North Florida’s Adam Vermut charged home on the final four holes Sunday at the 20th St. Augustine Amateur, overcoming nerves, an early weather delay and constant rain to edge first-round leader Jake Moffitt by one stroke.
The deciding shot was a five-foot birdie putt on the final green at the St. Johns Golf Club to top Moffitt and Max VanderMolen, a 17-year-old Louisville commitment from Richland, Michigan, who closed with the tournament’s low round, a 64, to finish two behind at 5-under. Ponte Vedra Beach’s Easton Oliva (72), a UNF signee, and Ward Harris (69), a sophomore at Chattanooga, finished tied for fourth at 3-under.
“Coming down the stretch, it was a lot, a lot of the nerves, a lot in my head,” said the 22-year-old Jacksonville native and senior on the North Florida golf team. “I just had to keep going forward. I handled it nicely in these conditions. This is going to stick with me for quite a while.”
Vermut was at 7-under-par and held a three-stroke leading entering Sunday’s final round, which began with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start. Players were allowed to use carts and preferred lies because of constant rain and a forecast of heavy rain in midafternoon.
Starting on No. 1 and paired with high school seniors Oliva and Tucker Gutierrez (Madison, Mississippi, Furman signee), who were three and four strokes back, respectively, play was halted on the first green when heavier rain caused that green and another to be unplayable because of standing water.
That resulted in an hour-and-a-half delay with players asked to stay in place until the rain subsided. By 10 a.m., play resumed and it was a battle against drizzle and wet and breezy conditions.
Vermut opened a larger gap and played conservatively through early in the back nine. That’s when Moffitt, in the threesome just ahead, birdied the 11th and 12th holes to get closer. When Vermut blocked a 2-iron tee shot out of bounds on No. 12 and made double bogey, Moffitt, a freshman at Southern Miss from Ripley, Mississippi, had moved to 6-under, one in front of Vermut.
Things turned again on the par-4 15th, where a lake guards the right side of the par-4 fairway. Moffitt drove in the water and made bogey. Vermut, known for his length, hit 2-iron off the tee and wedge to seven feet for a birdie to jump from one down to one ahead.
Moffitt birdied the dogleg-right 16th to tie it up at 6-under but gave that right back on the par-3 17th with a three-putt from 60 feet. On the par-5 18th, Moffitt got up and down from right of the green for birdie to complete a 3-under 68 and tie it again at 6-under.
Vermut answered that with a 330-yard drive on 18 and a 225-yard 6-iron to 25 feet. His eagle putt rolled five feet past the rear hole location but he made the comebacker for birdie to win, giving a fist pump in completing an even-par 71. Following his double bogey, Vermut hit the last six greens in regulation and played the holes 2-under par.
It was Vermut’s first victory since February 2023 at the Coastal Alabama Invitational in Point Clear, Alabama, during his freshman season at Eastern Florida State College in Cocoa, Florida. He transferred to UNF for his junior season in 2024-25.
“I’m super honored, and I had a really good time,” Vermut said. “I can’t believe I got it done. I was kind of worried on the last three or four holes. It means everything to me to win this event.”
Vermut made 15 birdies and an eagle in three rounds, but only one double bogey, the out-of-bounds tee shot on No. 12. That type of play overcame a stacked field that included 68 players representing 48 colleges, either via commitments, current players or recent alumni.
Additionally, the First Tee of North Florida, the tournament beneficiary, reached approximately $500,000 in donations during its 20-year involvement in the tournament.
The 21st edition of the tournament is scheduled for Dec. 4-6, 2026, at the St. Johns Golf Club.
Go to www.staugustineamateur.com for the 2025 results and other tournament details and visit BabyGrande Golf on Instagram, TikTok and youtube for social media updates.
NOTES
Low rounds:
2025: Round 1, Jake Moffitt (66); Round 2, Tucker Gutierrez (65); Round 3, Max VanderMolen (64).
2024: Round 1, Carson Johnson (66); Round 2, Justin Sui (67); Round 3, Ryan Nicholson (62)
Birdies, Field:
2025: Round 1, 267; Round 2, 253; Round 3, 233. Total: 753.
2024: Round 1, 175; Round 2, 183; Round 3, 201. Total: 559.
2023: Round 1, 268; Round 2, 263; Round 3, 229. Total: 760.
Eagles, Field:
2025: Round 1, 14; Round 2, 13; Round 3, 8. Total: 35.
2024: Round 1, 3; Round 2, 11; Round 3, 10. Total: 24.
2023: Round 1, 8; Round 2, 9; Round 3, 8. Total: 25.
Field’s average score:
2025: Round 1, 74.74; Round 2, 74.79; Round 3, 74.64. Cumulative: 74.73
2024: Round 1, 77.12; Round 2, 76.36; Round 3, 74.48. Cumulative: 76.1
2023: Round 1, 73.65; Round 2, 73.75; Round 3, 73.33. Total: 73.61
Hardest Hole:
2025 — Round 1: No. 9, par 4, 4.73 stroke average; Round 2: No. 3, par 4, 4.59; Round 3: No. 7, par 5, 5.44 stroke average. Cumulative: No. 7, par 5, 5.49 stroke average.
2024 (cumulative): No. 7, par 5, 5.62 stroke average
2023 (cumulative): No. 9, par 4, 4.44 stroke average
Easiest Hole:
2025 — Round 1: No. 11, par 5, 4.37 stroke average; Round 2: No. 18, par 5, 4.48’; Round 3: No. 11, par 5, 5.41 stroke average. Cumulative: No. 11, par 5, 4.56.
2024 (cumulative): No. 11, par 5, 4.79 stroke average
2023 (cumulative): No. 11, par 5, 4.54 stroke average
Results: www.staugustineamateur.com
