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28th Amateur Public Links Championship

Sandridge Golf Club (Dunes Course) - Vero Beach, FL

June 27-29, 2025

Faana Finds Victory at Public Links

 

VERO BEACH, Fla. -  After 54 holes of action and one playoff hole, it was Lake Mary’s Ariihau Faana who secured the title of champion at Sandridge Golf Club's Dunes Course.

Round One

The first round of the 28th Amateur Public Links Championship at Sandridge Golf Club’s Dunes Course is officially in the books. Florida’s best public links golfers teed it up today, all with the goal of being crowned champion. After round 1, it was Ian Ball’s 4-under 68 that would secure the early lead. 

Ian Ball played a nearly perfect round of golf en route to becoming the first round leader. Starting on the 10th hole, Ball quickly birdied the 11th hole before adding two more on 14 and 16. Then, to cap off his first nine with an exclamation point, Ball made an eagle on the 579-yard 18th hole. However, he wasn’t finished with his stellar play just yet. After making the turn, Ball added another eagle on the short par-5 2nd hole, while tallying another birdie on the 4th. However, Ball made costly double-bogeys on the 8th and 9th holes, which decreased his lead to one shot. 

Several other players carded under-par rounds to stay in contention with Ball. Dylan Reiser carded four birdies en route to a 3-under 69 and solo-second place. Four players; Austin Collins, Jules Gentil, Anthony Amoroso, and Ariihau Faana each shot 2-under for a share of third place. 

Although the weather looked like it was going to hold strong throughout the first round, players did have to contend with a two-hour dangerous weather delay in the afternoon that halted play for the later tee times. 

Round Two

44th Mid-Amateur Champion Kyle Martin began his day six shots behind leader Ian Ball. After a bogey on the 3rd hole, it looked like he was losing momentum again. However, Martin became a birdie machine, racking up four birdies in a row from holes 6–9, then adding another on the 11th. Martin then made steady pars until the 16th hole, where he went on another birdie run. He made birdie on 16 and 17, then capped his round with a miraculous up-and-down on the long par-5 18th hole. Martin’s ball looked buried in the rough, but he hit a high flop shot to 10 feet and drained the putt, securing a round of 65.

Ari Faana also had another solid day on the course. Starting two shots behind the leader, Faana played consistent golf throughout the day. He made birdies on hole 4 and the difficult par-3 6th, giving him a 1-under score heading into the turn. On the 12th hole, Faana hit a creative chip shot from beside the green, keeping the ball low and rolling it next to the hole to secure a birdie. He then added birdies on holes 14 and 16 to match Martin’s score of 5-under and earn a share of the lead.

Many players remain in contention as well. Jules Gentil is just two strokes behind the leaders after shooting a 1-under 71. James Preston and Austin Collins follow closely at 2-under par.

Final Round

Faana’s consistent play was the key to his victory. After shooting rounds of 69 and 70 on Friday and Saturday, he found himself tied for the lead with Mid-Amateur Champion Kyle Martin. Beginning his final round on Sunday, Faana quickly made par on his first two holes, setting a pattern that would define his entire round.

With Faana playing behind him, Ian Ball was poised to make a final-round charge—and he did just that. Starting the day four strokes behind, Ball quickly made up the deficit. He eagled the 2nd hole, then drained a 20-foot birdie putt on the 3rd to move within one shot. Another birdie on the 5th hole tied the lead, and Ball had gone 4-under in his last four holes, making the turn at 5-under par.

While Ball climbed into a share of the lead, Faana couldn’t get any of his putts to fall. Despite hitting beautiful approach shots, he repeatedly two-putted for par. By the time he made the turn, he had recorded nine straight pars. Though his consistent play kept him tied through nine holes, he was surely hoping for more birdies.

As Ball and Faana made the turn tied, their back-and-forth battle began. The par-5 12th hole proved to be pivotal. After making bogey on 11, Ball hit his approach to 10 feet and drained the eagle putt for a one-shot lead. Playing behind him, Faana hit his third shot just short of the green, then chipped in for birdie—regaining the lead almost immediately.

The two remained neck and neck over the next six holes, with Faana having a chance to win on 18. However, he made a costly mistake, hitting into the bunker and ultimately making bogey. As had seemed inevitable all day, the two were headed for a playoff.

In the playoff, Ball pulled his drive into the left bunker, while Faana found the right rough. Facing a difficult shot, Ball hit his approach to about 40 feet, while Faana landed his to within 15 feet. After Ball missed his birdie putt, Faana seized the moment, draining his putt to win on the first playoff hole. A look of relief came over his face as the ball dropped—it was his first birdie made with the putter all round.

“It felt great to finally make that birdie putt. That was my first putting birdie of the day—my only other one was a chip-in. But that was awesome, knowing that I made it when it counted.”
— Ariihau Faana, after winning with a birdie on the first playoff hole

With this victory, Ariihau Faana earns an exemption into this year’s Amateur Match Play Championship and next year’s Amateur Championship.

Tee Information

Tee

Yardage / Info

28th Amateur Public Links

6,707 yds. 72.8/138

Par: 72

Weather Information

Description

Temp

ScatteredThunderstorms

Partly cloudy with a two hour rain delay.

86 °F

Sunny

Sunny with a moderate breeze.

90 °F

PartlyCloudy

Partly cloudy with a mild breeze.

88 °F

Tournament Results

PosPosition Name Rd.1 Rd.2 Rd.3 TotalTotal Score Points
1 Ariihau Faana 70 69 72 211 4500
2 Ian Ball 68 75 68 211 3150
3 James Preston 73 69 70 212 2250
T4 Anthony Amoroso 70 74 69 213 1575
T4 Austin Collins 70 72 71 213 1575
T4 Kyle Martin 74 65 74 213 1575
+ View Full Results

Tournament Summary

Format:  54 holes of individual gross stroke play

Eligibility FSGA Member, Public Links Player

Handicap:  Florida GHIN Handicap Index 7.0 or less

Entry Fee:  $245

Championship Format

  • 54 holes of individual gross stroke play

Eligibility

  • Male amateur bona fide "public links" golfer - See the FSGA’s Competitive Fairness Gender Policy
  • Entrant is required to be a member of the FSGA, with a Florida GHIN not exceeding 7.0
  • Male amateurs must be bona fide public course players, since January 1 of the Championship year, 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; an educational institution at which he/she attends, a federal armed service at which he/she is a member, or an industry by which he/she is employed.

If you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions, you are NOT ELIGIBLE for this year's FSGA Public Links Championship:

1. Private Club Access - Have you had privileges at a private club (not open to the public) at anytime during the current year?
2. Social Memberships - Do you maintain a social membership at a private club that allows you to play the course sometimes during the year?
3. Dependents of Members - Does your spouse or parent/guardian belong to a private course and as a result you are allowed to play the course without a guest fee?
4. Golf Course Employees - Have you been an employee at a private course during the year, where you are allowed to play golf more than one day per week?
5. Resort Courses - Do you have a membership at a resort that restricts which days resort guests can play?
6. Golf Team Members - As a member of a scholastic golf team, are you allowed to play a private course not owned by the school at times other than your regular golf season including playoffs and championships?

Entry Fee

  • $245
  • Late entries will be accepted subject to a $10 late entry fee should the entrant gain acceptance into the field

Schedule of Events

  • Friday, June 27th
    •  7:30 AM - 9:36 AM - Round one tee times off #1 and #10 tees
  • Saturday, June 28th
    • 7:30 AM - 9:36 AM - Round two tee times off #1 and #10 tees 
  • Sunday, June 29th
    • 7:30 AM - 9:36 AM - Final round tee times off #1 and #10 tees 
      • Awards ceremony immediately following the completion of play

Entry Priority

With the ever growing popularity of the Public Links Championship, the FSGA Championships Committee instituted Entry Priority in 2020 with the reduced field and has expanded the priority for 2025. The entry priority will be as follows.

  • 75% of the field will be determined using the following order of preference
    • Previous 5 years Amateur Public Links Champions
    • Top 30 in previous year's Amateur Public Links Championship
    • Players qualifying for any of the previous year's USGA Individual National Championships
    • Any players making the 36 hole cut at the previous year's Florida Amateur or Florida Open Championship
    • Any players advancing to Round of 16 at Amateur Match Play Championship
    • Top 50 on the previous year's Amateur Player of the Year Points List
    • Players Selected by FSGA Championship Committee (up to 5 spots)
    • Handicap Index on Entry Close Date
  • 25% of the field - First Come, First Served

Championship Practice Rounds

  • Practice rounds are available one week prior to the event, limited to after 12:00 PM on the weekends on a space available basis.
  • The price of a practice round is $35 and includes cart and range balls prior to the round.  Please call (772) 770-5000 to arrange your practice round.
  • A Golf Genius Tee Time booking link will be provided at a later date to schedule practice rounds on a specific date specified by the club.

Championship Information

Championship Policies

Player Information

Past Championships

Host Site

  • Sandridge Golf Club
    5300 73rd Street
    Vero Beach, FL 32967
    (772)700-5000
    • Directions
    • Payment -  Cash and all major credit cards are accepted as payment at Sandridge Golf Club




Host Hotel

Exemptions Earned From This Tournament

Winner

  • Current year's Amateur Championship
  • Current year's Amateur Match Play Championship
  • Next year's Mid-Amateur Championship