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Former Tarpon Springs player

By DAVE THEALL
Published June 29, 2005

Patrick Olive of Holiday was the highest area finisher in the 88th State Amateur Championship last weekend at Bears Lakes Country Club in West Palm Beach.

Olive, who played at Tarpon Springs High School, tied for fifth with 4-over 292 after shooting 74-72-69-77.

"I'm pleased with the way I played, considering I only play about once a week," said Olive, 33, a Wentworth Club member. "At the outset I was aiming for a top-10 finish, and to finish among the top five is great."

But Sunday was different, with strong winds blowing all over the long 7,400-yard course. The final round was played in soggy conditions after a lengthy rain delay that affected nearly all the scores.

Fort Lauderdale's Ryan Abbate captured the title by carding 2-under 70 in the last round for an 11-under 277 total. Ty Harris of Longwood moved up to second with 69, finishing 4 off the pace.

St.Petersburg'sJohn Crum was the top Pinellas player, 76-73-75-81-305. Following were Palm Harbor's Jason Elliott (308) and St.Petersburg's Robert Baynard (311). Defending champion Brad Quiri, a Tampa golfer and May graduate of South Florida, opened with 81. But then he shot 71, missing the 36-hole cut by a stroke.

Elliott, a starting freshman for USF last season, is the defending champion in this weekend's Innisbrook Amateur.

PROS: Brittany Lincicome's strong performance of 71 in the U.S. Women's Open was worth $23,479. She parred the 459-yard 18th Sunday after three consecutive bogeys on that hole. The finish boosted her season earnings to $98,635, 54th on the LPGA money list. She's fifth in the rookie of the year competition headed by Bradenton's Paula Creamer. --Clearwater's Greg Kraft moved from 55th on the Nationwide list to 11th with a win last weekend in the Pennsylvania Classic. For 2005, he stands at $119,016.

--Ryan Gildersleeve (Clearwater High/South Alabama) tied for fifth in the Hooters Tour's First City Classic in Savannah, Ga. A final-round 7-under 64 was his career best as a professional.

--Kyle McCarthy(Canterbury/Eckerd College) has turned pro and is playing on the Gateway Tour. Last month, he posted a hole-in-one within six days of the feat accomplished by his father, Vaughn, of South Pasadena. JUNIORS: Dakoda Dowd of Palm Harbor was the top Pinellas finisher (par 71) in last week's Florida Junior Girls Championship at the Lake Buena Vista Club in Orlando. Dowd, 12, played in the 16-18 class and tied for ninth among 147 contestants with 78-80-158.

The second-day scores were high because of rain delays. It took Dowd nearly 9 hours to complete the 6,100-yard course.

"My rain gloves were not working too well, so my grip slipped a lot," Dowd said. "But, overall, I'm pleased with my finish." Dowd was the only underage player from the area allowed to compete in the division.

Seminole's Rachel Edwards secured a share of 11th with 159, the same score posted by Danielle Jackson of Seminole. Clearwater's Sophie Dembroski, a Dowd and Jackson teammate on the 2004 state champion Northside Christian squad, was two strokes back at 161.

Dowd will not return to play for the Mustangs this fall. Because her mother is struggling with breast cancer, Dowd will be home-schooled again.

Andrea Messer of Belleair had the best area finish in the 13-15 group. With 74-72-146, Messer was second among 46 players. Davenport's Erica Popson won with 142.

Ryan Ashburn of Seminole placed eighth in the 13-15 class at 153. Belleair's Evan Jensen tied for ninth (154). She and Messer are Largo High teammates.

SENIOR SUPERLATIVE: A span of nine years separated Pat Eddie's holes-in-one.

The first ace for the Largo man, 87, was in 1996 at Belleair Country Club where he was a member for 29 years.

Eddie's most recent was June 7 on the 109-yard sixth hole at Pinecrest Golf Club in Largo where he used a 9-iron.

His tee shot looked as if it hit the green. But playing into the sun in a foursome, no one saw where it came to rest. After Eddie looked past the green, a member of his group examined the cup and found the missing ball.

FIRST TEE PROGRAM: Seminole Lake Country Club will play host to a First Tee of St.Petersburg event for juniors in various age groups on Thursday at 9 a.m. To enter, call (727) 892-5909.

SCHEDULE: The County Golf Association has matches on Thursday, 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Fox Hollow. To sign up, call (727) 530-7226.

HOLE-IN-ONE:Michael Gay of Palm Harbor aced the 159-yard 11th at Lansbrook with an 8-iron on June 20.

[Last modified June 29, 2005, 04:46:44]