San Jose CC Announces New Men’s Mid-Am Event
A new event hosted by San Jose Country Club has been announced. The First Annual Crown Jewel Men’s Invitational will be held this Nov. 7-9 at SJCC. The format is 36 holes of individual stroke play on Nov. 8-9, preceded by a practice round and an early evening contestant social function on Nov. 7. The event is designed for male amateurs age 25 and older who maintain a valid USGA Handicap Index of 3.4 or lower. The tournament theme is “to celebrate the wisdom, skill and camaraderie that defines Amateur golf.”
The field will be limited to 60 players. The entry fee is $595, plus tax. Interested contestants will be asked to submit their golf accomplishments or a playing summary for Committee review as part of the entry process, which is now open.
For tournament details and to submit an entry, click HERE
Co-chairing the event are San Jose CC members Matt Saxton and Michael Del Rocco. Questions regarding the tournament may be directed to SJCC Director of Golf Todd Bork at 904-476-2675 or todd.bork@sjccjax.com.
New ’26 Home for Furyk & Friends
The 2026 Constellation Furyk & Friends presented by Circle K will be played at Ocean Hammock Golf Resort & Spa in Palm Coast, Oct. 9-11. With Timuquana CC electing to not renew its contract, the 2025 edition will wind down the PGA TOUR Champions event’s five-year run there. The Jack Nicklaus design at Ocean Hammock which has two holes fronting the Atlantic Ocean previously played host to the seniors’ Ginn Championship, won by Keith Fergus (2007) and Bernard Langer (2008). Prior to that, it was the site of 13-year-old Michelle Wie’s first big win on the national stage, the 2003 U.S. Women’s Public Links. For tickets and tournament information, go to https://constellationfurykandfriends.com/.
JAGA Tournaments
• First Coast Women’s Amateur presented by Brooks Rehabilitation
Ponte Vedra High School grad and Florida Atlantic University rising sophomore Nancy Cox marched to a six-shot victory in the First Coast Women’s Amateur presented by Brooks Rehabiltation in tough conditions at Sawgrass Country Club. Cox posted scores of 77-70-74—221(+5). The runner-up was Tylar Whiting of South Daytona and Mercer University.
Corey Weworski came all the way from Carlsbad, Calif. to capture the Senior Championship by eight shots over Mary Jane Hiestand.
Kim Bruce was the dominating winner of the Senior Field Championship, by 15 shots.
In the Super-Senior Championship, Shan Giordano of St. Augustine was a four-shot winner over Lori Collins of Jacksonville and Janice Wilson of Pinehurst, N.C. Click HERE for complete results:
2025 First Coast Women’s Amateur presented by Brooks Rehabilitation champion Nancy Cox
Credit: FCWA
(L-R) Champions Nancy Cox, Corey Weworski, Kim Bruce and Shan Giordano
Credit: FCWA
• 64th JAGA Jacksonville Amateur presented by Synovus
Rising UNF junior Danny Erickson fought off a charge by his soon-to-be Osprey teammate Luke Balaskiewicz to capture the 64th JAGA Jacksonville Amateur presented by Synovus by four shots at Timuquana Country Club. The duo recorded 15 birdies between them in the final round to both shoot 67, the lowest score of the championship. Erickson fired 70-68-67—205 (-11) in the hot, windless conditions at Timuquana. Balaskiewicz posted 70-72-67—209 (-7). The recent Bolles School graduate will join Erickson, a member of recent state championship teams at Ponte Vedra High School, on Scott Schroeder’s UNF team this fall. Grabbing third place was Florida Southern junior Colton Swartz at 210.
For a more detailed recap, click HERE.
For complete scores, click HERE.
2025 JAGA Jacksonville Amateur presented by Synovus champion Danny Erickson
Northern PGA Chapter / PGA News
• Jordan, Jackson and Joshua Bork, the teenage children of San Jose CC director of golf Todd Bork, are seeking to give back to Wolfson’s Children’s Hospital. The 1st Annual San Jose CC Golf Scramble will raise funds for Wolfson’s on Sept. 8th. Several layers of sponsorship are available. Individual playing spots are $500. Now thriving Middleburg HS students, Jackson and Joshua were born at 28 weeks in 2008 and spent 90 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Wolfson’s. To support the event, contact Jordan (904-477-7536).
• Currently No. 10 in the Rolex AJGA Boys’ rankings, Fleming Island’s Tyler Mawhinney stands to climb in this week’s ranking following his T2 in the Junior PGA Championship at Purdue University. Recent JAGA Jacksonville Amateur presented by Synovus runner-up Luke Balaskiewicz should climb too from his current No. 28 AJGA position thanks to his T9 in the Junior PGA. Charlie Woods fired a nine-birdie 66 in the third round to vault into second place but also wound up T9 after a final-round 74. Jacksonville Beach’s Miles Russell continues to have a commanding lead in the Rolex rankings, a position he has held for 21 weeks. He was not in Indiana. Sahana Chokshi of Jacksonville placed T23 in the Girls’ division. For complete AJGA Rankings, click HERE.
FSGA Tournaments
• University of Florida men’s head golf coach J.C. Deacon (68-65-67—200) birdied the first hole of sudden-death to defeat former UF player Joseph Pagdin (67-65-68—200) of Lake Nona G&CC and win the 79th Florida Open at Quail West G&CC and Twin Eagles Club in Naples. It was the third Florida Open win (2017, 2020, 2025) for the native of Toronto, Canada. A professional, Deacon collected a check for $20,000. Allin Crouch of Jacksonville placed third, two shots out of the playoff.
For complete scores and a recap, click HERE.
Credit: FSGA
• Preceding her First Coast Women’s Amateur win at Sawgrass CC, Nancy Cox finished T6 in the 31stWomen’s Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Vanderbilt CC in Naples.
• Ambrose Kinnare of St. Augustine and Cameron Reed of Ponte Vedra Beach shared T7 finishes (-12) in the 54-hole 71st Boys’ Junior Championship at Streamsong, six off the winning pace.
• Lori Collins and Jan Bailey won the Forward Division of the Women’s Four-Ball at ChampionsGate by four with a gross score of 76.
• Steve and Jacob Carter won the Parent-Child Championship (18-23 division) with a score of 67-68—135 (9) in Orlando. Len Schonfeld II and Len Schonfeld III won the 32 & older division by three shots with scores of 68-64—132. It was the Carters’ second Parent-Child victory and eighth for the Schonfelds. Jeff and Greta Golden were victors in the age 8-9 division.
Credit: FSGA
USGA Tournaments
• Miles Russell (T8) of Jacksonville Beach and Tyler Mawhinney (T24) of Fleming Island were among the 64 players who advanced from stroke play to match play in the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship at Trinity Forest GC in Dallas. Failing to advance were Brady Dougan of Jacksonville, Jackson Byrd of St. Simons Island, Ga., Phillip Dunham of Ponte Vedra Beach and Lucas Gimenez of Jacksonville Beach. Cameron Kuchar of Tequesta, son of former PLAYERS Championship winner Matt, also advanced. Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, did not. Russell won three matches before bowing out in the quarterfinals. Mawhinney was bounced in the second round. Young Kuchar fell in the first round. The eventual winner, Hamilton Coleman of Augusta, Ga., is the defending champion at this month’s (Aug. 28-31) AJGA Junior PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
• Three who contended for the JAGA Jacksonville Amateur presented by Synovus – Luke Balaskiewicz, Ryan Gear and Ryan Nicholson – qualified in June and will be at The Olympic Club in San Francisco for this month’s U.S. Amateur Championship.
• 2021 JAGA Jacksonville Amateur presented by Synovus champion Michael Smith (69) of Ponte Vedra Beach is the second alternate out of the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship qualifier at The Conservatory at Hammock Beach. The championship is Sept. 13-18 at Troon CC in Scottsdale, Ariz. Three other locals, Tyler Brown, Sam Geise and Andrew Morris, shot 70, which put them two out of the two-man playoff for the fourth and final spot.
• David Anthony (70) of Marsh Landing CC was medalist in the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship qualifier in 100-degree heat at Amelia Island Club at Long Point. He moves on to Oak Hill CC in San Antonio, Texas, Aug. 23-28. Eddie Hargett (71) of South Carolina and Chad Frank (73) of Sanford grabbed the other two spots in the 43-player qualifier.
• Sahana Chokshi of Jacksonville was on the short end of a two-person playoff at Deerwood CC for the second and final qualifying spot for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, set for Bandon Dunes in Oregon, Aug. 4-10.
• Therese Quinn of Jacksonville shot 77 at Indian River Club and missed out on qualifying for the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur by two shots.
NFJGT
• Greater Jacksonville Junior Championship at Eagle Harbor GC – Beckham Cummings of Fleming Island (142) was three better than D.J. Waller of St. Augustine (145) in capturing the Boys’ title, while Elize Nograbat of St. Johns (141) took the Girls’ title by just one shot over Sophia Moody of Fleming Island (142).
(L-R) – JAGA president Duke Butler III, Boys’ champion Beckham Cummings, runner-up D.J. Waller and NFJGT tournament director Jody Clark.
NFJGT executive director Jack Aschenbach, JAGA president Duke Butler III, runner-up Sophia Moody, Girls’ champion Elize Nograbat and NFJGT tournament director Jody Clark.
Other News
• Former Bartram Trail HS standout Julian Suri of Ponte Vedra Beach won the Korn Ferry Tour’s Utah Championship on Aug. 3rd. The 2007 and 2008 FHSAA individual state champion who went on to play four years at Duke birdied five of the final eight holes to shoot 64 and come from five back to win by two. The victory jumped the 34-year-old from 56th to 16th on the KFT points list. With six events remaining, Suri is seeking to finish the season among the top 20 and secure his PGA TOUR card for the first time in 2026.
Korn Ferry Tour champion Julian Suri of Ponte Vedra Beach
Credit: Florida Times-Union
• 2015 Sandalwood HS and 2019 UNF grad Travis Trace matched his season best finish, a T7, at the Korn Ferry Tour’s Price Cutter Charity Championship in Missouri. It was his seventh start of the year. Trace, who plays out of TPC Sawgrass, is 91st in Tour points.
• There are a lot of aces made around town during the year but NEWS has not heard of one any longer than the one 2025 Underwood Cup Assistant Captain Mark Taylor of San Jose CC made at Hyde Park GC recently….a 3-wood from 225 yards on the fourth hole. Pretty impressive, Mark!
• FSU’s Lottie Woad’s decision is made. She is now a professional and a member of both the LPGA and Ladies European Tour. She secured her LPGA card through the tour’s LEAP pathway program when she got the last few required points with a T3 finish at the Amundi Evian Championship in France. Two weeks later and still an amateur, Woad won the LET’s KPMG Women’s Irish Open by six shots. Three weeks later and having turned professional, the 21-year-old Englishwoman won in her LPGA debut at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open, making her only the fourth player in the 75-year history of the LPGA to do so.
• Palm Valley GC owner Sue Hord succumbed to cancer on July 30th at age 79. She and husband Jack built the nine-hole, family-friendly Northern St. Johns County facility in 1989. A celebration of life will take place at the course on Aug. 14 at 6:30 p.m.
• Longtime golf broadcaster and 1991 Open champion Ian Baker-Finch retired from CBS at the conclusion of the Wyndham Championship on Aug. 3rd. The Aussie spent 30 years in broadcasting, 19 of them at CBS, following his playing days. No future plans were announced.
Hyde Park Approaches 100
On July 13th, the Florida Times-Union devoted four pages to the pending 100th anniversary of the oldest operating golf course on the First Coast – Hyde Park Golf Club on Jacksonville’s Westside. Built in 2025 and opened for play in 2026, golf writer Garry Smits provides a wonderful tribute, produced through old news clips and interviews with prominent area golf people who’ve experienced the storied facility over the years, and a look into Hyde Park’s future.
Hyde Park management is a family affair – (left to right) Garrett Bevil, Melanie and Tommy Bevil.
Did you know?
Northeast Florida Golf News is written and edited by 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.