Amateur Public Links Championship

Parker Defends Public Links Title

Robert Parker fired a final round score of 69 to defend his title and win the 8th Amateur Public Links Championship at MetroWest Golf Club in Orlando on July 23-24.

Robert Parker, from Sanford, shot a 70 in the first round to trail the first round leader by two strokes going into the final round. With temperatures reaching the mid-90s, Parker came out strong in the final round to fire a 3-under par 69 and capture his second Public Links Championship with a tournament total of 139. Parker posted an even par 36 on the front nine and finished with a 3-under par 33 on the back nine to secure the Championship by one stroke over Jon Veneziano. Parker won last year’s Championship at Falcon’s Fire Golf Club with scores of 71-67—138. Veneziano, of Mount Dora, recorded rounds of 2-under par 70 to claim second place. Kelly Gosse, of Inverness, and Brandon Smith, of Lake Worth, shared third place honors with a tournament total of 141.  

The Public Links Championship is open to bona fide public course players who are not members of a private club and also do not have a handicap index no higher than 8.4. Competitors play 18 holes of stroke play on the first day and then, the field is flighted and competitors play another 18 holes of stroke play on the final day.

Round One Story

Preview Story

For public course players, the Public Links Championship is 54 holes of stroke play and flighted after 36 holes. MetroWest was opened in 1987 and designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. This signature course features spring-fed lakes and mature native trees bordering large rolling fairways. With large, undulating greens strategically surrounded by sculpted bunkers MetroWest provides a fair, yet demanding test of golf. This Orlando masterpiece has received many awards and accolades and is considered by Links Magazine to be "the Southeast's finest example of the Master's work".

ELIGIBILITY

Competitors must be bona fide public course players, since January 1, 2005, and have not held privileges at any course that does not extend playing privileges to the general public, or privileges at any private club maintaining its own course. A bona fide public course player may hold incidental privileges at a course not open to the public when such privileges are provided by (1) an educational institution at which he/she attends, or (2) a federal armed service at which he/she is a member, or (3) an industry by which he/she is employed. The FSGA follows USGA guidelines for the Public Links Championship except for the handicap rule. See the website for guidelines.

Players must be a member of the FSGA.

ENTRY FEE

$225 ($215 for online entry). Includes three competitive rounds, cart fees for the competitive rounds and prizes.

CHAMPIONSHIP FORMAT

54 holes stroke play.

FLIGHTS

After 36 holes. The number of flights will be based on the number of competitors and/or the range of scores.

CARTS

Players are responsible for practice round cart fees.

DEFENDING CHAMPION

Robert Parker, of Sanford, shot a 71-67--138 at Falcon's Fire Golf Club to win the hurricane-postponed Public Links Championship

HANDICAP

No higher than 6.4.