Golf Plus | Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club awarded Florida State Golf Association's State Amateur Match Play

The 2016 Florida State Men's Amateur Match Play is coming to Bradenton. The Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club in East Manatee was selected to host the 25th edition of the tournament.

Former Bradenton Christian standout Philip Knowles won the 2014 event, while Fort Lauderdale's T.J. Shuart captured the 2015 title with a 4-and-2 victory in the final against Merritt Island's Michael DeMorat.

The tournament is played in the summer and is scheduled for Aug. 4-7, 2016. One round of stroke play determines the top 64 seeds for match play, which begins in a single-elimination format until the champion is decided in the finals.

Entries open Wednesday, Jan. 6 at midnight, and close Wednesday, June 29 at 11:30 p.m.

The IMG Junior Golf Tour teed off the 2015-16 season with an event at Falcon's Fire Golf Club in Kissimmee this past weekend.

Manatee High sophomore Gabrielle Tomeo claimed the girls 15-18 year old division title with a 3-under par 143.

She edged Windermere's Wenyan Ma by one shot. The field also included Seoul, South Korea, native Annie Kim, who is ranked No. 79 in the GolfWeek/Sagarin Girls Junior Rankings.

IMG's Shuhei Takahashi won the boys 15-18 division with a 5-under par 141.

Bradenton's Ariel Yu fired a final-round 75 to snag fourth place in the girls 16-18 year old division of the Florida State Golf Association's Florida Junior Tour event recently held at Crandon Park Golf Course in Key Biscayne.

Yu finished with a two-round 156 total, which was 12 shots behind Naples' Emma Bradley's winning score.

IMG Academy alums Mia Piccio and Ginger Howard logged top-25 finishes in last week's LPGA Symetra Tour event in Arkansas. The two posted 9-over par 225 totals for their tie for 24th place at the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout.

Rachel Rohanna, who captured the Symetra Tour stop at Manatee County's Sara Bay Country Club last April, tied for ninth place to stay in the top 10 of the Symetra Tour money list.

The top 10 at the end of the year earn LPGA Tour cards for 2016.

There are only two tournaments remaining on the 2015 schedule. The Symetra Tour returns Oct. 9-11 in Longwood at the IOA Golf Classic and wraps up with the Tour Championship in Daytona Beach the following week.

Howard (36th) and Piccio (48th) are well outside the top 10 at this juncture.

HOLES-IN-ONE

On Friday, Sept. 25 at Rosedale Golf & Country Club, Ernie Ranft aced the 156-yard 13th hole. Witnes was Michael Donnenfield.

On Friday, Sept. 25 at Terra Ceia Bay, Jim Allard aced the 111-yard sixth hole with a 7-iron. Witnesses were Fred Lazard and John Tipton.

On Friday, Sept. 25 at Terra Ceia Bay, Bill Maselli aced the 153-yard 10th hole with a 3-wood. Witnesses were Jim Wurst and Jerry Gallagher.

On Saturday, Sept. 26 at Rosedale Golf & Country Club, Jim Donegan aced the 155-yard seventh hole with a 7-iron. Witnesses were Jim Lamy, Tony Nagy and James Symons.

On Saturday, Sept. 26 at Terra Ceia Bay, Beverly Snyder aced the 117-yard 13th hole with a driver. Witnesses were Pauline Hobbs, Marge Medlin and Pauline Lavoire.

-- Jason Dill, Herald sports reporter

This story was originally published October 1, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Golf Plus | Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club awarded Florida State Golf Association's State Amateur Match Play ."