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County kids cover state tournament

By DAVE THEALL
Published July 14, 2006

Pinellas County was well represented in the 52nd Florida State Boys Championship held this week in Jacksonville at Timuguana Country Club.

Clearwater's Tyler Wilkins, who plays for Countryside High, had high hopes of a top-10 or better finish. That goal wasn't unrealistic since he was coming off a 10-under 206 (70-69-67) for second at a recent Future Masters Tournament in Alabama.

And though his driving was long and accurate, the birdie putts weren't falling as he was used to. He finished tied for 13th this week with rounds of 74-70-74--218.

"I drove well all week and got off to a good start each day on the front nine but never got on a roll where the birdies were falling," Wilkins said. "The Donald Ross-designed course was in excellent shape but it had those mounded greens where if you don't land it just right, it often takes a big bounce far off."

Wilkins traveled to Jacksonville with his father, Mark, who plays to a 2 handicap at Countryside Country Club.

"He's helped me a lot over the years," Tyler said. "He's been a huge help to me, teaching me everything I know, not everything he knows."

Wilkins is optimistic about the Cougars' chances this fall in Pinellas County matches, districts, regionals and state. Last year, they finished fourth at state.

"We have everyone back except (college-bound) P.J. (Kolosvary), but his loss is huge," Wilkins added. "And I expect to be able to play all season. Last year I missed the second half of the regular season due to a broken finger ...in PE class."

Zach Sobel (Clearwater Beach/Palm Harbor U.) got off to a rough start with 78 then finished with 73-74 for 225 and a tie for 36th in a field of 61. Dunedin's Preston Knox tied for 39th, just one stroke back of Sobel.

Blayne Barber of Lake City played steady with sub-par rounds of 69-68-69 for 10-under 206 and the win. Tyson Alexander of Gainesville, who will play for the Gators this fall, was a stroke back.

In the boys 13-15 age division, Tyler McCumber of Ponte Vedra Beach shot 67 on Wednesday to go with his opening rounds of 71-69 to capture that title. Travis Ralph of Redington Beach tied for sixth (71-72-73)-216.

FLORIDA JUNIOR TOUR: Michael Myregaard of Clearwater had a second strong outing in two weeks when he tied for third last weekend in Lake Buena Vista. Playing in the boys 16-18 division, Myregaard carded rounds of 71-75-146 to tie with Michael Tang of Windermere.

Myregaard, the team captain at Clearwater Central Catholic, won the recent PGA West Central Chapter junior tournament at Belleair with 1-under 70.

ST. PETERSBURG FIRST TEE: Graham Hartman excelled on Monday with 1-over 73 at Pasadena. Michael Weis and Eugene Tichnor tied with 78.

In the older girls division, Amber Pedersen, a May graduate of Pinellas Park High, won with 78. She'll compete for playing time at Florida Gulf Coast University this fall.

Jimmy Weck won the boys 13-15 group with 75. Playing nine holes, Sau-Hyon Cho took the girls title shooting 42.

STATE FOUR-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP: At Innisbrook last weekend, Ed Kenny of Lake Worth and Paul Nelson of Plantation won with 135 (69-66). Local contenders Gary Richardson of Palm Harbor and Patrick Olive of Holiday were 10 strokes back with rounds of 72-75.

CGA: Belleair's J.R. Robertson is beginning to assert himself in local matches. Playing in the Senior Division at Seminole Lake last week, he crafted 3-under 69 to win handily over Jimmy Vaughan, who shot 73.

On Monday at St. Petersburg Country Club, Robertson teamed with Sean Martin in a better-ball match and won overall with 74. However, Eddie Grant and Dave Reber collaborated with a better score, 71, winning the Senior Championship.

In net scoring, Ernie Meier and Robert Hathaway won at St. Petersburg with 58, and there was a three-way tie (65) at Seminole Lake among Bill Hayden, Curtis Dempsey and Meier.

WEST COAST WOMEN: Former association champion Jackie Currier of Walden Lake edged Mary Ann Petrillo for top honors Monday at the Vinoy, winning 76 to 77. After that Flight AA group, all the winners were from Pinellas clubs.

The A Flight was captured by Cathy Moss of the host club with 79 while Nan Habjan of Clearwater Country Club shot 86 to Dunedin's Sallie Abraham with 78 in Flight B.

Flight C was won by Georgia Mattern of Vinoy with 82, and Linda Lidster of Dunedin prevailed among the Flight D entries with 97.

Kim Hollister had the low net score, 76, but Cary Rahall, a guest, went lower with a net 68.

PROS: Dunedin's Matt Mitchell, in the limelight of late since he's Brittany Lincicome's instructor, had his A game at the recent Calloway Florida State Pro-Assistant Championship played at PGA National in Palm Beach. Paired with fellow teaching pro C.J. Holder of the Downs Practice Facility, they shot 65-66-131, finishing second behind a twosome that used a hole-in-one en route to victory with a 128.

[Last modified July 13, 2006, 22:38:34]