Round 2 Recap

Eagle on 15 helps Pan to force playoff ~ takes title on 1st playoff hole

The opening round of the Naples Open was a bit cool and breezy (for Florida) but it warmed nicely by the afternoon.

  Michael Murray of White Lakes, MI (2008) fired an opening round of 3 under par 69 to lead all scores in the Boys 16-18 division.  Murray was one of 3 players to card an eagle on Saturday;  he added 4 birdies and led by 1.  Sixteen year old Cheng Tsung Pan of TAIWAN, a first year player, was just one stroke back in 2nd place at 2 under par at the start of Sunday's final round.  Pan made 7 straight pars on Sunday before making birdie on # 8 which put him even with Murray who was even par for the day.  Pan made another birdie on 11, but quickly gave back the stroke with a bogey on 12 and they were back to even.  Both Pan and Murray made par on 13 and 14, then Pan made an eagle on the par 5 15th.  Murray came back with a birdie on 16, but Pan still had the edge by one.  Pan left the 17th green with that one stroke advantage, only to give it back with a bogey on the 18th hole while Murray made par forcing a playoff.  They headed back to # 10 where Pan made par and won the playoff and his first FCWT event.  Roy Steinberg of ISRAEL (2008), who carded his own eagle on Saturday, finished in 3rd place with rounds of 72-69, as he and William Sjaichudin of INDONESIA (2008) tied for Low Round honors.  Stanislav Matus of CZECH REPUBLIC (2008), who began the day tied for 3rd place, carded a round of 2 under par and finished in 4th.  Sjaichudin finished in 5th.  Zachary Balit of Montreal, CANADA (2010) also carded a round of 2 under par and finished T9.  Five players posted a final round of 1 under par:  Michael Cermak of Chicago, IL (2008),  Eduardo Chavez of Hillsborough, CA (2009), overnight leader Murray, FCWT All-American Benjamin Palanski of Budapest, HUNGARY(2010) and Matthew Cohen of Tenafly, NJ (2008), who posted a personal best.

4th playoff hole = win for Yoon

The first round of the Boys 13-15 division ended in a three-way tied for the lead on Saturday. 

Chad Merzbacher of Dublin, OH (2012),

Ryan Grassel of Chesterton, IN (2010), and James Yoon of Asuncion, PARAGUAY (2012) all carded opening rounds of 74.  On Sunday, Yoon found himself still tied for the lead with Grassel.  Four playoff holes later, Yoon finally won the title outright with a birdie.  For Grassel, the second place finish was a personal best - up five places from where he finished in this event last season.  Merzbacher took home 3rd place. Nicholas Maruri of Mexico City, MEXICO (2010) finished in 4th place, while FCWT newcomer Shane Stewart of Dublin, OH (2010), earned the Low Round honors with a 71, the only sub-par round in this division, that allowed him to finish in 5th place.

Watts waltzes to victory

After a cool and breezy start, the Naples Open warmed to a nice afternoon.  The 2007 FCWT Laura Diaz Girls Eastern Region Player of the Year, Andrea Watts of Bradenton, FL (2008), carded the only sub-par round on Saturday to lead the Girls 13-18 division by 3 strokes.  Sunday seemed almost "business as usual" for Miss Watts who posted a round of 2 under par 70 to finish at 3 under for the event and earn her first win of the season.

By contrast, one young lady was on a mission on Sunday.  Kyle Roig of Pembroke Pines, FL (2011) showed why she ranks in the Top 100 girls in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings.  Miss Roig, who struggled during the first round and found herself a bit back in the pack - fired a final round of 69 (3 under par), allowing her to pass everyone in the field except Miss Watts.  Miss Roig's 9 birdies for the weekend led this division and helped her to earn both Low Round honors and take home 2nd place.

Gabrielle Balit of Montreal, CANADA (2009), who led the field in pars with 14 on Saturday, carded the only other sub-par round in this division on Sunday and finished all alone in 3rd after beginning the day in that position, but tied with several other players.  Jessica Korda of Bradenton, FL (2011), the defending Champion of this event,  carded a final round of even par to finish in 4th while Christina Miller of Bradenton, FL (2010) finished tied for 5th with  Maria Piccio of the PHILIPPINES (2009), who won the World Woods event in October.