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County amateurs in the hunt for state glory

By DAVE THEALL
Published June 25, 2006

A Dunedin golfer is one of several from the county playing this weekend in the 89th annual Florida State Amateur Championship. The tournament is being played at Pine Tree and Hunters Run courses in Boynton Beach through Sunday.

Ken Palladino, 49, who plays to a 1 handicap out of Fox Hollow in Trinity, qualified earlier this month at The Club at Eaglebrooke in Lakeland with 2-under 70. That round, which tied for second best in the qualifier, was highlighted by an eagle on a par-5 hole. Palladino, who works in the motion picture industry as a lighting technician, was cautiously optimistic about his debut in the 72-hole championship.

"I'm playing pretty well right now although I've never played on these courses before," Palladino said. "I'm going over a day early for a practice round to familiarize myself with the layouts."

Palladino also played well in December's County Golf Association Championship, tying for second behind winner Frank Saxon of Clearwater.

"I expect the State Am winner will have to shoot under par for all four rounds," Palladino said.

The field of 168 includes John Crum, Mike Barbosa and Ryan Cockman of St. Petersburg; Justin Meier, Oldsmar; Jeremy Evans, Palm Harbor; Tyler Wilkins, Clearwater; P.J. Kolosvary, Safety Harbor; and Travis Ralph, Redington Beach. Ralph, only 15, shot 71 to qualify.

Meier is an East Lake High graduate and the captain of the Tufts University golf team. Last season he earned all-New England Small College Athletic Conference First Team honors after finishing third in the conference championship. On Thursday, Meier, 22, opened with 3-over 75, finishing among the top 70.

FRIDAY RESULTS UPDATE: Wilkins, a junior at Countryside High, shot 1-under 71 (144) to finish tied for ninth. The top 70 and ties advance for today's final rounds. Other area players to advance include Evans and Palladino, 148, plus Kolosvary and Wentworth member Patrick Olive, both 149.

Parkland's Jeff Dennis led the qualifiers, posting rounds of 69-68-137. For up-to-date results, check the sports section's For the Record page.

HOOTERS TOUR: Kyle McCarthy of South Pasadena shot four sub-par rounds at last weekend's event in Chesterfield, Va., tying for fourth, his best finish this year. McCarthy, a former Sunshine Conference Freshman of the Year at Eckerd College, posted rounds of 67-69-71-68-275 to finish three strokes off the pace.

U.S. AMATEUR PUBLIX LINKS: Mike Barbosa, a May graduate of Georgia Tech, qualified for next month's championship in Bremerton, Wash., by finishing second (73-68-141) in Valrico last week. Derek Fathauer of Jensen Beach led the field, shooting 68-71 -139.

U.S. SENIOR OPEN: At a qualifier in Sarasota on Monday, Bill Buckner of Safety Harbor led Pinellas entries with 71. Will Frantz of North Port and Keith Gockenbach of Ponte Vedra Beach took the two spots, tying with 66. Clearwater's Frank Saxon and Jim Smith of Belleair played together and shot the same nonqualifying 74.

CGA: Clearwater's Vic Morelli teamed with Decker Todd for a better-ball 70 at East Lake Woodlands on Monday for a win. Dave Reber and Eddie Grant took the senior title with a 73 based on a scorecard playoff. They eagled the third hole. Net honors were split three ways. Terry Measel and Randy Curtis, plus Al Furtek and Rob Rolander and the team of Jim Fannin and Wayne Banting, all shot 65.

SUNCOAST INTERCLUB: Crescent Oaks emerged the winner of the league's annual title for the fourth time over the past nine years. The eight-member women's team in the final match at Innisbrook's Island course were: Marianne Spung, Cathy Ball, Ginny Jennings, Pam Bohen, Irene Murray, Sandy Hanke, Joan Upchurch and Niecie Halfon. East Lake Woodlands and Innisbrook finished tied for second in the standings, followed by Belleair, Cypress Run and Countryside.

PINELLAS MEN'S INTERCLUB: Don Coughlin of Innisbrook was elected president, and Lou Giocondo of Belleview Biltmore vice president. Bob Detlor was re-elected secretary-treasurer. Jim King, director of golf at the Bayou Club, and Cove Cay's John McCraney were named to the board of directors.

JUNIORS: In the Florida Girls' Championship, Dakoda Dowd, 13, of Palm Harbor won the 16-18 division by a stroke, shooting rounds of 74-71-145 at Lake Buena Vista. In a field of 56, Morgan Jackson of Seminole finished fifth (74-73-147) and Meghan Chapman, also of Seminole, took seventh with rounds of 75-75-150. Dunedin's Justine Knox tied for first (79-77-156) in the girls 13-15 division. Jasmine Wade of Oldsmar won the 10-12 group by three strokes shooting 75.

[Last modified June 25, 2006, 02:51:42]