BUTTACAVOLI WINS 2005 SOUTHERN JUNIOR

ORLANDO, FL – Miami Beach’s Michael Buttacavoli charged past faltering leaders over the closing two holes Thursday to win the Southern Golf Association’s 33nd Southern Junior Golf Championship at Golden Bear Club/Keene’s Pointe. The rising senior at Ransom Everglades High School thought he needed to birdie the last two holes to force a playoff.

He birdied the par-5 17th, and narrowly missed a 20-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 6-under-par total of 210. As he walked off the final green, he learned he had won the prestigious tournament over a field of 156 top juniors from throughout the U.S. and a half-dozen foreign countries. “I was surprised. But it feels pretty good,” said Buttacavoli, 17.

Playing in the group ahead, Portugal’s Nuno Henriques was 7-under with a 2-stroke lead, but suffered a triple-bogey 8 on the No. 17. That gave the momentary lead to Mobile’s Zach Sucher, who dunked his approach to No. 18 and fell back with a double-bogey six.

Henriques finished a shot back in second place at 211 along with Taiwan’s Tommy Mou, a strapping 14-year-old who chose to compete in the featured 15-18 Age Division.

The victory earned Buttacavoli a playing exemption to test his game against the adults in the SGA’s 99th Southern Amateur next month at the Dunes Club in Myrtle Beach, SC. “That will be pretty cool. I really look forward to that,” he said.

Despite a final round struggle, St. Augustine’s Julian Suri held on to win the 13-14 Age Division with a 213 total, two ahead of Orlando’s Phillip Choi.

Complete results:

13-14 Age Division
Julian Suri, Saint Augustine, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65-71-77--213
Phillip Choi, Orlando, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72-75-68--215
Brinson Paolini, Virginia Beach, Va. . . . . . . . . . . . . 73-72-71--216
Brandon Ramirez, Orlando, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72-77-72--221
Brant DeLongy, Winter Park, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75-76-71--222
Pete Kellerman, Jacksonville, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74-72-76--222
Andrew Glassell, Clarksville, Tenn. . . . . . . . . . . . . .79-74-74--227
Ed Waller, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . 76-76-75--227
Seth Reeves, Duluth, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78-73-76--227
Franco Castro, Alpharetta, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75-78-80--233

Failed to make cut:

Aaron Fitzpatrick, Windermere, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79-76--155
Taylor Stevenson, Port Orange, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77-81--158
Matthew Ball, Richmond, Va. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81-80--161
William Meason, Alpharetta, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86-75--161
D. J. Janolo, Kissimmee, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84-80--164
Smylie Kaufman, Birmingham, Ala. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85-81--166
Michael Swope, Chester, Va. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86-81--167
Jordan Brown, Memphis, Tenn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88-84--172

15-18 Age Division
Michael Buttacavoli, Miami Beach, Fla.. . . . . . . . . .70-70-70--210
Nuno Henriques, Bradenton, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72-69-70--211
Tommy Chung Mou, Bradenton, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . .69-73-69--211
Blake West, Montgomery, Ala. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71-71-70--212
Spence Fulford, Rocky Mount, N.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . 68-74-70--212
Zack Sucher, Mobile, Ala. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74-68-70--212
Daniel Mayer, Winter Park, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73-67-73--213
Sam Saunders, Windermere, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71-71-71--213
Carter Newman, Evans, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68-73-73--214
Jonathan Fly, Memphis, Tenn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68-76-70--214
Timothy Byrd, LaPlace, La. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74-71-69--214
Brad Schneider, Valrico, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73-72-70--215
David Cline, Smyrna, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69-69-77--215
Preston Yates, Winston-Salem, N.C. . . . . . . . . . . . .69-69-77--215
Jackson Beindorf, Vero Beach, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . 75-69-72--216
Matt Scarlett, Boynton Beach, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73-71-72--216
Chad Carpenter, Sarasota, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74-71-73--218
Davis Miller, Tampa, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71-72-75--218
Eric Shaw, Longwood, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74-72-72--218
Troy Sidabras, Indialantic, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73-70-75--218
Broc Raymond, The Woodlands, Texas . . . . . . . . . 72-73-74--219
Minghao Wang, Bradenton, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71-77-71--219
Wes Roach, Knoxville, Tenn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72-75-72--219
Cameron Lawrence, Brentwood, Tenn. . . . . . . . . . .69-75-76--220
David Dilibero, Gainesville, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75-74-71--220
Derek Rende, Soddy Daisy, Tenn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74-70-76--220
Elliott Lopez, Chapin, S.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76-72-72--220
Justin Kaplan, Sugarland, Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72-72-76--220
Kirk Whitehead, Marietta, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77-70-73--220
Randall Allen, Atlanta, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76-71-73--220
Ryan Blackburn, Augusta, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73-71-76--220
Jack Watters, Tampa, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77-73-71--221
Jacob Davidson, Jacksonville, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . .67-80-74--221
Scott Saal, Virginia Beach, Va. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76-70-75--221
Shane Rhatigan, Alpharetta, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73-78-70--221
Brent Blaum, Miami, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75-74-73--222
Cameron Hooper, Jacksonville, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . 76-75-71--222
Kyle Henderson, Clermont, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73-74-75--222
Jake Younan-Wise, Kingscliff, Australia . . . . . . . . . .71-76-76--223
Kelly McHugh, Lakeland, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77-71-75--223
Logan Blondell, Lakeland, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74-78-71--223
Philip Breeding, Morristown, Tenn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76-76-71--223
Rikiya Kitagawa, Bradenton, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71-74-78--223
Tyson Alexander, Gainesville, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73-72-78--223
Caleb Marsh, Strawberry Plains, Tenn. . . . . . . . . . .75-73-76--224
David Fowler, Winston-Salem, N.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . 76-70-78--224
Mitchell Van Zelfden, Marietta, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . .74-77-73--224
Tyler Baird, Knoxville, Tenn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73-76-75--224
Whit Roper, Athens, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72-78-74--224
Drew Florio, Celebration, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77-73-75--225
Graham White, Evans, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76-74-75--225
Kyle Cothran, Soddy Daisy, Tenn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78-72-75--225
Luke Sherrod, Knoxville, Tenn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73-75-77--225
Raj Nahal, Longwood, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79-72-74--225
Ross Mizell, The Woodlands, Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . 73-79-73--225
Ryan Blue, Bogart, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73-76-76--225
Matthew Krembel, Shalimar, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75-76-75--226
Randall Andersen, Lakeland, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77-75-74--226
Wesley Graham, Port Orange, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . .71-79-76--226
Robert Womble, Raleigh, N.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77-74-76--227
Gavin Cambre, Orlando, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72-79-77--228
Kyle Hammond, Windermere, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77-74-77--228
John Minor, Dandridge, Tenn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75-76-78--229
Marc Sambol, Dallas, Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76-72-81--229
Geoffrey Lenehan, Dublin, Ireland . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81-70-79--230
Eric Johannsen, Naples, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74-78-80--232
Beck Miller, Houston, Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79-71-83--233
Seth McWhorter, Athens, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76-76-81--233
Hayes Brown, Atlanta, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74-78-83--235

Failed to make cut:

Brian Lorberbaum, Chattanooga, Tenn. . . . . . . . . . . . . 77-76--153
Bryan Alred, Woodstock, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78-75--153
Joseph Schrader, Casselberry, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73-80--153
Min So, Orlando, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79-74--153
Rob Kirkland, Durham, N.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75-78--153
Zach Lee, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70-83--153
David Lindberg, Sarasota, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79-75--154
H. B. Chavous, Evans, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75-79--154
Hunter Ford, Paducah, Ky. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74-80--154
Matthew Cooney, Tampa, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78-76--154
Rob Richardson, Lilburn, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77-77--154
Shelton Smith, Port Orange, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78-76--154
Todd Heinz, Collierville, Tenn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80-74--154
Trey Reddish, Newnan, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77-77--154
Wesley Parker, Enterprise, Ala. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76-78--154
Alex Snyder, Germantown, Tenn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77-78--155
Judson Eustaquio, Lake Worth, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78-77--155
Seungwoo Nam, Windermere, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78-77--155
Adam West, Montgomery, Ala. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76-80--156
Brent Modak, Atlanta, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80-76--156
Kevin Johnson, Jesup, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81-75--156
Phillip Weaver, Tuscaloosa, Ala. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76-80--156
R. Graham Bradshaw, Vero Beach, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . .77-79--156
Robbie Morrice, Roswell, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71-85--156
Will Braude, Jacksonville, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77-79--156
Devin Spies, Sarasota, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74-83--157
Doug Gordon, Winter Park, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80-77--157
Justin Kim, Championsgate, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77-80--157
Michael Fiore, Alpharetta, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72-85--157
Aaron Stewart, Windermere, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74-84--158
Alex Castro, Alpharetta, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78-80--158
B. K. Sobhani, Kobe, Japan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84-74--158
Jason Walker, Fort Pierce, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84-74--158
Johnny DelPrete, Palm City, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77-81--158
Joseph Brown, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . 77-81--158
Sam Ransom, Atlanta, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76-82--158
Clay Ferguson, Edmond, Okla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75-84--159
Daniel Austin, Ridgeland, Miss. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79-80--159
Eric Schultz, Raleigh, N.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81-78--159
Bobby Baird, Knoxville, Tenn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85-75--160
Carl Santos-Ocampo, Naples, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77-83--160
Nick Faitz, North Little Rock, Ark. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80-81--161
Ryan Peters, Watkinsville, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75-86--161
Shane McDonald, Mansfield, Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84-77--161
Petey Smith, Lafayette, La. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86-76--162
Michael Bain, Orlando, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82-81--163
Ben Klaus, Edmond, Okla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76-88--164
Brent Whitehead, Marietta, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83-81--164
Kyle Lepore, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . .83-81--164
Stewart Dula, Salisbury, N.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80-84--164
Oscar Hedblad, Hollviken, Sweden. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86-81--167
Sean Metcalf, Celebration, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88-79--167
Kevin Kreutz, Alpharetta, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87-83--170
Darren Chapman, Destin, Fla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84-87--171
Daniel Brown, Memphis, Tenn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91-93--184