When the 84th Florida State Amateur Championship concluded on Sunday at World Woods Golf Club, it was eerily similar to last year's championship.
Robbie Schulz, a lifelong Miami resident whose family recently moved to Naples, had to overcome a 1 hour and 52 minute rain delay and then fire the championship's low round with a 5-under par 67 to leapfrog the leaders and claim his first State title. Last year, Justin Biggs did the same thing by withstanding a rain delay and then shooting a 66 to come from 10 strokes behind and win.
Joe Alfieri of Lutz again finished in second place tor the third year in a row. He shot even par on Sunday to finish tied for second with Clearwater's Brendan Takacs. The duo was four strokes behind Schulz.
Schulz started the day four strokes behind third-round leader Steve Albright. After shooting back-to-back 73's on Thursday and Friday, Schulz made his move on a grueling Saturday. Following a six-hour rain delay, he fired a 3-under par 69 that included six birdies and three bogeys. He stayed hot on Sunday by adding six more birdies and just one bogey. The bogey came on 16 after Schulz had already built a four-shot lead.
Albright, who had led the championship since the first round, just never got anything going during the final round. He closed with a 7-over par 79 to fall to a tie for 8th.
Kelly Gosse of Inverness jumped up to fourth place with a final round 69, while University of Florida's Dalton Melnyk and Sarasota's Adam Scrimenti shared fifth place honors at 1-over par 288.
Schulz attended Wallace Community College in Dothan, Alabama this past year. The school has recently dropped its golf program, so Schulz is now trying to decide what the future holds. “This is the biggest tournament I have ever won," Schulz said. "I trying to decide if I'm going to find another school and play collegiately or turn professional."
But it sounded like his mind is already made up. When later asked if he would be back to defend next year, he smiled and nodded his head yes.
Schulz received a crystal vase and his name inscribed on the Clarence Camp Championship Trophy, The top 10 plus ties will receive an exemption into the Florida State Amateur Championship next year.
