NORTH Fla. - Joe Alfieri and Mike Finster have been named captains of the North Team for the 2024 Florida Cup. This will be Joe Alfieri’s sixth appearance at the Florida Cup, where he boasts a record of 8-4-3 and is returning this year as captain. Alfieri is having himself quite the year, being inducted into the FSGA Hall of Fame, and rightfully so. 
Alfieri has amassed an impressive list of accomplishments during his time as an amateur golfer, highlighted by his victories at the 1999 Mid-Amatuer, 2003 Florida Open, while also being named Amateur Player of the year four times in 1999, 2001, 2015, and 2016.
For Mike Finster, this marks his fourth Florida Cup appearance, and it holds special significance for him. Finster shared, “I consider this to be one of the great honors of my golfing career to be part of such a great group of guys and know there will be as many laughs pre and post round as there are birdies on course.” Finster of Saint Petersburg holds a 6-3-0 record in the Florida Cup. He has also participated in the Southeastern Challenge in 2019, 2021, and 2023, and is a two-time champion of the Forty & Over Four-Ball Championship (2017, 2019). Additionally, he won the Two-Man Shootout in 2021.
Alfieri, a 15-time FSGA Champion stated, “I'm very excited to be Captain of the Florida Cup North Team! The state of Florida has so many great players and I look forward to us getting the ‘Best of the Best’ together not only for the camaraderie, but the competition.” The North Team is made up of seasoned players who have been competing for several years, enhancing the thrill of the Championship.
Moreover, in 2023, Finster secured third place at the 46th Florida Senior Open Championship and earned the title of Low Amateur with rounds of 68-72-71. His 2024 season has been notable as well, highlighted by reaching the Round of 16 at the 43rd Mid-Amateur Championship. Finster expressed his gratitude, stating, “I am so grateful to FSGA for the opportunity to compete at an amazing venue like Old Memorial and to be named captain in my hometown. While the competition will be fierce, my favorite part of the Florida Cup is the camaraderie built among teammates and opponents alike, which lasts long after the matches are over.”
Alfieri’s accomplishments extend to the USGA stage, where he reached the Round of 32 in the U.S. Mid-Amateur in 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2016, and was named a USGA Team Member in 2016. Meanwhile, Finster has also made his mark in USGA events, competing in the U.S. Senior Open Championship in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2023, and the U.S. Senior Amateur in 2023.
Alfieri is looking to add another victory to his 2024 season following his win at the Forty & Over Four-Ball Championship (North) with partner Daniel DeBra, where they carded impressive rounds of 67-58. Alfieri remarked, “In conjunction with Co-Captain and long-time friend Mike Finster, I look forward to leading the North team back to hoisting the cup!”
