Veneziano Wins Mid-Amateur
Jon Veneziano outlasted Bret Voisin in the final match to win the 24th Mid-Amateur Championship at The Golden Bear Club at Keene’s Pointe in Orlando on October 6-9, 2005.
Jon Veneziano, of Mount Dora, defeated Bret Voisin, of Orlando, 2 and 1 to capture the 2005 Championship. Voisin took an early lead to go 2 up after nine holes with birdies on holes 3, 4, and 8. On the back nine, Veneziano birdied holes 13 and 14 to square the match and then won the 16th hole with a par while Voisin made bogey. Veneziano closed out the match on the 17th hole with a strong birdie. Veneziano, who got into the Championship as an alternate, earned the fifth seed after posting a 142 in the 36-hole stroke play qualifying. In the first round of match play, Veneziano defeated Jackie Miller, from Naples, 3 and 1, and then went on to top Jeff Sunday, from Orlando, 5 and 4 in the quarters. In the semifinals, Veneziano upset the number one seed and defending champion, Steve Carter, from Jacksonville, in 22 holes. Voisin, the third seed, won his first two matches 3 and 2 and beat Cap Caponi, of Orlando, 1 up in the semifinals to reach the finals versus Veneziano.
After nine qualifiers across the state, 90 players advanced to the Championship at Keene’s Pointe. The Championship consists of 36-holes of stroke play qualifying over the first two days with the lowest 16 advancing to the match play on Saturday and Sunday. To be eligible for the State Mid-Amateur, participants must be 25 years of age or older as of October 6, 2005.