The Bear's Club - Jupiter, FL
Top Alabama Amateurs to Compete in 16th Southeastern Challenge Team Match
HOOVER, AL - The 16th edition of the Men’s Southeastern Challenge Match will take place at The Bear’s Club in Jupiter, FL on October 21-22. Event features 12-man teams representing Alabama, Florida and Georgia. Each team consists of seven mid-amateurs (age 25+), one regular amateur (age 21+) and four senior amateurs (age 50+) selected by their state/regional golf association.
Format
Southeastern Challenge Match format consists of four-ball, foursomes (alternate shot), and three-ball matches (A vs B, B vs C, C vs A). Each match is worth one point with a half point awarded for halved matches.
Event History
The Men’s Southeastern Challenge Match debuted in 1989 as an event intended to promote goodwill and competition between the best amateur players, playing as a team, from Alabama, Florida and Georgia.
Past Winners: Florida has won the last three matches and eight overall. Alabama’s sole victory came in 1991 at the Country Club of Birmingham. Lake Nona Golf Club in Orlando, FL hosted the first Challenge Match in 1989 where Florida defeated Georgia and Alabama with total scores of 32, 21 and 18.5, respectively. 2015 match was held at Willow Point Golf and Country Club in Alexander City, AL with Florida earning 25 total points over Georgia’s 22.5 and Alabama’s 15.5.
Year Winner
2015 Florida
2013 Florida
2012 No Matches
2010 Florida
2008 Georgia
2006 Georgia
2004 Georgia
2002 Georgia
2000 Georgia
1998 Florida
1997 No Matches
1996 Florida
1995 Florida
1994 Florida
1993 No Matches
1992 No Matches
1991 Alabama
1990 Georgia
1989 Florida
2017 Alabama Men’s Southeastern Challenge Match Team Members
Regular Team
- Woodie Eubanks (42, Oneonta) is currently the #11 ranked men’s amateur in Alabama. Finished third at the 2017 Alabama State Mid-Amateur Championship and was a member of the 2016 USGA Men’s State Team from Alabama. Eubanks is a two-time AGA State Champion.
- Matt Gourgeot (31, Decatur) is currently the #1 ranked men’s amateur in Alabama. Finished second at the 2017 Alabama State Mid-Amateur and won the 2017 Alabama State Match Play Championship. Gourgeot is a two-time AGA State Champion.
- Clay Guerin (28, Hoover) is currently the #7 ranked men’s amateur in Alabama. Finished T5 at the 2017 Alabama State Mid-Amateur Championship and won the event in 2016. Guerin will be competing at the 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship in Atlanta.
- Matt Johnson (37, Dothan) is currently the #6 ranked men’s amateur in Alabama. Finished T5 at the 2017 Alabama State Mid-Amateur Championship and won the 2017 Alabama State Four-Ball Championship. Johnson is a two-time AGA State Champion. Johnson will be competing at the 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship in Atlanta.
- Vic Kyatt III (41, Birmingham) is currently the #3 ranked men’s amateur in Alabama. Finished T7 at the 2017 Alabama State Mid-Amateur Championship and won the event in 2014. Finished fourth at the 2017 Alabama Men’s State Amateur Championship.
- Ryan Mayberry (34, Birmingham) is currently the #12 ranked men’s amateur in Alabama. Was the leader after two rounds at the 2017 Alabama Men’s State Amateur Championship and finished in third place only two shots off the winning score at 276 (-12).
- Robby Prater (24, Birmingham) is currently the #10 ranked men’s amateur in Alabama. Finalist at the 2017 Alabama State Match Play Championship and finished 17th at the 2017 Alabama Men’s State Amateur Championship.
- Stewart Whitt (33, Athens) is currently the #14 ranked men’s amateur in Alabama. Won the 2017 Alabama State Mid-Amateur Championship after a final round four-under par 67 for a four shot victory. He was the only player to finish under par for the championship.
Senior Team
- Robbie Cotten (52, Brewton) is currently the #10 ranked men’s senior amateur in Alabama. Finished T7 at the 2017 Alabama State Senior Championship and advanced to the Round of 16 in the 2017 Alabama State Match Play Championship. Cotten has won four AGA Championships including victories at the 1990 State Amateur and the 1995 State Four-Ball while partnering with Team Alabama member Mike Greer.
- Mike Greer (59, Birmingham) is currently the #5 ranked men’s senior amateur in Alabama. Finished T3 at the 2017 Alabama State Senior Championship and is defending champion of the Alabama State Senior Four-Ball. Greer has won nine AGA Championships including three Mid-Amateur titles.
- Joey Holley (57, Troy) is currently the #4 ranked men’s senior amateur in Alabama. Finished T13 at the 2017 Alabama State Senior Championship. Won the individual title at the 2017 U.S. Senior Challenge. Holley is a two-time AGA Champion.
- Robert Nelson (57, Fairhope) is currently the #2 ranked men’s senior amateur in Alabama. Nelson won the 2017 State Senior Championship and has won five total AGA Championships. Nelson captured his first title at the 1978 Alabama State Junior Championship.
Schedule of Events
Saturday, October 21
Morning four-ball matches and afternoon foursome (alternate shot) matches
Sunday, October 22
Matches with a player from each association competing in a three-ball match
Daily scoring updates will be posted on the AGA website at www.alabamagolf.org.
This event is co-conducted by the Alabama Golf Association, Florida State Golf Association and Georgia State Golf Association.
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About the Alabama Golf Association (AGA) The Alabama Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization founded in 1915 whose mission is to serve and promote amateur golf in Alabama. AGA membership consists of over 130 member clubs represented by nearly 18,500 individuals. The activities and services of the Alabama Golf Association are governed by a Board of Directors consisting of Alabama golfers who wish to serve the game and the association through service. AGA is the USGA's liaison for golf in Alabama conducting national championship qualifying, administering the USGA Handicap system including the GHIN Handicap service, course & slope rating and education. The AGA annually conducts 12 championships and team match competitions for men, women, juniors, and seniors. The AGA also conducts Alabama high school golf championships and assists with many collegiate events including the SEC Men's Golf Championship. In addition to competitions, the AGA administers the AGA Women's Scholarship Fund that is dedicated to assisting young female golfers in higher education and supports the Alabama Turfgrass Research Foundation. For more information about the Alabama Golf Association, visit www.alabamagolf.org. |
