It has truly been a team effort by team Florida in the USGA Men's State Team Championship with each team member contributing a score through two days. Joe Alfieri and Jon Veneziano lead the way for team Florida in
round 2 as they made their way in to the top five heading into Friday's final round.
Alfieri lead the charge with a 1-over par 72 after carding 2 birdies and 3 bogeys. The Lutz native was able to negotiate the difficult 473 yard par 4 18th hole with a birdie and followed it up with another one on hole 1 (his 10th). Veneziano, whose score has counted both days was able to offset 4 bogeys and a double with 4 birdies to fire a 2-over par 73 on Galloway National's par 71 layout. The Mount Dora native made birdies on holes 3, 6, 11, and 18. Don Bell, whose 74 on day 1 helped put Florida in position, struggled on day 2. The two-time defending FSGA Mid-Amateur Stroke Play champion was unable to make a birdie on day 2 and finished with 78.
Florida now sits in a four way tie for 5th place with California, Missouri, and Tennessee at nine over par. New York sits atop the leaderboard at 1 over par after a 2-under par round of 140 on day two. Florida will be paired with California and Georgia in the final round with tee times beginning at 12:59 PM.
The USGA Men's State Team Championship is a biannual competition open to all states, the district of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Each state may enter a team of 3 players, who play 54 holes of stroke play with the two lowest rounds each day counting towards the team's score. The team with the lowest 54-hole aggregate score is the winner.
