BROOKSVILLE - The word has spread about the renovations at Brooksville Country Club at Majestic Oaks, as this weekend's Tangerine Invitational will show.
The 32nd installment of the county's oldest amateur tournament could have 110 players teeing it up Saturday and Sunday, a considerable increase from last year's field of 67.
"We just spent a lot of work promoting it," BCC director of golf Vince Buelk said. "I think a lot of people are excited to see the changes in the course."
As usual, the 36-hole event will have a number of local players and a solid contingent from the Tampa area. But players from as far away as Boca Raton and Pompano Beach are also slated to compete, and there's even a California entry.
In the championship flight, familiar names should be in contention. Brooksville's Fred Farmer, a member of the course, recently tied the course record of 66 and won the event in 2002. To win again he'll have to better his father, Larry Farmer, who owns a share of the course record.
Speaking of ex-Hernando High golfers, Faulkner State (Ala.) signee Keegan Ledford will play, getting back into golf shape after a season on the tennis team.
Defending champ Curt Cornell of Brooksville, 2001 winner Don Lucas of Valrico and 2000 champ John Fowler of Odessa are in the field, some of 21 players signed up through Tuesday who have handicaps of 4.4 or lower.
Buelk cited new sponsors, along with the spruced-up course, as a factor in the event's enlarged field. In each 16-player flight $1,000 in gift certificates will be up for grabs, with each flight winner taking $500.
Last month's Dogwood Classic also enjoyed an increased field of 60 players, up from 48 last year. Karen Greenway of the Dunes at Seville won in a playoff over Barbara Dupree.
Play in the Tangerine begins at 8:30 a.m. both days.
LAGEDROST UPDATE: Kelly Lagedrost has her work cut out for her today at the LPGA's Sybase Classic in New Rochelle, N.Y.
Playing in her third event, the Brooksville native shot 78 Thursday on the par-71 Wykagyl Country Club. She had five bogeys, one double bogey and no birdies.
Last week at the Franklin American Mortgage Championship in Franklin, Tenn., Lagedrost missed the cut by three shots after rounds of 77-73-150. She also missed the cut in her LPGA debut last month in Las Vegas.
NSJGA: The North Suncoast Junior Golf Association played at Spruce Creek Preserve near Ocala on Saturday. Citrus High's Robert Taylor won the 16-18 age group with a round of 75, while Tyler Hock of Ocala shot 72 in the 15 age group to lead all players.
In the 14 group, Brooksville's Derek Pebler shot 79 to finish ahead of eight others, including third-place Zak Koch of Brooksville (84).
Several county players recorded top-three finishes in 9-hole competition. Brooksville's Eric Coogan tied for second in the 10-11 advanced age group with 43, while Brooksville's Mike Bird (42), Brooksville's Michael Busacca (43) and Spring Hill's Kyle Kinderman (46) swept the top three spots in 13-18 intermediate play.
Vone Gonzalez and Zach Kinderman, both of Spring Hill, shot 50 to tie for third in 10-12 intermediate. Lauren Shuford of Brooksville (59) won the girls 10-18 intermediate, while Spring Hill's Taylor Agricola (66) was third.
Megan Berube of Spring Hill shot 31 over seven holes to win the boys and girls 8-9 age group.
