Ex-area standout Christman builds on career

A former Times Player of the Year is continuing to succeed.

Seminole High School graduate Kyle Christman, a sophomore at Winthrop University in South Carolina, was the medalist in the recent Big South Conference Championship in Sunset Beach, N.C.

Christman fired a 69-67-75 for a 5-under 211, helping Winthrop place second to Coastal Carolina. He was named to the conference's first team and received player of the year recognition.

During the recent Big South athletic banquet, Christman was the scholar/athlete of the year. The business and finance major has a 3.74 GPA. The moment in the tournament that stands out to Christman was his bogey on the first hole, a par-4, when he shot the event's best round (67).

"There were bunkers down the middle of the fairway just about where I drive," Christman said. "I landed in one and felt good about getting past that hole with just a bogey. But I made up for it with six birdies the rest of the way."

Christman attributed his success to a change in his putting approach. He opened his stance to see the line better.

When home, Christman works with Fox Hollow teaching pro Dan Nease, someone Christman has been associated with for 10 years.

Christman plans to enter a U.S. Open qualifier in South Carolina next month. During the summer here, he hopes to play in Florida State Golf Association matches.

As for his future, Christman said he will turn pro in two years only if he thinks he can be competitive and earn money.

"I won't do it unless I know I can do it successfully," he said.

SOUTH ALABAMA: Junior Ryan Gildersleeve (Clearwater High School) shot a personal college-round best of 4-under 68 for the Jaguars in the recent Arkansas State Indian Classic.

In the round, he opened double-bogey/bogey. Then Gildersleeve settled down to card a 7-under in the final 16 holes.

Gildersleeve is the No. 1 player for the NCAA Division I team in Mobile, Ala. He has a 72.7 average entering this week's Sunbelt Conference Tournament in Niceville. He is majoring in sports marketing.

Matt Lemma (East Lake) is South Alabama's No. 4 player.

FORMER AREA PLAYERS: Shane Smith, a 2001 graduate of Notre Dame where she captained the team her junior and senior seasons, continues her pursuit on the Futures Tour next week in the Coleman Classic in Wichita, Kan.

Smith, a former Times Player of the Year at Shorecrest Prep, played in 10 Futures events last year, missing the cut in each. She is a member at the Vinoy, works part time in the Bayou Club pro shop, and takes lessons at David Leadbetter Academy in Bradenton.

Brooke Smith, Shane's sister, has discontinued playing at Ole Miss to concentrate on her major in fashion and merchandising.

She was a member of the Sun Goddess Court in St. Petersburg's recent Festival of States celebration.

WEST COAST WOMEN: The Bay Area Golf Association, founded in 1935, produced a new championship winner last week at Grasslands Country Club in Lakeland.

Cheval member Kathy Hunt fired a 75-80-155 to hold off runner-up Jackie Currier of Walden Lakes by four strokes. On the second day, Hunt birdied the par-4 second hole with a 20-foot putt that gave her a small cushion.

"It was a tough day," said Hunt, 49, a winter resident from Buffalo. "I was able to drive into the fairway all day, which was very important on that course.

"I also kept telling myself to focus on the shot in front of me -- not the last shot or a future shot or what my opponents were doing," she said. "That's how I did so well."

Debbie Mook-Sang of River Hills won Flight AA with a 160, three up on seven-time championship winner Sharon Gonsalves from Palma Ceia.

Lee Goscin of the Bayou Club finished second in Flight A net with a 168, and Cathy Moss from the Vinoy carded a 170 for second in Flight B net.

BELLEVIEW BILTMORE: Largo High School sophomore Adam Messer captured the club's annual men's championship with a 5-under 67.

His score is the newly-renovated course's competitive record, director of golf Pat Livingston said.

Elaine Crawford shot 80-88-158 for the women's title. Linda Maley was the First Flight winner.

John Leppiaho won the men's First Flight with a 86-74-160, and William Johnson was tops in the Second Flight, 194.

TAP INS: Kraig Krueger of Missing Links shot a 2-under 70 to tie for first in a PGA West Central Chapter Pro-Lady event at Lone Palm.

He tied with Mike Murphy of Citrus Hills. Jim Slattery of Belleair Country Club was among five pros who shared third at 71.

The chapter's next event is a Pro-Am at Wentworth on Monday.

Advanced Golf Design has relocated from Bardmoor and the All-In-One Practice Center to the Hercules Business Center in Clearwater.

The new facility has an indoor hitting net and putting green. The shop does precision repair, regripping, lie/loft adjustments, and sells custom clubs.

The business is run by Pete Farris and his father, Dan.

Entries close today for the U.S. Open qualifiers May 8 at Westin Innisbrook Resort and May 13 at Hunter's Green Country Club. Applicants can register online, www.fsga.org.

The State Amateur qualifier is May 24 at Bardmoor and June 3 at Hunter's Green. The entry deadline is May 1.

The Tampa Bay Junior Golf Association recently awarded $21,000 in scholarship aid to the following high school students:

Clearwater -- Melissa Barber. Countryside -- Adam Zuerndorfer. Dunedin -- Robbie Walters. East Lake -- Russell Cohn and Stan Hill. Palm Harbor -- David Sellards and Tim Sullivan. Tarpon Springs -- Devin Kammerer and Stamatis Musha.

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