Golf team hosts national match

St. Augustine Amateur Golf Tournament hosts ranked golfers

By Jennifer Seton | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Flagler College will host nationally-ranked golfers from around the country as they come to participate in the St. Augustine Amateur at the St. John’s Golf Club Oct. 19 – 21.

The tournament consists of 72 golfers. The Tournament Committee invited 67 of those amateurs and the remaining five qualified through participation in the Local Qualifier on Oct. 7 as the top-five finishers.

Some teen golfers will have the opportunity to serve as caddies for the top-ranked amateur players in the tournament. Members of The First Tee of St. Johns County and St. John’s County high school golf teams, ranging in ages from 12 to 18, will be selected to serve as caddies.

The tournament seeks to inspire the young caddies to achieve great success in the game of golf as well as in life, and showcases amateur and collegiate players from around the country. The First Tee is St. Augustine Amateur’s primary charity beneficiary.

“The St. Augustine Amateur will allow the young caddies to have experience and to see really good golfers up close when they caddy for them,” said Jay Jennison, chairman of the tournament and Flagler men’s golf coach.

According to 2001 alumnus Elliott LaVercombe, who is also a former director of the organization, The First Tee is a non-profit group helping educate kids about life and values through the game of golf. “Kids learn about how to set goals, how to prepare for college life and how to communicate better,” she said.

Flagler College is one of St. Augustine Amateur’s biggest supporters and has sponsored the event since 2004.

The golf team has seven golfers in this year’s tournament, and there will also be two Flagler College alumni — Brad Barfield, a 2007 alum, and LaVercombe, who finished third last year.