Saint Stephen’s David Siwy finishes summer season before return home

David Siwy sneaked the final round of his Florida State Golf Association season in just ahead of the sound of an airhorn.

Siwy is scheduled to fly out of Tampa International Airport on Tuesday on a 10-hour flight to his native Czech Republic. Before returning home to spend more than two months in Prague, Siwy spent Memorial Day competing in the final day of the Florida Junior Tour 54-hole major at The Resort at Longboat Key Club and shooting a 221.

Even though Monday’s wasn’t Siwy’s best round, he breathed a sigh of relief he wouldn’t have to come back to the course Tuesday morning, making an already hectic day even more stressful.

“I just missed putts,” Siwy said, reflecting on his final round. “I missed lots of putts.”

Siwy’s final round went about the same way as his entire weekend at Longboat Key Club. He fired a 74 after posting 73s the first two days to finish in a tie for 12th, the best finish of any county golfer. Saint Stephen’s Ryan Kinkead and Justin Wynen finished tied for 20th and 41st, respectively. Kinkead, who finished with a three-day score of 225, will play with Siwy at Saint Stephen’s next year. Wynen, who shot a 233, will graduate from Saint Stephen’s this week.

Siwy is still new to Saint Stephen’s, where he will be a rising junior, even though he moved to Bradenton when he was 5. He first enrolled at IMG Academy as a golfer, following his older brother who was following the same path with the Ascenders. For almost a decade he spent his school years at IMG and went back overseas for his summers. The training he could get in the United States, and particularly at IMG, eclipsed the coaching he could get back in his first home.

He transferred to Saint Stephen’s before his freshman year and has spent the past two years playing exclusively in junior tournaments. The Falcons may not have the same lavish facilities and on-campus course IMG does, but Siwy will join a team next season that has reached the Class 1A championship each of the past two seasons.

“We have some pretty good guys over there,” Siwy said. “It’s going to be pretty good next season.”

Nine golfers from the area competed on Longboat Key this weekend, including the three Saint Stephen’s students. Braden River’s Chandler Hammett finished 47th. Cardinal Mooney’s Kyle Jarrett finished 63rd. IMG’s Michael Wijas finished 80th, and Lakewood Ranch golfers William Herten and Louis DelFabro finished 54th and 59th, respectively. Tyler Carlson, another Manatee County resident, finished 75th.

Valrico’s Jacob Penny won the major with a three-day score of 209, punctuated with a 65 on Monday.

Siwy admits the competition and training may not be quite as rigorous in the Czech Republic as it would be if he were to stay in Florida for the next couple months. His schedule, though, is busy and his ambitions are there. A few days after landing back home, Siwy is scheduled to play in a match-play tournament and he plans to spend most of his weekends playing European junior events. If he plays well enough, he hopes to qualify for the European Young Masters in Switzerland.

Then he’ll return to the U.S., where he’s in the place best positioned to allow him to continue his development.

“In Czech Republic there’s not enough golf courses, not enough good training grounds,” Siwy said. “It’s going to be pretty good there. It might be better here, but I have to come back.”

This story was originally published May 30, 2016 at 11:27 PM with the headline "Saint Stephen’s David Siwy finishes summer season before return home."