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Northeast Florida 2022 sports review: Cameron Smith wins on British Open turf, almost surf

clayton freeman, florida times-union
·3 min read

The first signs of a long-awaited Jacksonville Jaguars revival under Doug Pederson and Trevor Lawrence.

A soggy but sensational five days at The Players Championship.

A 50-year-old on the gridiron, and an 18-year-old with an elusive four-minute mile.

Those were just some of the achievements and the moments to remember across the sports scene in 2022 for Jacksonville and Northeast Florida, a year to remember for its highlights and its setbacks.

From a red-and-black triumph in the annual Georgia-Florida clash at TIAA Bank Field to the return of the UFC mixed martial arts championship to the First Coast, the Times-Union looks back at the past 12 months across the Jacksonville area in sports.

Here is part 3, featuring the third quarter of the year from July to September.

Sports year in review, part 1:Northeast Florida 2022 sports in review: Hall calls for Tony Boselli, LeRoy Butler

Sports year in review, part 2: Four-minute miler Rheinhardt Harrison sparks spring

Sports year in review, part 4:Northeast Florida 2022 sports review: Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars show new life in fall

July 9: Jacksonville University track coach Ron Grigg resigns under pressure after allegations of bullying and emotional abuse from several athletes.

July 15: Former Ribault High School guard Rennia Davis signs with the WNBA's Indiana Fever. The No. 9 overall WNBA Draft pick of the Minnesota Lynx in 2021, Davis had missed her entire rookie year due to a foot injury.

Cameron Smith, of Australia, holds the claret jug trophy as he poses for photographers on the 18th green after winning the British Open golf Championship on the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland, Sunday July 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Cameron Smith, of Australia, holds the claret jug trophy as he poses for photographers on the 18th green after winning the British Open golf Championship on the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland, Sunday July 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

July 17: Jacksonville resident Cameron Smith wins the British Open at St. Andrews in Scotland, becoming the first since Jack Nicklaus to win both the tournament and The Players Championship in the same year.

July 17: Olympic gold medalist Yuto Horigome of Japan wins the men's championship and Brazil's Rayssa Leal captures the women's title in Street League Skateboarding at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.

July 20: The World Golf Foundation announces that the World Golf Hall of Fame and Museum building in St. Johns County will close at the end of 2023.

British Open golf champion Cameron Smith prepares to leave the dock after his crew weighed in two fish at the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament at Jim King Park at Sisters Creek on July 22, 2022. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]
British Open golf champion Cameron Smith prepares to leave the dock after his crew weighed in two fish at the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament at Jim King Park at Sisters Creek on July 22, 2022. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]

July 22: St. Augustine's Joseph Shugart aboard One Time wins the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament with a 49.77-pound catch, while a boat with British Open champion Cameron Smith and Billy Horschel finishes sixth after leading early.

Aug. 3: The Bob Hayes Invitational Track Meet, the annual tradition honoring the Jacksonville native who won the 1964 Olympic 100-meter dash, announces its move from Raines High School after 53 years to the University of North Florida.

Aug. 6: Former Jaguars offensive tackle Tony Boselli and Lee High School graduate LeRoy Butlerofficially enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

Aug. 30: The JAXUSL ownership group, including former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, announces the formation of a prospective franchise in the United Soccer League, intending to launch a team at pro soccer's second level by 2025.

Aug. 30: After weeks of speculation, Jacksonville resident Cameron Smith, reigning winner of The Players Championship and the British Open, officially jumps to the LIV Golf Series.

Sept. 11: The Jaguars lose their season opener 28-22 to the Washington Commanders, the team's first game under head coach Doug Pederson.

Sept. 14: Former Glynn Academy pitcher Adam Wainwright and St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina set the all-time MLB record with their 325th start together as a battery, surpassing the Detroit Tigers' Mickey Lolich and Bill Freehan.

Sept. 28: Hurricane Ian makes landfall near Fort Myers, which also forces the postponement of multiple sports events around the Jacksonville area.

Sept. 29: Trevor Lawrence wins the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award, the first Jaguar to earn the honor since David Garrard in 2010.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) warms up before playing against the New York Jets in an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) warms up before playing against the New York Jets in an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Clayton Freeman covers high school sports and more for the Florida Times-Union. Follow him on Twitter at @CFreemanJAX, and sign up for the First Coast Varsity newsletter at https://profile.jacksonville.com/newsletters/first-coast-varsity/.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville area 2022 sports review Part 3: July through September