TAMPA, Fla. – Beginning October 6th, North Florida and South Florida will clash in the 15th Florida Cup Match, held every two years. The event features 16 top amateurs from each region competing in a Ryder Cup format, where the team with the most points over two days claims the cup.
The tournament begins with morning Four-Ball matches, followed by afternoon Foursomes, and concludes with Singles matches to determine the champion. Players are selected based on their performance over the previous two seasons, with the current year's results receiving a 50% bonus.
In the last match, which took place in 2022 at Kensington Golf & Country Club, South Florida won 18.5-13.5, tying the series at 7-7 with the North team. Get ready for an exciting Florida Cup as this year one team will take the lead of overall wins. Without further ado, we’d like to introduce the two teams playing in the biannual Florida Cup.
North Team
The North Team will be led by Joe Alfieri out of Tampa, and Mike Finster of St. Petersburg. Click Here to read more about the North Team Captains. The team is formed by Daniel DeBra (Lutz), Ty Capps (Palm Coast), Marc Dull (Lakeland), Jimmy Ellis (Atlantic Beach), Matthew Galloway (Tampa), Tyler Gulliksen (Flagler Beach), Jay Halverson (St. Pete) Rhett Pooley (Babson Park), James Preston (Bartow), Michael Smith (Ponte Vedra Beach), Jon Veneziano (Mount Dora), Chad Ibbotson (Sanford), Brian Keenan (Tampa), and Miles McConnell (Tampa). To read the North Team bios, click here.
One standout player on the North Side is Jimmy Ellis. This year, Ellis claimed victory at the Amateur Championship at Quail Valley, overcoming a seven-stroke deficit with a stunning eight-under-par 64. His impressive performance earned him an exemption to the 124th Amateur Championship at Hazeltine, where he shone during stroke play, posting a career-best 61. This near-record score earned him medalist honors and came within inches of the USGA’s all-time 18-hole scoring record. This is Ellis’s debut at the Florida Cup, and he is set on securing his first win and leading the North Team in overall victories.
South Team
The South Team will be led by R J Nakashian of Palm Beach Gardens, and Will Davenport of Palm City. Click Here to Read about the South Team captains. The South Team features Austin Collins (Deerfield Beach), Will Davenport (Palm City), Richard Donegan (Jupiter), Blanton Farmer (Bradenton), Joey Latowski (Port St. Lucie), Carl Santos-Ocampo (Naples), Jake Sherwin (Naples), TJ Shuart (Fort Lauderdale), Nick Solimene (Naples), Scott Turner (Palm City), Jonah Wasserstrom (Hollywood), Abbie Valentine (Naples), Bobby Bird (Vero Beach), William Mallon (Vero Beach), R J Nakashian (Palm Beach Gardens), and Pete Williams (Juno Beach). To read the South Team bios, click here.
On the South side, keep an eye on Jake Sherwin. A seasoned FSGA competitor, Sherwin triumphed at this year’s Mid-Amateur Championship, defeating Ty Capps, a fellow contender, in the championship match 2 & 1. Sherwin only fell behind for one hole during the final and ultimately claimed his first FSGA Championship trophy. His previous close call came in 2022 when he was the runner-up at the 41st Mid-Amateur Championship. From his beginning playing on the Florida Junior Tour to now the Florida Cup, Sherwin is focused on leading the South Team to victory.
Old Memorial Golf Club
This year, Old Memorial Golf Club will host the 15th Florida Cup. In the fall of 1994, Chris Sullivan, Bob Basham, and Bob Merritt—best known as the founders of Outback Steakhouse—fulfilled their vision of creating a private, national golf club in their hometown of Tampa. They enlisted architect Steve Smyers, renowned for his traditional, strategic design and firm playing surfaces, to craft the course. Today, Old Memorial Golf Club is celebrated as a "pure, undisturbed sanctuary of golf" and promises to offer a true test for the top amateurs from each region.
The 15th Florida Cup will be the first FSGA Championship contested at Old Memorial Golf Club. The FSGA will conduct US Open Final Qualifying at Old Memorial in June of 2025, the fifth time the club will host, after previously doing so in 2001, 2002, 2005 & 2006.
.png)
