Stephen Anderson, from Hobe Sound, fired a first round 69 on the par 72 Village Course to lead by one heading into the second round of play. Anderson made two birdies and eagled the par 5 4th hole to record a 4-under par 32 on the front nine. Combined with a 37 on the back nine, Anderson turned in the low round on the Village Course. Last year, Anderson was runner up in the Mid-Amateur Championship earning him exempt status into the 2008 Amateur Championship. Three competitors are tied at 2-under par including the 2004 Boys Junior Champion Judson Eustaquio, of Lake Worth. Playing the par 70 Hills Course, Eustaquio fired a 2-under par 68 for a share of second place. Starting on #10, Eustaquio posted a 37 on the back nine and recovered nicely with four birdies to post a 31 on the front. Eustaquio, a Florida Southern golfer, was runner-up in the Division II Men's Championship and received the Phil Mickelson Award for the most outstanding freshman in Division II Men's Golf. Also at 2-under, Alexander Medinis, of Fort Myers, and Giwon Suh, of Orlando, each posted a 70 on the Village Course.
The top 168 amateur golfers in the state will play 18 holes each on the Village and Hills Course on June 19-20. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the low 70 and ties. The final 36 holes of the Championship will be played on the Hills Course on June 21-22.
Before reaching the Championship, more than 900 participants attempted to qualify at one of 13 sites across the state setting a new tournament record for entries filed.
Started in 1914, the FSGA State Amateur 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, Buddy Alexander, and PGA Tour players David Peoples, Chris Couch, and Barry Cheesman. Spectators and media are welcome to watch the state’s best amateur golfers compete at Jupiter Hills.
For tee-times, pairings and 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 25 championships for amateur golfers in the state, the FSGA is responsible for more than 40 qualifying tournaments for USGA National Championships. The FSGA also maintains the USGA Handicap System, performs course ratings throughout Florida and assists in junior programs and scholarships.
