Golf Plus: Bradenton City Men’s Amateur set to begin this weekend

The 19th annual Bradenton City Men’s Amateur caps this season’s City Series this weekend at River Run Golf Links. The individual stroke play tournament is flighted after Saturday’s first round, and concludes Sunday. It’s open to the public to attend. Phil Walters is the defending champion. He shot a tournament record 131 for the two-day tournament in 2015. It was Walters’ second Bradenton City Men’s Amateur championship. Only Scott Yow (2006-07) has won multiple titles.

Dominant Duo

Phil Walters and Tim Judy added more hardware for their trophy case this past weekend at Bobby Jones Golf Club. The duo captured the Bradenton City Two-Man and Two-Man Combo titles earlier this year at River Run Golf Links, and they added a third two-man championship with a one-shot victory at the Sarasota City Men’s Better Ball Championship. They fired a 65-70-135 for the one-shot win over Mike Calomeris and Dave Perna. Walters and Judy have six team titles between the Two-Man and Two-Man Combo events in the Bradenton City Series. Other flight winners from the Bobby Jones Better Ball event held on the American Course were: Ray Wenck and John Vaccaro (first flight, 73-68-141); Brandon Johnson and Bryan Meador (second flight, 76-70-146) and Jeff Davis and Richard Baranowski (81-74-155).

Junior golf update

Manatee County junior golfers excelled recently at the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour two-day event held at Sarasota’s TPC Prestancia. In the boys 16-18 year old division, Saint Stephen’s Alan Klenor and Longboat Key’s Jack O’Hara took second and third, respectively. Bradenton’s Delin Zheng and Zongfan Li occupied the next two spots as Stuart’s Callum Brown claimed the title with a five-shot victory. Other top performers were: Bradenton’s Yichen “Jim” Cai (boys 14-15s, first place, 154 total); Heathcliffe Kane (boys 11-13s, second place, 161 total); Sachika Singh (girls 14-18s, first place, 159 total); Kokoro Ouchi (girls U13s, first place, 163 total); Giulia Lombardo (girls U13s, second place, 179 total) and Lakewood Ranch’s Sophia Warren (girls 14-18s, second place, 161 total).

LPGA Tour Q-School road ends for locals

Bradenton’s Christina Miller and Ericka Schneider narrowly missed advancing to the final stage of LPGA Tour Qualifying School at the end of November in Daytona Beach. Miller, who played at Manatee High and the University of South Florida, missed advancing by one shot at the recent second stage held at Venice’s Plantation Golf and Country Club. Schneider, who played at Lakewood Ranch High, Daytona State College and Ole Miss, missed by two shots. Bradenton’s Doris Chen, who trained at IMG Academy before playing at Southern Cal, also didn’t make it as one of the top 80 players after withdrawing before the final round.

HOLES-IN-ONE

On Friday, Oct. 21, at Peridia Golf and Country Club, Dennis Dubois aced the 160-yard ninth hole with a 5-wood. Witnesses were Jim Day and Sue Iyzenka.

On Saturday, Oct. 29, at Peridia Golf and Country Club, John Shaver aced the 131-yard 12th hole with a pitching wedge. Witnesses were Jim Arterburn and Ray Mullins.

On Sunday, Oct. 30, at River Strand Golf and Country Club, Dave Twomby aced the 150-yard seventh hole on the Sanctuary Course with a 5-iron. Witnesses were Brett Frisse and Don Briggs.

This story was originally published November 2, 2016 at 4:15 PM with the headline "Golf Plus: Bradenton City Men’s Amateur set to begin this weekend."