St. Johns Golf and Country Club member Larry Smith shot 33 on his final nine to pull away from Ken Moody and win by three shots in the 64th JAGA Senior Amateur Championship played at the champion’s home club.
The Jacksonville native and Terry Parker High School graduate closed with a 70 after opening with rounds of 69 and 72 for a three-day total of 3-under-par 213. Smith led by three shots after the first round and two after the second round.
On the final day, Smith and Moody were tied making the turn after Moody birdied the par-5 8th and Smith bogeyed No. 9, a par 4. The winner pulled away with birdies on 12, 13 and 16 and pars on the other six holes. Moody could only match one of Smith’s birdies, on No. 11, and it was soon offset by a bogey at 14.
Smith is well known on the local golf scene, having collected at least one club championship title at St. Johns, Southampton, Cimarrone and Deercreek. He is employed by Smith Packaging and Equipment in Jacksonville.
Moody, a Ponte Vedra Inn and Club member who won the 2004 JAGA Jacksonville Amateur, posted rounds of 73-70-71-214 (-2) over the 6,500-yard St. Johns layout.
Finishing three shots back of Moody at 217 (77-69-71) was another former Jacksonville Amateur winner, (2006) David Anthony of Marsh Landing Country Club.
The low round of the tournament was recorded by Billy Lodise of St. Augustine. His final-round 67 was 17 strokes better than his second-round score, and it jumped him into a tie for sixth.
Defending champion Tim Cobb, another St. Johns Golf and Country Club member, was unable to defend his title due to his son’s graduation from Ball State University.
First played in 1958, the JAGA Senior Amateur is the oldest continuously played golf tournament in North Florida and features contestants who are age 50 and above.
The top Senior division finishers were:
T6. Bill Lodise (St. Augustine) 74-84-67 – 225 (+9)
T6. Stuart Smith (St. Johns) 80-73-72 – 225 (+9)
T6. Mark Sobolewski (Amelia Island) 77-71-77 – 225 (+9)
T10. Steve Horner (Ponte Vedra Beach) 80-76-72 – 228 (+12)
T10. Paul Demyanovich (Jacksonville) 78-75-75 – 228 (+12)
T10. Michael Vallencourt (Orange Park) 77-77-74 – 228 (+12)
T10. Jim Loftin (St. Augustine) 72-80-76 – 228 (+12)
The Senior Amateur also includes separate competitions for Super Seniors (ages 60-69) and Grand Seniors (ages 70+). The results are as follows:
SUPER SENIORS
Gary Blackwell (Jacksonville/St. Johns G&CC) successfully defended his Super Senior title of last September firing rounds of 73-72-145 (+1) to defeat Harry Black (73-74-147) of Jacksonville in the age 60-69 competition.
In 2019, Blackwell was runner-up. The last three Senior Amateurs have been played at St. Johns. The Super Seniors layout played approximately 6,100 yards.
The top Super Senior finishers were:
T3. Peter Gibbons (Jacksonville) 77-72 – 149 (+5)
T3. David Houghton (Ponte Vedra Beach) 73-76 – 149 (+5)
T5. Ken Dye (Ponte Vedra Beach) 73-79 – 152 (+8)
T5. George Erickson (Ponte Vedra Beach) 69-83 – 152 (+8)
GRAND SENIORS
Last year’s runner-up Frank Perry shot 73-68-141 (-3) to claim his first age 70+ Grand Seniors’ title. The Ponte Vedra Beach resident was 10 shots better than K.C. Caldabaugh of Ponte Vedra Beach (76-75-151) and 2018 and 2019 winner Brian Sachs of Newberry (77-74-151).
The Grand Seniors set up was 5,650 yards.
The top Grand Seniors finishers were:
T4. Jack Heinemann (Green Cove Springs) 75-78 – 153 (+9)
T4. Danny Daniels (Crawfordville) 72-81 – 153 (+9)
T4. Bruce Moskovciak (Jacksonville) 80-73 – 153 (+9)
The winners in the net competitions were:
Seniors – NA
Super Seniors – Greg Peters (Jacksonville)
Grand Seniors – Rocky Russell (Atlantic Beach)
Complete tournament results may be found at:
https://jax.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/jax21/event/jax217/contest/1/leaderboard.htm
Next Up For JAGA
As JAGA enters the heart of its 2021 tournament season, the next two events are:
May 21-23 – 11th JAGA Match Play Championship at Queen’s Harbour Y&CC
June 24-25 – First Coast Women’s Amateur at Sawgrass Country Club
For entry and other information on these events, go to jaxareagolf.org and click on “Calendar of Events.”
