South Takes Series Lead 8-7 at 15th Florida Cup at Streamsong
BOWLING GREEN, Fla. – The South team dominated from start to finish. Never trailing in four-ball, foursomes, or singles matches, they secured a decisive victory at the 15th Florida Cup, defeating the North 19-13. This win breaks the overall tie in the competition's history, giving the South eight victories to the North's seven.
Four-Ball Matches
Despite the chilly weather creating unfamiliar playing conditions, both teams delivered exciting four-ball matches. The action remained close through the front nine, but the first victory of the day went to R.J. Nakashian and Pete Williams (South), who secured a 3 & 2 win over Mike Finster and Brian Keenan (North). Jonah Wasserstrom and Joseph Latowski (South) followed with a strong performance, defeating Jon Veneziano and Justin Grant (North) 4 & 3, losing only a single hole throughout the match. By the end of the four-ball matches, the South Team edged ahead with a narrow lead, earning 4.5 points to the North’s 3.5.
Foursome Matches
As the day warmed up, so did the intensity of the competition. Jake Sherwin, the 2024 Mid-Amateur Champion, teamed up with Jonah Wasserstrom (South) to secure a commanding 4 & 2 victory over Ty Capps and Tyler Gulliksen (North), despite the North duo's earlier dominance in four-ball. Meanwhile, the matchup between Matthew Avril and Bobby Bird (South) and Mike Finster and John Gabler (North) ended in the only tie of the foursome matches, each earning their team half a point. After 36 holes of play, the South Team maintained their lead, finishing the day with 9 points to the North Team’s 6.
Singles Matches
Heading into Tuesday's 16 singles matches, just two points separated the North and South Teams. Eager to make an early impact, the North Team sent Daniel DeBra to face Scott Turner in the day’s opening match. However, Turner quickly gained momentum, going three-up through the first three holes on the back nine. Meanwhile, Jake Sherwin (South) built a dominant lead over Marc Dull (North), going 4-up through 12 holes. By the midpoint of the matches, the lead was heavily in favor of the South team.
Jimmy Ellis (North) staged an impressive comeback, erasing a two-hole deficit by birdieing the final two holes to tie his match with Richard Donegan (South). This kept hope alive for the North, provided they could turn the tide in the remaining matches. However, the decisive moment came when Jonah Wasserstrom (South) defeated James Preston (North) 2 & 1, sealing the victory for the South. With this crucial win, the South broke the 7-7 tie and claimed the 15th Florida Cup.
Streamsong Golf Resort
We would like to express our gratitude to Streamsong Golf Resort for their exceptional hospitality in hosting this year's Florida Cup. The facilities provided the perfect location for a memorable event. All of the staff and maintenance team ensured that everything ran seamlessly. Thank you to all staff members involved!
