Northpinellas: Kerper turns in his best Gasparilla performance

Amember of Countryside Country Club took it to the limit in an attempt to win the recent Gasparilla Invitational, one of the most prestigious amateur tournaments in the south.

Rick Kerper of Safety Harbor shot a 2-under 68 in the third and final round of the annual tournament at Palma Ceia for a 54-hole total of 209 -- good for second place behind Tim Jackson of Germantown, Tenn.

Kerper, 43, made a match of it by making birdies on the second, third and fourth holes in the final round to take a one-stroke lead.

On No. 3, a 140-yard hole, he hit his 8-iron tee shot to within 4 feet then dropped the putt to take a one-stroke lead.

Kerper dropped a stroke behind with a bogey on No. 13 but battled back on the par-4 14th with another birdie to tie for the lead.

A bad drive on 15 cost him a bogey and a share of the lead, and a final birdie on 18 left him two strokes off the pace.

"Overall, I'm thrilled," said Kerper, who plays to a zero handicap. "I played solid all three days. I've played in this tournament about 12 times and although I've had a lot of top-10 finishes, I've never been the runner-up.

"I attributed my success this year to playing with a clear head, playing smart and good putting," he said.

Kerper defined "clear head" as focusing on his game and blocking out distractions, such as his job, and "playing smart" as good course management.

"This tournament serves as a big confidence-builder going into the season," said Kerper, a native of East Hanover, N.J., who originally came to the Sunshine State to attend Florida Southern.

He was a four-year standout on a team that won two NCAA Division II championships.

Kerper's next big tournament is the April 2-3 Florida State Golf Association's Mid-Senior Four-Ball, in which he's paired with Doug LaCrosse of Palma Ciea.

It's then on to another U.S. Open local qualifier for Kerper.

He has advanced the last two years to a regional qualifier but has yet to make it to the main event, which will be played June 14-17 at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla.CGA: The County Golf Association's March 8 match was won by Mark Thomas of Palm Harbor, who shot a 1-under 71 at Plantation Palms in Land O'Lakes.

Thomas won by four strokes over John King of Tampa.

Gary White and Randy Ringer, both of St. Petersburg, tied for net honors with a 66.

In the Senior division, Don White of Largo shot 72 to win by two strokes over runner-up Glen Seely of Clearwater.

Wayne Banting of Safety Harbor took net honors with a 67, one ahead of Len Cozzo of Tarpon Springs.

The Senior First Flight ended in a tie between Frank Purpura of South Pasadena and Roger Ryan of St. Petersburg, who both shot a net 65.

In the women's net division, Carolyn Murphy of Clearwater prevailed with an 81.

WEST COAST WOMEN: Mary Ann Petrillo of St. Petersburg Country Club won the March 5 match at her home club.

Teammate Sue Riggins placed second in Flight A with an 88, and a third teammate, Nat McMasters, won Flight D with a 95.

Nancy Barton of Seminole Lake won Flight C with a 90, and Charlotte Hunsucker of Clearwater placed second in Flight B with a 90.

FLORIDA JUNIORS: In last week's FJGA Tournament at the University of Florida course, three Pinellas teenagers finished second in the three divisions.

In the girls 13-18 class, Pinellas Park's Brittany Lincicome, 15, captured single-round medalist honors with a second-round 3-under 69. That tied her at 144 for 36 holes with Lisa Tyler of Lighthouse Point. Tyler won in a playoff.

Lincicome had four birdies and an eagle on the 465-yard par-5 16th in her round of 69. After a 300-yard drive -- one of six on the day aided by a strong tailwind -- she hit her 6-iron approach shot to within 15 feet and canned the putt.

Jason Overton of Palm Harbor won medalist honors in the boys 15-18 division with a 69. He carded an opening-round 72 and 141 total, finishing in a tie for second -- two strokes behind James Dickey of Pembroke Pines.

Danny Allen of Palm Harbor tied for fifth with a 144 total, followed by Patrick Scranton of Dunedin with a 145.

Sam Rosati, 13, of Oldsmar, tied for second in the 12-14 class with rounds of 71-77-144 on a 6,400-yard layout. Rosati remains in first place in the 2001 standings.

COLLEGE: Seminole High School graduate Kyle Christman, a freshman at Winthrop University, won his first collegiate tournament earlier this month in Rock Hill, S.C.

In the Winthrop Invitational, Christman shot 76-72-148 to get into a playoff, which he won with a par on the first hole.

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP: At East Lake Woodlands, Tom and Lavon Jewell teamed with Chuck and Marion Curtis of Belleair Country Club to win the annual mixed member/guest invitational.

APPOINTMENT: Bill Gilkes of Clearwater has been appointed vice president for marketing for the Million Dollar Hole-In-One program.

Gilkes had been the PGA West Central Chapter's director of marketing for seven years, elevating the program in membership, sponsorship and visibility.

Sean McClellan, a former pitcher for Seminole High School, the Florida Gators and Toronto Blue Jays organization, recently earned $1,000 in the Million Dollar Hole-In-One program. He used a 7-iron on the 160-yard third hole at East Bay Golf Club, receiving a trip to Las Vegas in November to compete for the grand prize of a million dollars.

To inquire about membership, call 771-7258.

COMING UP: The Pinellas Men's Interclub Association meets 12:30 Thursday at Crescent Oaks. On Saturday, the LPGA Girls Golf Club of Largo will play host to a free clinic for boys and girls ages 6-17 from 10-11:30 a.m. at Largo Golf Course.

Participants need to bring a wedge and putter. Registration begins at 9:30.

The club will start a boys group, called the West Central Junior League, this year to introduce beginners to the game. For further information, call director Pam Scott, 786-2918.

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