A young St.Petersburg golfer has captured a major amateur title in North Carolina.
Mike Barbosa, a Vinoy member and Georgia Tech junior, prevailed in a four-hole playoff in the 25th annual Cardinal Invitational, Aug.6-8 in Greensboro, N.C.
After shooting 66-67-72-205, Barbosa found himself in a tie with Duke's Ryan Blaum, the 2003 Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Year and a 2004 All-American who won the prestigious Eastern Amateur in July.
In a format similar to the British Open, the Cardinal Invitational had a playoff.
Barbosa won by three strokes, posting just the second major summer victory by a Georgia Tech player since All-American Matt Kucher claimed the 1997 U.S. Amateur crown.
"This was my biggest win ever and a tremendous boost to my confidence," said Barbosa, a product of Shorecrest Prep, St.Stephen's School in Bradenton and Leadbetter Golf Academy.
"My game has definitely improved since I started working with (teaching pro) Rich Abele. He teaches at World Woods (Brooksville) but travels a lot in the area to give lessons," Barbosa said. "He has helped me from tee to green, but particularly with my length and iron-play accuracy."
Barbosa said his focus in the playoff wasn't on the outcome but the stroke in front of him.
On Monday, he returned to Georgia Tech optimistic the Ramblin' Wreck can improve a fifth-place performance in June's NCAA Championship.
"Everybody of the team returns, so the ACC title and a top-three finish (NCAA) this season is a realistic goal," Barbosa said.
After red-shirting his first year and playing sparingly his second, Barbosa came on strong last season by recording the squad's second best average (72.14).
In the NCAA tournament, his final 72-72 on the Homesteads Course in Hot Springs, Va., enabled the Yellow Jackets to edge top-ranked Florida in the standings by a shot.
As for his goals, Barbosa is reserved.
"I'm just trying to get better each day," he said. "As for my long-range goals, I'll try to maximize my potential wherever that takes me."
NATIONWIDE TOUR: Brandt Snedeker, winner of the New Year's Invitational at St.Petersburg Country Club, shot a final-round 9-under 63 on Sunday to capture second in the Price Cutter Charity Championship in Springfield, Mo.
The strong finish was worth $56,700, vaulting him from 264th to 62nd on the tour's money list. Ryuji Imada (Chamberlain High) is fourth with $250,752. The year's top five earn promotions to the 2005 PGA Tour.
Palm Harbor's Bob Heintz tied for 47th in the Price Cutter Tournament, slipping from 62nd to 66th in the standings with $57,174. Kevin Durkin, a Countryside High graduate, tied for 25th and is 142nd on the money list. Durkin plays on the tour through Monday qualifiers.
The tour travels to Canada for the Alberta Classic, which starts Thursday.
FUTURE COLLEGIANS TOUR: Lara Smilnak, a May graduate of Clearwater Central Catholic, has been named to the tour's six-member All-America team.
The Boston College-bound athlete is coming off a tie for 36th in the tour's 2004 championship at Duke in Durham, N.C. She tied with Brittany Jones (East Lake High), who will play for Youngstown (Ohio) State this fall.
JUNIOR HIGHLIGHTS: Clearwater's Dakoda Dowd, 11, qualified to compete in the girls 16-18 division of the recent Power Built Tournament in Frankenmuth, Mich.
She plays to a 3.5 handicap index. With 80-79-78-237, Dowd finished seventh.
This fall, Dowd will augment a strong Northside Christian team that took seventh in last year's Class A state tournament.
Not only do the Jackson sisters return, Danielle and Morgan, but so does Sophie Dembroski. Add the transfer of eighth-place state performer Whitney Wenglesz from Oldsmar Christian, and you can understand coach Dave Jackson's optimism.
Northside plays its first match Sept.6 against potent Saddlebrook Academy.
Evan Jensen, 14, of Belleair, crafted a 3-under 33 on the back nine at Westchase for a 74 and the girls crown in the PGA West Central Chapter Championship.
RECAP: In the U.S. Women's Amateur last week, Seminole's Brittany Lincicome lost her third-round match 2 and 1 to California's Paula Creamer.
Clearwater's Courtney Harter missed the cut to 64 for match play in Erie, Pa.
In July's Canon Cup in Maryland, Lincicome helped the East juniors beat the West 25.5-24.5.
INJURY REPORT: Greg McClimans, director of golf at Tarpon Woods, has advised members that it's better to take a one-stroke penalty than to hit next to a tree root.
In a recent outing at his course, McClimans' powerful swing resulted in the ball coming up and striking him on the mouth. He received 23 stitches to his lip.
TAP INS: Kennie Sims, head pro at the Babe Zaharias course in Tampa, is the newly elected president of the PGA West Central Chapter. ... Eric Pacana (CCC) will play for Florida Southern this fall. ... Belleair director of golf Bill Conway will play host to the Sam Parks Invitational on Aug.28-29. The event is named in honor of the 1935 U.S. Open champion who became a Belleair Country Club member.
ON THE CALENDAR: The CGA's Match Play Championship is scheduled for 8 a.m. Thursday. For information, call 530-7226. ... The Sgt. Joe Rinaldi Memorial, which was scheduled for Aug.14, will be played Aug.28 at Countryside Country Club. For information, call director Bill Gilkes, (727) 560-1120.
