Mid-Amateur Championship

Carter Emerges as Mid-Amateur Champion

Steve Carter defeated Thad Hudgens in the finals 4 and 3 to win the 28th Florida State Mid-Amateur Championship at Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club in Ocala on October 8-11.

Steve Carter, of Saint Augustine, earned the 9th seed after posting a 71-74—145 in the stroke play qualifying to advance to match play. In the first round, carter defeated Alan Pope, of Orlando, 1 up. Carter then defeated Robert Koehn, of Winter Park, 5 and 4 in the Round of 16 and Andy Latowski, from Port Saint Lucie, 4 and 2 in the quarters. Carter advanced to the finals by defeating David Abell, from Jupiter, in the semifinals 2 up to secure his spot in the finals versus Thad Hudgens.

The final match went back and forth many times as Hudgens was 1 up through the first four holes until Carter birdied the 5th hole to square the match. Carter took his first lead of the day after winning the seventh hole, but Hudgen’s squared the match heading into the back nine by winning the par 4 ninth hole. Carter started to take command of the match on the back nine by winning the 10th, 12th, and 14th holes to go 3 up. Carter closed out the match by birdying the difficult par 3 15th hole for the 4 and 3 victory. This is Carter’s second Mid-Amateur Championship. Last year, Carter partnered with Andy Purnell to win the Mid-Amateur Four-Ball North Championship.

Thad Hudgens, of Longwood, went into match play as the 23rd seed. In his first round match Hudgens upset the tenth seed and the 2009 Mid-Amateur Stroke Play Champion Tim Hume, of Tampa, 3 and 2. Hudgens then defeated the 2005 Mid-Amateur Champion Jon Veneziano, of Eustis, 1 up in the Round of 16. In the quarters, Hudgens defeated the 1998 State Amateur Champion Dainel Owen, of Ocala, 2 up to face Stephen Anderson, of Hobe Sound, in the semifinals. Hudgens prevailed in a hard fought match 1 up to advance to the finals against Steve Carter.

Amidst the gently rolling hills of Central Florida, Golden Ocala boasts a picturesque 18-hole, Ron Garl designed course, incorporating eight masterfully recreated tribute holes from some of the world's finest golf courses including Augusta, Royal Troon, Baltusrol and St. Andrews.

ELIGIBILITY:  Must be age 25 or older as of October 8, 2009, and be a member of the FSGA.

ENTRY FEE:  $75 ($85 - members who do not have an active FSGA/GHIN Handicap). Qualifying Fee includes Entry Fee and cart fee. Those individuals who advance to the Championship through qualifying must pre-register and remit an additional $125 either online at the FSGA website at www.fsga.org  or by check to the FSGA office for advance payment of Championship Fees. Payment must be received by Thursday, October 1 by 3:30 pm, or the individual will be withdrawn from the Championship. Championship Fee includes cart fees for all competitive rounds.

EXEMPT PLAYER'S FEE: $175 ($185 - members who do not have an active FSGA/GHIN Handicap). Exempt Fee includes Championship Fee and Entry Fee for those individuals eligible for exemption. (See below)

ENTRIES CLOSE:  8/12/2009

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

• Previous five year’s Mid-Amateur Champions
• Last year’s Mid-Amateur Championship semifinalists
• Previous five year’s Amateur Champions
• Current year's top five & tied Amateur Championship finishers
• Current year's Mid-Amateur Stroke Play Champion
• Current year’s Amateur Match Play Champion
• Current year’s Senior Champion
• Current year’s Public Links Champion
• Current year’s Mid-Senior Champion

QUALIFYING:  Qualifying rounds are 18 holes stroke play, and there are 9 different 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 practice rounds.

CHAMPIONSHIP FORMAT:  36 holes of individual stroke play on Thursday, October 8th and Friday, October 9th to identify the low 32 for match play. There will be a hole by hole play-off to determine the 32nd seed in the Championship. All other ties for seeds will be broken randomly. The round of 32 will begin Friday afternoon after all of the cards have been accepted by the Committee.  

The round of 16 will be played on Saturday morning, the quarter-finals on Saturday afternoon.  

The semi-finals will be played on Sunday morning and the Championship match on Sunday afternoon.

COURSE:  Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club

PRACTICE ROUND CART FEES:  Players are responsible for practice round cart fees at qualifying sites and also for practice rounds at the Championship.

PRACTICE ROUNDS AND PRACTICE FACILITIES:  Practice rounds are available one week prior to the Championship on a space available basis. Practice rounds are restricted to after 12:00 PM on the weekend prior to the Championship. All players must use a cart and the cost of the practice round, including range balls and cart, is $30 plus tax.  Starting times for your practice round can be arranged by calling the club.  You may not make your practice tee time before groupings are made. Groupings will be made on Thursday, September 24 and faxed to the club that morning.  Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club golf shop telephone number is (352) 671-3933.

CONDITIONS; SCHEDULES – 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.

CHAMPIONSHIP PACE OF PLAY: Click here to read the Championship Pace of Play Policy.

HARD CARD; LOCAL RULES AND CONDITIONS OF COMPETITIONS: Click here to read the Hard Card and additional Conditions of Competitions.

CHAMPIONSHIP POLICIES: Click here to read the withdrawal, dress code, caddie and spectator and other policies.

ALTERNATE PROCEDURES: Click Here here for alternate procedures.

ACCOMMODATIONS: Please click on the hotel icon for hotels in the Ocala area.

ON-SITE REGISTRATION:  There will a registration table set up in front of the men’s locker room at Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club to pick up your tee gift and player information the day before the Championship from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.  This is NOT a mandatory registration.  Tee gifts and player information will be available for pick up before the competitive rounds for players not playing a practice round on Wednesday. If we have received your payment for your Championship fees by Thursday, October 1 you have pre-registered for the Championship.

METHOD OF PAYMENTS: Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club accepts Visa/MasterCard ONLY for payment, NO CASH.

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS:  Garrett Morrison, from Orlando, defeated Duke Butler, of Ponte Vedra Beach, 2 and 1 in the finals at Coral Creek Club.