Seminole graduate to have busy month

By DAVE THEALL

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 4, 2000

Ayoung golfer from Seminole, fresh off winning a qualifying spot in the U.S. Amateur Championship, has his bags packed and is ready to travel during July.

Kyle Christman, a June graduate of Seminole High and the district medalist for both the 1999 spring and fall seasons, shot rounds of 77 and 73 at the University of South Florida course to qualify for the championship. Only two of 66 players advanced.

The tournament will be played at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Course outside of Portland, Ore., starting July 31.

The national junior championship includes a field of 156 golfers who competed for those spots among a field of 2,000 American and foreign entrants.

Tiger Woods is the only three-time winner of the tournament and youngest at 15 years, six months and 28 days. He won the Amateur in 1991, 1992 and 1993.

Ken Venturi, a future U.S. Open Champion, was the tournament's runner-up in 1948. Jack Nicklaus qualified for the tournament five times. His best finish was in 1956, when he was a semifinalist.

Christman said he realized he was far down on the leaderboard after shooting a 6-over 77 on the first day of the USF qualifier, but he wasn't discouraged.

"The course played easier the second day," said Christman, 17, who will enroll at Winthrop next month.

"I thought it would take a 68 or 69 to earn one of the two spots. But the first-day lead group shot 78 and 79 the second day, so they didn't get in."

Christman had three birdies and five bogeys in his round of 73. He started with birdies on the second and fourth holes and made his final one on the 160-yard par-3 12th, hitting his tee shot to within 8 feet.

Christman averages between 260 and 265 yards off the tee. He said his driving has been consistent, but the best part of his game lately has been his iron play.

"My approach shots have been all over the pin," Christman said. "Now maybe I should spend more time on my short game."

Toward that end, Christman has been practicing at Bardmoor and working with PGA teaching pro Dan Nease at the golf school at Missing Links Range in Largo.

The junior tour fireworks for Christman begin today at the American Junior Golf Association tournament at the Shell World Golf Village Championship in St. Augustine.

Next on the July schedule is another AJGA tournament at Stonebridge Golf Club in Monroe, N.C. He then plays a third AJGA tournament at Daufuskie Island, Ga., before moving on to the U.S. Amateur. "I'll only be home for five days in July," said Christman, the Times 1999 player of the year. "But I'm enjoying every minute of it."

NOTE: Amanda Dick (Countryside High), a freshman at Florida, is in the girls field at St. Augustine, along with the Code sisters of Tampa, Whitney and Mallory.

FLORIDA STATE JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: Kyle McCarthy of South Pasadena shot consecutive rounds of 1-over 73 to finish third at the 45th annual boys state championship at Disney World.

He was three strokes off the pace set by Major Manning of Daytona Beach. McCarthy is a June graduate of Canterbury School, where he played for his father and coach, Vaughn. A member at Pasadena Yacht and Country Club, McCarthy has accepted a scholarship to Eckerd. His next major tournament is the PGA Junior Championship at PGA National Resort next month in Palm Beach.

STATE GIRLS: Brittany Lincicome of Pinellas Park won the 12-14 age division at the 41st annual championship at Disney's Lake Buena Vista course, shooting 2-under 71 the first day and 76 the second. Lincicome, who is home schooled, will play for Osceola High this fall.

MORE JUNIORS: Mike Barbosa of St. Petersburg, playing for the U.S. Junior team in the IZZO Cup competition in Stockholm, Sweden, defeated Oscar Modin of the Scandinavian team 4 and 3, helping the United States to a 261/2-171/2 win.

STATE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP: First-round co-leader Brendan Takacs of Clearwater shot rounds of 70-71-72-76-289 to finish tied for fourth in the annual tournament held at Pine Tree Golf Club in Boynton Beach.

Two double bogeys in the final round cost Takacs. He finished two strokes behind St. Cloud's Justin Biggs and one behind Buddy Alexander, the men's coach at Florida.

"Overall, it was a good tournament for me," said Takacs, who will play for Central Florida this fall. "I'm satisfied. It was a good experience."

David Niles of Tarpon Springs shot 304, Sam Lewis of St. Petersburg 308 and Kevin Dyer of St. Petersburg withdrew after the third round.

Takacs, who carries a plus-1 handicap at Countryside Country Club, will travel to Orlando on July 31 to play Bay Hill and try to qualify for the U.S. Amateur. WEST COAST WOMEN: Kathy Speight of Feather Sound, the 2000 WCWGA champion, shot 3-over 75 at Northdale Golf Club to win a June match of the association. Nina Schmidt (83) of the Renaissance Vinoy won Flight A.

NORTH FLORIDA PGA SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: Charlie Tatz of St. Petersburg reached the final of the 13th annual tournament before losing 4 and 3 to Richard Martinez of Orlando at Stonecrest Golf Club in Lady Lake.

Martinez eagled the first hole, then Tatz fought back before losing on the 15th despite making birdie on the hole. Tatz is the head pro at Imperial Lakes in Palmetto.

Jim Smith of Missing Links Range lost to Martinez 1-up in the semifinals.

WOMEN'S SOUTHERN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP: At Palm Beach Gardens, Mary Ann Petrillo of Tierra Verde qualified for the first flight before losing in a first-round match to Debe Schwedler 2-up.

Former Pinellas Park resident Beth Bauer (now at Duke) lost in the final 2 and 1 to Sarah Johnston of Benton, La.

NO EXEMPTIONS TOUR: Nick Klassen of Dunedin shot a 3-under 69 to finish two strokes behind winner Greg Towne of Clermont in a professional minitour at Grenelefe South in Davenport.

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