JAGA Tournaments
• The JAGA tournament schedule resumes in June with the NFJGT Greater Jacksonville Junior Championship at Eagle Harbor (23-24) and JAGA providing key sponsorship support. For details and entries, click HERE
• The month of July features JAGA’s two premier stroke-play championships – the 65th JAGA Jacksonville Amateur Championship presented by Pinnacle Financial Partners at Sawgrass CC (19-21) and the First Coast Women’s Amateur presented by Brooks Rehabilitation at Jacksonville G&CC (20-22). Both events award World Amateur Golf Ranking points to their leading finishers.
The Jacksonville Amateur is Northeast Florida’s showcase championship for elite amateur golfers. First played in 1962, it has been won by many of the area’s top competitors, including a handful who went on to become PGA TOUR members. Residents of the nine surrounding counties with USGA handicap indexes of 2.9 or less are eligible. The field is already filling up quickly. Interested players are encouraged to sign up sooner rather than later. UNF’s Danny Erickson was a four-shot winner last July at Timuquana CC.
Entries for the FCWA opened on May 20th. The FCWA is Northeast Florida’s premier women’s championship. It is a two-day and three‑day championship depending on the division, with those in the 54-hole championship eligible to earn WAGR points.
For details and entries on both events, click HERE
JAGA News
• Perennially JAGA’s leading facility donor, Sawgrass CC outdid itself this year with its largest check ever to the JAGA Charitable Trust, $18,725. JAGA thanks SCC for its continual and very generous annual support of the JAGA scholarship program!
JAGA directors and staff from Sawgrass CC present $18,725 check to JAGA Scholarship Trust.
Credit: Sawgrass CC
JAGA Scholarship Class of 2026
Level 2 Associate PGA Professional awardees:
(L-R) Stephen Rodriguez, Jaxon Butler, Jarrod Barsamian, Jarred Garcia
Special Recognition Honorees:
Standing (l-r) – Harrison Grunewald, William David Lyle
Seated: Olivia Pia, Riley Spencer
Northern PGA Chapter News
• In early May, Justin Bardgett of the PGA TOUR defeated Stephanie Connelly-Eiswerth of San Jose CC 4&3 to win the Chapter Match Play Championship.
• There was a three-way tie at the top at 7-under 65 at the Chapter’s Spring Meeting Pro-Pro on May 21 at San Jose CC – Michael (UNF) & Sydney Mattiace (Sawgrass CC), Patrick Libby & David Palm of Glen Kernan, and Tyler Gray (Marsh Landing) & Colin Monagle (UST Mamiya).
Northern Chapter Members Honored at Annual Section Awards Dinner
The Northern Chapter of the North Florida PGA Section received a lot of recognition recently at the Section’s annual awards banquet and meeting, held at the Evermore Orlando Resort.
• Matt Borocz, general manager of the TPC Sawgrass, received accolades as he finished his term as the Section’s president. He was honored at the annual meeting, attended by 160 members.
• Wes Tucker, director of golf at the St. Johns GC, was named Professional of the Year, the highest Section honor. That highlighted the awards banquet. He also was elected the Section’s secretary, putting him in line to be the president.
• JAGA President Duke Butler III was one of three inducted into the Section’s Hall of Fame. Also inducted was former TPC Sawgrass general manager Bill Hughes and John Hughes, a former Section president.
• Sawgrass general manager Stefan Brunt was recognized twice. He was named the Club Executive of the Year and also was elected to an at-large slot on the Section board.
• Atlantic Beach CC pro Rich Podwalski was named Merchandiser of the Year in the Private category.
• Brian Riddle, director of golf at TPC Sawgrass, won the merchandise award in the Resort category.
• Nick Nuzzo of TPC Sawgrass was named Assistant Professional of the Year.
• Monique Gesualdi of St. Johns GC won the Player Development Award.
The North Florida Section is the third largest in the PGA of America, which has 41 sections. Its general geographic area is I-4 north, excluding the Panhandle area west of Tallahassee.
FSGA Tournaments
• Tyler Gulliksen of Flagler Beach secured a top seed in the match-play portion of the 45th Mid-Amateur Championship after posting 66-71-137 in stroke play at Hobe Sound GC. Ty Capps of Palm Coast was the only other area player to advance to match play. Both Gulliksen and Capps bowed out in their first-round matches. Billy Civitella of North Palm Beach outlasted Jay Halverson of St. Petersburg in 20 holes for the title. For results, click HERE
• Charles Kirk of Middleburg and partner Chad Ibbotson of Sanford shot rounds of 62-61—123 (-19) to finish second in the Florida Senior Two-Man Scramble at Vineyards CC in Naples.
• Tama Caldabaugh of Ponte Vedra Beach and Lin Culver of Palm Coast finished three shots back and runners-up in the Women’s Shoot-Out at Mariner Sands CC in Stuart. The duo posted 66-70—136 (-8).
• Shan Giordano of St. Augustine partnered with Christine Hunt of Ponte Vedra Beach to earn second place (75-75—150) in the Middle Division of the Women’s Four-Ball Championship at Black Diamond Ranch in Lecanto, May 30-31. They were seven off the winning pace.
• The 109th Florida State Amateur Championship is June 11-14 at Admiral’s Cove in Jupiter.
• The 97th Women’s State Amateur Championship is also June 11-14, at Royal Poinciana GC in Naples.
• The 67th Junior Girls Championship is June 22-24 at Mayacoo Lakes in West Palm Beach.
Other Tournaments
• Dates for the second playing of the Crown Jewel San Jose Men’s Invitational have been set – Oct. 31 and November 1 at San Jose CC, with a practice round on Oct. 30. Former UNF standout Jordan Batchelor captured the inaugural title last fall by seven shots. A strong first-year field of 39 competed and signs for the future of the event, which is designed for male amateurs age 25 and older who maintain a valid USGA index of 3.4 or lower, are very positive. Co-chairing once again are San Jose CC members Matt Saxton and Michael Del Rocco. For questions, contact SJCC Director of Golf Todd Bork at 904-476-2675 or todd.bork@sjccjax.com.
• Sofia Rivera of Saint Augustine is set to tee off in the U.S. Women’s Open Championship June 4-7 at Riviera CC near Los Angeles. The 17-year-old Beachside HS junior was medalist at the Sugar Mill CC qualifier in May. Rivera’s uncle, two-time PGA TOUR winner Russell Knox, who caddied for Sofia at Sugar Mill, will do so again at Riviera. Update, Rivera shot 75-74 to miss the cut by three shots.• Michael Smith of Ponte Vedra Beach and Will Davenport of Boynton Beach partnered to shoot 63-67—130 (-13) and place T4 in the 36-hole stroke-play portion of the USGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship in mid-May at Desert Mountain GC in Scottsdale, AZ. Future Vanderbilt teammates Tyler Mawhinney of Fleming Island and Luke Colton of Frisco, Texas were T15 (68-66-134) in stroke play. Both teams lost their first-round matches, Smith/Davenport, 1 down, and Mawhinney/Colton, 4&3.
• Tim Cobb, winner of the recent JAGA Senior Amateur Championship presented by Lennar, successfully qualified for the U.S. Senior Open Championship on May 7th, two days after capturing the JAGA Senior Am. He was one of only two amateurs at the Indian River Club qualifier to advance. Billy Lodise of St. Augustine also qualified for the championship, at Lakewood National in April. The Senior Open is July 2-5 at Jack Nicklaus’ childhood home course, Scioto CC in Columbus.
• Former Korn Ferry Tour member Jacob Solomon of Jacksonville was the only area player to secure one of five available spots in the May 11th U.S. Open local qualifier at Marsh Creek CC. Missing the playoff by one was 17-year-old Oklahoma U. commit Lucas Gimenez of Jacksonville. Solomon moves on to regional qualifying in early June, the last step on the U.S. Open qualifying road.
Other News
• PLAYERS Championship executive director Lee Smith’s role has expanded. The PGA TOUR announced Smith will now oversee both THE PLAYERS and TPC Sawgrass. The intent of the move is to better align TPCS programming with tournament initiatives and deepen the local impact and experiences for all constituents. A new Event Director will soon be named to take over day-to-day PLAYERS’ activities.
Lee Smith of THE PLAYERS Championship has additional responsibilities.
Tori Mouton
Credit: North Carolina AT&T
• Nease HS grad and rising LPGA member Auston Kim is third in the LPGA Driving Distance stat at 283 yards. The 25-year-old Vanderbilt grad is 15th in the Race to the CME Globe.• 17-year-old Miles Russell of Jacksonville Beach has climbed to No. 10 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking. No. 1 Jackson Koivun of Auburn enjoys a significant lead over UVA’s Ben James for the top spot. Russell missed the cut on May 29 in his latest Korn Ferry Tour start, the UNH Health Championship in Raleigh, N.C. On June 2, Koivun, a junior, was named the Haskins Award winner as the most outstanding D-I male golfer for the second time (2024). He previously earned his TOUR card through the PGA TOUR University Accelerated program. James ended his UVA career ranked No. 1 in the PGA TOUR University Class of 2026, which earned him TOUR privileges through the 2027 season.
• In a rarity, four San Jose CC members playing in the same foursome bettered their age – Doug Dickey (shot 81 at age 93), Tom Dearing (76 at 79), Rufus Dowell (75 at 79) and Bill Hammel (71 at 75). Congrats, guys!
Later that week, also at SJCC, 2025 Underwood Cup amateur captain Michael Del Rocco recorded eagles three days apart, holing fairway shots on the 390 yard par-4 fourth hole (hybrid, wedge) and the 406-yard par-4 18th (driver, 7-iron).
• Fans of the PGA TOUR know former LPGA star Laura Baugh is the mother of rising TOUR player Eric Cole. Locals also know she runs “Laura Baugh Golf” out of The Palencia Club (laurabaughgolf.com). Her son’s playoff loss to Russell Henley at the Charles Schwab Championship on May 31st was bittersweet. It came on her 71st birthday. Baugh, who placed second in her LPGA debut, would go on to finish runner-up 10 times in her career, including once in a playoff, but never secured a “W”. Eric now has three TOUR runners-up as he pursues his first win since joining the TOUR in 2023, the year in which he was named TOUR Rookie of the Year, exactly 50 years after his mother was similarly honored by the LPGA.
Laura Baugh, First Coast resident/instructor and mother of PGA TOUR member Eric Cole
Credit: Legends of the LPGA
College Golf
NCAA Championships
Men – UF, FSU and UGA were among the 30 schools who advanced from regionals to the NCAA Championship at La Costa Spa & Resort. The nation’s second-ranked Gators surged from a lackluster start the first two days of stroke play to capture the No. 4 seed in match play. They would bow in match play to defending champion Oklahoma State 3-2. FSU and UGA did not make the 54-hole cut to get to match play, thus marking the end of Chris Haack’s 30-year career at the coaching helm at UGA. Auburn defeated UCLA 4-1 to capture its second national title in the last three years.
Women – Advancing from Regionals to the NCAA Championship at La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. were No. 3-ranked UF and No. 22 FSU. At La Costa, Florida missed being one of the eight teams to advance from 72 holes of stroke play to the match-play competition by five shots (finished 11th). FSU was one of 15 teams who were cut after 54 holes of stroke play. Top-ranked Stanford defeated No. 2 USC to win the national title for the third time in the last five years. 30 teams competed.
D-II – The Flagler women’s season ended on a sour note, finishing 18th out of 18 teams in the NCAA D-II South Regional in Cleveland, Tenn. On the plus side, the Saints were 17th nationally on the Scoreboard D-II final ranking. And Henriette Stranda of Norway capped a stellar career at Flagler earning her third consecutive All-America honor, joining former teammate Stella Jelinek as the school’s only three-time All-American selections.
The Flagler men placed 14th in their D-II South Regional, held at Valdosta (Ga.) CC, and wrapped up their season 33rd in the D-II Scoreboard ranking.
Also in D-II men’s golf, Fleming Island HS grad and Florida Southern junior Colton Swartz finished T23 in stroke play and was 2-1 in match play to help the Mocassins win their 14th national title in the NCAA D-II National Championship in Boulder City, Nev. In April, Swartz won the Sunshine State Conference individual title.
Daytona State Wins 12th NJCAA national title
With three JAGA scholars contributing, Daytona State College won the National Junior College Athletic Association women’s championship on May 14th in Coal Valley, Ill. The Laura Brown-coached Falcons overcame a two-shot deficit entering the fourth and final round to take down Odessa (Texas) by one shot. A pair of Fleming Island HS grads, Cambree Hodge (T13) and Kalia Polete (17th), and Emma Wells (21st) of Providence School, all sophomores, played key roles in DSC capturing the school’s 12th women’s NJCAA national golf title. Hodge and Wells are moving on to play at JU this fall, while Polete is headed to Flagler.
The Daytona State College women celebrate their 12th NJCAA national title on May 14th.
Credit: Daytona State College
Funny but True MLB/Tiger Woods Story
• Former Major League Baseball All-Star Jeff Francoeur tells a great story, apparently for the first time, about how his Braves’ manager Bobby Cox colluded with him to fake a 2006 spring training game injury so he could play golf that afternoon with Tiger Woods. The irony of things is Francoeur went on to play all 162 games that season. Click HERE to watch the 2-minute video.
Tip of the Month / Padraig Harrington
• World Golf Hall of Famer Padraig Harrington shares an interesting, common-sense drill about how to avoid letting your hands get ahead or come over the top in your downswing using a palm-sized ball. Harrington’s coach, Pete Cowen, introduced the drill to him. 2013 North Florida Section PGA Hall of Fame member Boots Farley makes a point of sharing the video with his students. Click HERE to view Padraig’s 2-minute demonstration.
JAGA directors Fred Seely (Timuquana CC) and Jeff Adams (TPC Sawgrass).Photos: Credit “JAGA” unless otherwise noted.Reporting from Garry Smits’ Florida Times-Union “Golf Notebook” is used in NEWS.
ABOUT JAGA
Established in 1954, JAGA celebrates its 72nd year in 2025. It is a not-for-profit corporation of approximately 40-member golf facilities located in Northeast Florida. JAGA’s mission is to promote golf, community and goodwill through tournaments and related events and activities. It conducts or supports 12 tournaments, including six championship events and six others that feature team formats. JAGA has a charitable arm that manages a scholarship program which currently provides college funding for 50 area students. Since 1974, the program has awarded over $2.5 million in scholarships to more than 475 students.
Anyone interested in receiving JAGA’s monthly “Northeast Florida Golf News” and announcements about JAGA and its tournaments for free via email may do so by clicking here or going to the JAGA homepage (www.jaxareagolf.org) link that reads “Subscribe to JAGA Email”.