Stroke Play Seeding Round
The 27th Amateur Match Play Championship began today as 63 of Florida's finest amateur golfers teed it up at Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club in Ocala. The stroke play seeding round ended with Joe Alfieri, of Lutz, stealing medalist honors for the Round of 64 Match Play.
2001 Amateur Match Play Champion and four-time FSGA Player of Year, Joe Alfieri, seized the number one seed after a three under-par round of 69. Alfieri finished with an impressive scorecard filled with all pars and three birdies. Finishing as the second seed, one stroke behind, was Christopher Carlin. Carlin, who was crowned Champion in 2016, carded a stroke play round of 70. Four players, Nicholas Gabrelcik, Nilo Sanchez, Colin Kresl, and Manuel Girona, tied for third place at one under-par equaling six under-par rounds on the day. Past Champion in 2015, T J Shuart, posted an even par round to finish as a low seed heading into match play. Last year’s stroke play medalist, Dustin Dingus, finished as a higher seed with a round of 82.
The Round of 64 matches begin Friday morning followed by the Round of 32 in the afternoon. Joe Alfieri will start with a first round bye and play the Round of 32 in the afternoon. With a competitive match play bracket set, it'll be a race to the finish for the title of the 27th Amateur Match Play Champion.
Match Play
Tough competitors, and the number one, two, and three seeds, advanced through the rounds. Joe Alfieri, Christopher Carlin, and Manuel Girona were playing strong hoping to steal the Championship victory. Exciting matches on Saturday defined the remaining four players to face off on Sunday to crown the Champion. Joe Alfieri, who did not have a match reach the 17th hole, would face Trevor Hulbert, who defeated the hot Josh Pisarri. David Morgan reached the semifinals after earning a win over Carlin on the 18th hole by sinking a 20-foot birdie putt. Nicholas Gabrelcik would go head to head with David Morgan in the semifinals. Gabrelcik advanced to Sunday after halving the 18th hole against Manny Girona in the Quarterfinals.
Number 36 seed, Trevor Hulbert, overcame the strong competitor Joe Alfieri, 3 & 2 to reach the Final match. Nicholas Gabrelcik, of Trinity, continued on his winning streak, defeating Morgan 3 & 2, and would face Hulbert in the final. Hulbert and Gabrelcik played steady golf in the first nine holes of the final match. Both players made the turn all square after Hulbert, of Orlando, was one down over the first three holes. On the 15th hole, Gabrelcik moved to one-up in the match with a par and finally sealed his victory with a birdie on the par five 18th hole. Gabrelcik, who is nearly 16 years old, has committed to playing on the men’s golf team at the University of North Florida and is the youngest Amateur Match Play Champion in the history of the event.
Match Play Bracket
