Quartet of First Coast golfers reach match play in Florida Women’s Amateur

Sofia Rivera of St. Augustine, Sahana Chokshi of Jacksonville, Kate Bibby of St. Augustine and Alexandra Gazzoli of Palm Coast all qualified for match play in the 86th Florida Amateur June 12-15 at the Indian Creek Country Club on Miami Beach.

Only Gazzoli went further. She got to the semifinals and lost to Remi Bacardi of Miami 2 and 1. Barcadi fell in the championship against Siuue Wi of Reunion, 2 and 1.

In a rare occurrence for a match-play event that includes stroke-play qualifying, the top two players in 36 holes of stroke-play were Wu and Bacadi. Wu shot 5-under 139 and Bacardi 3-under 141. The top 32 qualified for match play.

Gazzoli (144) tied for third, Chokshi (146) tied for ninth, and Bibby and Rivera (149) tied for ninth.

Chokshi shot 69 in the second round, eight shots better than her first-round score of 77. She also rebounded from a terrible start, with a double bogey on the first hole and a bogey on the second.

But the rising Episcopal junior did not make another bogey for the rest of the round, made an eagle-two at the par-4 10th hole and birdied Nos. 17 and 18.

Gazzoli won two gritty matches, beating Haley Davis of Ocala and Karoline Tuttle of Lake Mary, both by 1-up scores.

Chokshi lost her first match to Olivia Hasselbach to Tampa 2-up; Rivera fell to Bella Dowhey of Orlando 3 and 1; and Bibby lost to Sophie Dwyer of St. Petersburg 5 and 3.

Chokshi very nearly won her match. After rallying from three holes down she evened the match with birdies at Nos. 16 and 17. Hasselbach then won No. 18 with a bar. She shot 67 on her ball and Chokshi had a 69.

Billy Lodise goes deep in Florida Senior Amateur

Billy Lodise tied for 15th in stroke-play qualifying, then reached the quarterfinals of the Florida Senior Match Play June 16-19 at the Lakewood National Piper Course in Lakewood Ranch.

Lodise shot 5-over 159 to qualify and won twice in match play. He beat William Mallon of Vero Beach 3 and 1 and John Lobb of Jacksonville 3 and 2.

Lobb tied for second in stroke play at 2-under 142, two shots behind medalist Joe Alfieri of Lutz. Lobb beat Matthew Ross of Brooksville in his singles victory, 2-up.

Lodise was eliminated by Miles McConnell of Tampa, 3 and 2. McConnell then lost 2 and 1 to Steve Albright of Ocala in the semifinals. Chris Howell of Winter Garden edged Albright in the championship match 2-up. Howell won the last two holes.

July is Championship Month on the First Coast

The Jacksonville Area Golf Association spring and summer schedule will be complete with its three biggest championships in July:

• The Greater Jacksonville Junior Championship will be July 15-16 at the Eagle Harbor Golf Club. The entry deadline is July 9 at 8 p.m.
• The First Coast Women’s Amateur will be July 20-22 at the Sawgrass Country Club. The entry deadline is July 6 at 5 p.m.
• The Jacksonville Area Golf Association caps the month July 24-26 at the Timuquana Country Club, the first time in the 64-year history of the tournament. The entry deadline is July 1 at 5 p.m.

Information on all three tournaments can be found by visiting jaxareagolf.org.

First Coast players among Florida Junior Tour leaders

The Florida Junior Tour schedule is in a pause while the state’s top junior players chase statewide and national events.

A handful of First Coast juniors are among the points leaders. Jonah Nacional of St. Augustine is fourth in boys 16-18, Charlie Hipp of St. Johns is third and Ambrose Kinnare of St. Augustine is eighth in boys 13-15; and Lily Wachter of St. Augustine is fourth and Chloe McGrath of Jacksonville is ninth in girls 13-15.