights.
All non-exempt competitors play an 18-hole stroke play seeding round on Thursday, August 10 to determine their flights. Players earn exempt status by one of three categories, 2005 Mid-Amateur Champion, 2006 State Amateur Champion or 2005 Match Play Semifinalists. All five flights begin the match play competition on Friday, August 11 with the Championship flight also playing in the afternoon. All flights will play two matches on Saturday, August 12 with the finals on the morning of Sunday, August 13.
To view tee-times, pairings, and complete results, please see www.fsga.org.
Organized in 1913, the Florida State Golf Association is a not-for-profit organization that governs amateur golf in the state of Florida. In addition to conducting 22 championships for amateur golfers in the state, the FSGA is responsible for more than 40 qualifying tournaments for USGA National Championships and the Florida Junior Tour. The FSGA also maintains the USGA Handicap System, performs course ratings throughout Florida and assists in junior programs and scholarships.
