Amateur Match Play Championship

After earning the number one seed with a stroke play round of three under-par, 69, Christopher Carlin advanced through each round of match play to hoist the trophy on Sunday!

The Round of 64 was completed Friday morning and four of the five stroke play co-medalists advanced to the Round of 32 on Friday afternoon. Number one seed, Christopher Carlin, seemed to be on cruise control as he earned a six and four win in his first match and a five and three win against Timothy Colanta (33) in the Round of 32. Kits Patel, number three seed, is the second remaining stroke play co-medalist to advance to the Round of 16. Patel won his first match, three and two, and won one up in his second match. The only former Champion remaining in match play is Joe Alfieri, who won in 2001. Alfieri (39) won after 20 holes in his first match and advanced to the Round of 16 after a one up victory over Miles McConnnell (7).

Saturday morning the Round of 16 matches began where Carlin defeated Kyle Shealy (17), of Saint Petersburg, two-up. In his afternoon Quarterfinal match, Carlin faced Jake Kevorkian (8), of Saint Petersburg, and advanced to the Semifinals with a one-up win. Jeremy Perna (61), of Sarasota, continued his winning streak by advancing to the Quarterfinals, but was then defeated by Christian Bosso (37), of Pensacola, one-up.  Bosso would go head to head against Carlin in the Semifinals. The only remaining past Champion, Joe Alfieri lost to Andrew Arft (15), of Casselberry, in the Quarterfinals.  Arft would face Eric Grimes (38), of Naples, in the Semifinals.

The Semifinal match between Carlin and Bosso lasted 14 holes, ending in a five and four win for Carlin. Carlin took the lead early in the match with birdies on holes two through six giving him a five up lead that he never lost. The match between Andrew Arft and Eric Grimes was not determined until the back nine. Grimes made the turn at one-up and after going back and forth teed off number 17 at one-up. After a birdie on the 17th hole and a two and one win, Grimes would move on to face Carlin in the Final match.

An uneventful front nine was played by each Carlin and Grimes in the final match. Carlin birdied the ninth hole to turn to the back nine at one-up. A birdie on the 10th hole moved Carlin to two-up but Grimes fired back with a birdie on number 11. Carlin did not let his lead slip for long and birdied the 12th hole keeping the match at two-up through the 15th hole. The match ended on the 16th hole where Carlin birdied for a final three and two victory. This marks Carlin’s second Championship win of the year, after being crowned Four-Ball Champion, before he begins the fall as the new head coach of Nova Southeastern University!

Stroke Play Seeding Round

Match Play Bracket

 

The Amateur Match Play Championship is an exciting event that utilizes golf's original match play format. There are six qualifiers slated throughout the state to provide players the opportunity to qualify for this prestigious championship. For a look at the 2015 Championship Results click here.

Championship Format & Seeding

• 18 holes of individual stroke play on Thursday to determine seeds in round of 64. Ties for seeds will be broken randomly. 
• Single elimination round of 64 match play will begin on Friday morning.
• The round of 32 is scheduled to begin Friday afternoon.
• The round of 16 will be played on Saturday morning followed by the quarter-finals that afternoon. 
• The semi-finals will be played on Sunday morning and the finals will be held on Sunday Afternoon.

Eligibility 

• Male amateurs must be a member of the FSGA
• Must have a handicap index no higher than 11.4.

Entry Fees

• Qualifying Fee: Qualifying Fee includes entry fee and cart fee.
• Championship Fee: Fee paid by those individuals who advance to the Championship through qualifying. Includes tee gifts and gift certificates, course and cart fees, range balls for each competitive round.
  
• Exempt Fee: Exempt Fee includes Championship Fee and Entry Fee for those individuals eligible for exemption.

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

Pre-Registration

Those individuals who advance to the Championship through qualifying must pre-register and remit an additional $125 online at the FSGA website at www.fsga.org. Payment must be received by Thursday, July 28 by 3:30 pm, or the individual will be withdrawn from the Championship. Championship Fee includes cart fees for all competitive rounds.

To Pre-Register:

• Log on to the FSGA website at www.fsga.org using your email address and password
• Click on "My Account" in the upper right hand corner of the homepage
• Under "My Tournaments", click on the "Pre-Register" button to the right of the tournament name
• Enter your credit card information and then click the "Charge My Card" button on the bottom right hand corner of the page

Refunds, Notice of Withdrawals

Requests for qualifying entry refunds received prior to entry closing date will be honored (less $20 per entry administrative fee). Requests received after the closing date will be honored (less 50% of entry fee). No requests will be honored within two days of the scheduled start date.

Requests for refunds of Exempt or Championship fees prior to the pre-registration deadline will be honored (less $20 per entry administrative fee). No requests will be honored after the pre-registration deadline.

Championship Field Size

64 players

Course Set-Up

• The golf course will be set-up at approximately 6,900-7,300 yards.

Qualifying

18 holes stroke play at 6 qualifying sites. During qualifying, each player must use a golf cart. Caddies are acceptable, but he/she may not ride in a golf cart or carry the player's clubs. Players are responsible for cart fees for all practices rounds. Qualifying sites are yet to be determined. 

Defending Champion

TJ Shuart defeated Michael DeMorat in the final match to win the 2015 Amateur Match Play Championship held at Turtle Creek Club. Shuart won five matches to reach the finals and was crowned Champion with a 3&2 victory. 

Carts

During qualifying and the Championship proper, each player must use a golf cart. Carts are included for all competitive rounds. Players are responsible for practice round cart fees at qualifying sites and at the Championship proper.

Practice Rounds

Practice rounds are available one week prior to the championship. Practice rounds may be played after 12:00 PM on the weekend. The price for a practice round is $40.00 + tax. Please call (941) 309-2900 to arrange your practice round. The proper place to practice your golf swing is on the driving range, hitting multiple shots on the course is unacceptable.

Exemptions

Players in the following categories will be eligible for exemption provided they meet all entry and eligibility requirements:   

NOTE: Blank entries will be filed by the FSGA for players who become exempt after the close of entries. 

• Last three year's Amateur Match Play Champions
• Last year's Amateur Match Play Semifinalists
• Last year's Amateur Player of the Year
• Last three year's Amateur Champions
• Current year's top five and tied Amateur Championship finishers
• Last three year's Mid-Amateur Champions
• Last year's Mid-Amateur Championship Semifinalists
• Current year's Mid-Amateur Stroke Play Champion
• Last year's Junior Amateur Player of the Year
• Last year's Junior Amateur Match Play Champion (16-18 Age Division)
• Last year's Mid-Senior Champion
• Current year's Amateur Public Links Champion
• Last year's Florida Open Low Amateur
• Current and last year's Boys' Junior Champion (16-18 Age Division)

Exemptions Earned from this Tournament

Winner

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

Semi-Finalist

• Next year's Amateur Match Play Championship

Other Policies

• Spectators and Spectator Cart Policy -  Click here.
• Caddies - Caddies are allowed in all FSGA Championships except Junior events. However, a player must not use a parent, step-parent or guardian as a caddie. The caddie MUST walk and the player's clubs must remain on the golf cart. 
• Championship Pace of Play Policy - Click here.
• Local Rules and Conditions of Competition - Click here.
• Championship Policies - Click here to read the withdrawal, dress code, and other policies.
• Procedures for Alternates - Click here for information on how alternates may gain entry into this Championship.
• Conditions/ Schedule - The FSGA Championships Committee/on-site Rules Committee reserves the right to alter any of the conditions, provisions and/or schedules. The decision of the Championships Committee/on-site Rules Committee in any matter will be final.

Host Hotel and Accommodations

Holiday Inn - Sarasota-Lakewood Ranch
6231 Lake Osprey Drive
Sarasota, FL 34240
1-941-782-4400

$99 per room, per night, plus tax

Call to book mentioning FSGA rate, or click here to book online. Group Code is pre-loaded, just change to date of Championship.

Payment

The Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club accepts all standard forms of payment.

Directions

Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club
15150 70th Terrace East
Bradenton, FL 34202

Click here for directions

Click here for more information on the club