Round 2 Recap

Sharpe sinks putt on 3rd playoff hole to win first FCWT event

If the start of the 2007-08 Future Collegians World Tour season is a prelude of things to come, hold on to your hat.  What an event.  Day one saw Victoria Kiser of Orlando, FL (2010) set a new course record (men's or women's) from that yardage with a 5 under par 66.  Kiser went on to win the Girls division by 4 strokes over Cyna Rodriguez of Monila, PHILIPPINES (2009). 

On day two the excitement moved to the Boys 16-18 division where Connor Arendell of Cape Coral, FL (2008) took the first round lead on Saturday by firing a one-under par 70.  Arendell, an FCWT All-American, carded 4 birdies on the day, giving him a 2 shot advantage over Derek Baade of St. Joseph, MO (2009) and Chun Hung Chan (2009) going into Sunday's final round.  On Sunday FCWT newcomer Oscar Sharpe of Norwich, ENGLAND (2010) and FCWT veteran Stanislav Matus of Roznov, CZECH REPUBLIC (2008) each fired a final round of 2 under par 69.  Sharpe and Matus began the day tied with 3 others players for 4th place after opening with rounds of +2.  Now they were headed for a playoff for 1st place. First, however, they had to wait for the rain.  The final holes of the tournament had just finished when the rain came, but the playoff had yet to begin.  After waiting over an hour, the two finally headed back to the course where they both made birdie on the first playoff hole.  They tied again on the 2nd hole of the playoff, but on the 3rd hole Stanislav found the water and Sharpe's putt lipped the cup but the ball dropped as he earned his first FCWT title in his first FCWT event.  Sharpe may not be a household name in the United States yet, but in England they know about Sharpe. Sharpe is said to have learned his golf on the Costa del Sol in Spain but then returned to Cheltenham to concentrate on national junior events in England.  Now he has come to the United States to work on golf in the warm Floridian climate at the David Leadbetter IMG Academy in Bradenton.  Sharpe led this division in birdies with 9 for the event while Matus led in pars with 30.  Overnight leader Arendell finished in 3rd place after a final round of +2.  Richard Lamb of South Bend, IN (2009) fired a final round of 70 to move into 4th place after starting in a tie for 9th, while Chun Hung Chang (2009) finished in 5th at 146 (+4).
 

Morris holds off competition to win the Boys 13-15 divison

During the first round of play the early leader in the Boys 13-15 division was Blake Morris of Waterbury, CT (2011).  Morris posted a solid round of even par 71 with 3 birdies and 3 bogeys.  Morris had two 2nd place finishes last season, but was looking to win on Sunday.  Win he did.  Morris entered the final round tied with FCWT newcomer Andrew Gain of Bradenton, FL (2009) for the lead.  Gain carded 2 birdies and 2 bogeys for his round of 71 on Saturday.  On Sunday, Morris carded a final round of 77 to win by two over Gain, who led this division in pars with 27, and another FCWT newcomer Taylor Bolton-Harvey of Englewood, CO (2010).  Bolton-Harvey began the final round in 3rd place but posted a 77 to finish tied with Gain.  The Low Round of the day went to Tyler Williams of Hilton Head Island, SC (2012) who finished in 5th place after a great come back from an opening round of +11.  Williams led this division in birdies with 7, 5 of which he made on Sunday in his even par round.  Finishing just ahead of Williams in 4th place at 150 (+8) was his buddy Philip North also of Hilton Head, SC (2011).

In the Boys 11-12 division, eleven year old Corey Carlson of Greencovesprings, FL (2015) led wire to wire to win his first FCWT event.  On Saturday, Carlson carded 1 birdie and 9 pars on his way to the first round lead.  Carlson, an FCWT newcomer, began Sunday's round with a 3 stroke advantage over another FCWT newcomer, Daniel Jaramillo of Medellin, COLOMBIA (2014).  On Sunday, Carlson held onto that lead with his final round of 79 to finish 4 shots ahead of Jaramillo.  Jaramillo had 1 birdie and 7 pars for his round of 81 on Saturday and followed that up with a round of 80 on Sunday.  John Morrissey of White Plains, NY (2013) finished in 3rd place, 8 strokes back of Jaramillo.

VicTORIous!

Victoria Kiser of Orlando, FL (2010), Tori to her friends, fired an incredible round of 5 under par 66 to lead all scores in the opening round of the TPC Tampa Bay Open.  Victoria's 66 was a new course record from that yardage (men's or women's)!  She entered the final round looking for her first win of the season.  Last season she won twice and   was named to the First Team for the FCWT All-Americans.  Her 7 birdies led this division on Saturday and gave her a 5 stroke advantage over FCWT newcomer Cyna Rodriguez of Monilla, PHILIPPINES (2009). On Sunday, Miss Kiser posted a round of even par, added 3 birdies to bring her total to 10 for the event and held off a charge by Miss Rodriguez who earned Low Round honors with a one under par which coupled with her opening round of even par gave her 2nd place in the event.  Miss Rodriguez finished 8 strokes ahead of third place finishers FCWT All-Americans Marika Lendl of Bradenton, FL (2008) and thirteen year old Ginger Howard also of Bradenton (2012) who finished at 149.  Miss Howard led this division in pars with 25.  Stephanie Kim's final round of 73 moved her into the Top 5 after beginning the day tied for 6th.  Miss Kim of Bayside, NY (2009) was also a 2006-07 FCWT All-American.