Jacksonville Beach Golf Club team captures first-ever JAGA Club Team Championship
The Jacksonville Area Golf Association and Northern Chapter PGA are finishing their 2021 seasons with a flurry in the final six months of the year.
After staging the inaugural Billy Maxwell Memorial Tournament at Hyde Park on Nov. 18, honoring the late seven-time PGA Tour winner and Hyde Park owner who passed away on Sept. 20 at 92, JAGA and the PGA chapter moved to the World Golf Hall of Fame to play the 24th annual Club Team Championship on Nov. 22.
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The Jacksonville Beach Golf Club team of professional Thomas Gelsomino and amateurs Brent Dietz, Keanu Evans and Michael Lupi won the tournament at 17-under-par 127 under a format of two best net balls. They won by three shots over three teams tied for second: Palencia (pro Gerry James and amateurs Gary Blackwell, Joe Masarweh and Desi Desiderio; the Westside Golf Center (pro Rob Lee and amateurs Bruce Kelnhofer, Charlie Kelnhofer and Chandler Gruenemier); and Marsh Creek (pro Cary Splane and amateurs Vince Celestino, Alan Keary and Brian Boyle.
Stephanie Connelly-Eiswerth of Eagle Harbor was the low individual pro at 5-under-par 67, which included a hole-in-one at the 15th hole. She defeated Hayes Farley of San Jose Country Club and host pro Jake Etherton by three shots.
The 2022 tournament will be at the other Hall of Fame Course, the King & Bear.
The Northern Chapter will close its pro-am schedule on Dec. 13 at the TPC Sawgrass and the final JAGA tournament of the year will be Dec. 18 with the Family Championship at Jacksonville Beach.
The Henry Tuten Gator Bowl Pro-Am will be Dec. 20-21 at the Sea Island Club.
Entry information for the Family Championship can be found at jaxareagolf.org.
Area golf banquet canceled
For the second year in a row, the annual Celebration of Golf banquet jointly staged by JAGA and the Northern Chapter PGA will not be held due to "ongoing concerns about hosting high occupancy indoor events," due to the pandemic.
In a statement from JAGA, hopes are that the pandemic will be under "full control" in 2023 and the banquet will resume.
Interest overflows for amateur event
Entries for the First Coast Amateur Jan. 15-17 at The Conservatory in Palm Coast has spilled over the planned field of 96 players.
As of last week, more than 130 have applied to play in the tournament since registration opened on Nov. 1. Players can continue to enter, with one eligibility category coming via 10 spots reserved by the committee for players with strong amateur, college and junior resumes.
There are 37 exempt players. Entries are open until Dec. 31, with information at jaxareagolf.org.
Tesori-McClave finish second
Paul Tesori of St. Augustine and Will McClave of Newberry finished second in the first Florida State Golf Association Winter Series Four-Ball, at the Indian Springs Country Club in Boynton Beach.
Scott Cox of Palmetto and Ryan Prokay of Bradenton won at 13-under-par 131. Tesori, the caddie for 2018 Players champion Webb Simpson, and McClave are 9-under 135. Tesori made five birdies during a first-round 65.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Beach Golf Club team captures first-ever JAGA Club Team Championship
