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.